US spends $80m on troops every month
Bush playing Cricket at the U. S. Embassy in Islamabad, on his trip to Pakistan, 4 March 2006.By Robin Wright
22 February,2008
Washngton: Once a month, Pakistan's Defence Ministry delivers 15 to 20 pages of spreadsheets to the US embassy in Islamabad.
They list costs for feeding, clothing, billeting and maintaining 80,000 to 100,000 Pakistani troops in the volatile tribal area along the Afghan border, in support of US counterterrorism efforts.
No receipts are attached.
In response, the Defence Department has disbursed about $80 million (Dh294 million) monthly, or roughly $1 billion a year for the past six years, in one of the most generous US military support programmes worldwide.
The US aim has been to ensure that Pakistan remains the leading ally in combating extremism in South Asia.
But vague accounting, disputed expenses and suspicions about overbilling have recently made these payments to Pakistan highly controversial - even within the US government.
The poor showing in Monday's parliamentary election by the party of President Pervez Musharraf, whose government has overseen local disbursement of the money, may make Congress look closer at all US financial assistance to the country.
Questions have already been raised about where the money went and what the Bush administration got in return, given that pro-American sentiment in Pakistan is extremely low and Al Qaida's presence is growing steadily stronger.
In perhaps the most disputed series of payments, Pakistan received about $80 million a month in 2006 and 2007 for military operations during cease-fires with pro-Taliban tribal elders along the border, including one that lasted 10 months in which troops returned to their barracks.
The Bush administration has acknowledged some problems, but still says that the programme - part of a costly military programme known as the Coalition Support Fund - is worth every penny.
"Yes, we may have overpaid, but it's still a good deal," said a senior administration official involved in Pakistan policy, noting that more than 1,000 Pakistani troops have been killed while assisting Operation Enduring Freedom, an unpopular effort among Pakistanis.
22 February,2008
Washngton: Once a month, Pakistan's Defence Ministry delivers 15 to 20 pages of spreadsheets to the US embassy in Islamabad.
They list costs for feeding, clothing, billeting and maintaining 80,000 to 100,000 Pakistani troops in the volatile tribal area along the Afghan border, in support of US counterterrorism efforts.
No receipts are attached.
In response, the Defence Department has disbursed about $80 million (Dh294 million) monthly, or roughly $1 billion a year for the past six years, in one of the most generous US military support programmes worldwide.
The US aim has been to ensure that Pakistan remains the leading ally in combating extremism in South Asia.
But vague accounting, disputed expenses and suspicions about overbilling have recently made these payments to Pakistan highly controversial - even within the US government.
The poor showing in Monday's parliamentary election by the party of President Pervez Musharraf, whose government has overseen local disbursement of the money, may make Congress look closer at all US financial assistance to the country.
Questions have already been raised about where the money went and what the Bush administration got in return, given that pro-American sentiment in Pakistan is extremely low and Al Qaida's presence is growing steadily stronger.
In perhaps the most disputed series of payments, Pakistan received about $80 million a month in 2006 and 2007 for military operations during cease-fires with pro-Taliban tribal elders along the border, including one that lasted 10 months in which troops returned to their barracks.
The Bush administration has acknowledged some problems, but still says that the programme - part of a costly military programme known as the Coalition Support Fund - is worth every penny.
"Yes, we may have overpaid, but it's still a good deal," said a senior administration official involved in Pakistan policy, noting that more than 1,000 Pakistani troops have been killed while assisting Operation Enduring Freedom, an unpopular effort among Pakistanis.
Labels: Afghanistan, Pakistan, United States
posted by HRM Deborah of Israel and the Messenger of Peace at 8:00 AM
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