US pays Pakistan $1 billion a year to fight terror, as country cuts patrols
"The United States is continuing to make large payments of roughly $1 billion a year to Pakistan for what it calls reimbursements to the country's military for conducting counterterrorism efforts along the border with Afghanistan, even though Pakistan's president decided eight months ago to slash patrols through the area where Qaida and Taliban fighters are most active," the NEW YORK TIMES will report in Sunday editions, according to a copy of the article advanced to RAW STORY. Excerpts.
#
The monthly payments, called coalition support funds, are not widely advertised. Buried in public budget numbers, the payments are intended to reimburse Pakistan's military for the cost of the operations. So far, Pakistan has received more than $5.6 billion under the program over five years, more than half of the total aid the United States has sent to the country since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, not counting covert funds.
Some American military in the region has recommended that the money be tied to Pakistan's performance in pursuing al-Qaida and keeping the Taliban from gaining a haven from which to attack the government of Afghanistan. American officials have been surprised by the speed at which both organizations have gained strength in the past year.
But Bush administration officials say no such plan is being considered, despite new evidence that the Pakistani military is often looking the other way when Taliban fighters retreat across the border into Pakistan. There is also at least one American report that Pakistani security forces have fired in support of Taliban fighters attacking Afghan posts.
FULL STORY HERE.
|
