Big bags of money for Pakistan — no questions asked

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The Bush administration seems to have a disconcerting habit of sending huge sums of U.S. tax dollars to the Middle East, without checks or accountability of any kind, and then suddenly discovering they have no idea where our money ended up. One of the more notable examples is Pakistan.

The LAT reported last month that billions of dollars the administration sent to Pakistan, ostensibly for counter-terrorism measures against al Qaeda, never reached their intended target. So, where did it go?

After the United States has spent more than $5 billion in a largely failed effort to bolster the Pakistani military effort against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, some American officials now acknowledge that there were too few controls over the money. The strategy to improve the Pakistani military, they said, needs to be completely revamped.

In interviews in Islamabad and Washington, Bush administration and military officials said they believed that much of the American money was not making its way to frontline Pakistani units. Money has been diverted to help finance weapons systems designed to counter India, not Al Qaeda or the Taliban, the officials said, adding that the United States has paid tens of millions of dollars in inflated Pakistani reimbursement claims for fuel, ammunition and other costs.

“I personally believe there is exaggeration and inflation,” said a senior American military official who has reviewed the program, referring to Pakistani requests for reimbursement. “Then, I point back to the United States and say we didn’t have to give them money this way.”

No, but we apparently did anyway.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Somewhat laughable, Steve, in that you think this to be specific to Bush Jr.'s admin.

The only admin since 1947 that DIDN't give vast sums of money and arms to Pakistan was that of Clinton. Johnson (in 1965/6--actually, he embargoed both the agressor Pakistan and the aggression-victim India) and Bush Sr. (1990--when images revealed "what appeared to be nuke racks" being attached to US-supplied F-16's) stopped aid--meaning that till the previous year, it had been receiving such (and, as now, NQA).

Worst-case was under Reagan, who kept OVERRIDING an amendment requiring him to certify Pakistan's usage of aid before continuation (Bush Sr. didn't override in 1989--and was sharp enough not to do so in 1990).

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Somewhat laughable, Steve, in that you think this to be specific to Bush Jr.'s admin.

The only admin since 1947 that DIDN't give vast sums of money and arms to Pakistan was that of Clinton. Johnson (in 1965/6--actually, he embargoed both the agressor Pakistan and the aggression-victim India) and Bush Sr. (1990--when images revealed "what appeared to be nuke racks" being attached to US-supplied F-16's) stopped aid--meaning that till the previous year, it had been receiving such (and, as now, NQA).

Worst-case was under Reagan, who kept OVERRIDING an amendment requiring him to certify Pakistan's usage of aid before continuation (Bush Sr. didn't override in 1989--and was sharp enough not to do so in 1990).

How long has Al-Qaida operated in Pakistan?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Somewhat laughable, Steve, in that you think this to be specific to Bush Jr.'s admin.

The only admin since 1947 that DIDN't give vast sums of money and arms to Pakistan was that of Clinton. Johnson (in 1965/6--actually, he embargoed both the agressor Pakistan and the aggression-victim India) and Bush Sr. (1990--when images revealed "what appeared to be nuke racks" being attached to US-supplied F-16's) stopped aid--meaning that till the previous year, it had been receiving such (and, as now, NQA).

Worst-case was under Reagan, who kept OVERRIDING an amendment requiring him to certify Pakistan's usage of aid before continuation (Bush Sr. didn't override in 1989--and was sharp enough not to do so in 1990).

How long has Al-Qaida operated in Pakistan?

Probably since it (AQ) was founded.

Local militants not-necessarily affiliated with AQ have been around there since at least early 1980's, when Zia, and his equally-evil mohajir henchman ISI chief Akhtar Abdur Rehman, decided to train a militant cadre which would serve Pakistan's own ends:

• for Afghanistan, both Taliban and Hekmatyar ("elected" PM of Afghanistan in early 1990's, he actually ROCKETTED Kabul while holding that post) Group--idea being to have a local-puppet government in Afghanistan to gain "strategic-depth" against India
• Sikh (against Punjab State) and muslim (to operate in Indian Kashmir--rebellion started AFTER Zia and Akhtar were sent to deserved end by Aslam Beg) militants trained for "Operation Tupac" (I don't know where Zia and Akhtar got the idea that Tupac Amaru was successful against Spaniards)
• to make it closer to Wahhabi Saudi Arabia (which he considered as benefactor--like Z.A. Bhutto, whom he had murdered-through-courts), Sipah-e-Sahiba of extremist Sunnis to attack Shias whom Zia (and the Salafis of Saudi Arabia) consider heretics (of course, the Shias started their own militancy then)

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

It seems the Carpetbagger needs a good remedial geography class....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

It seems the Carpetbagger needs a good remedial geography class....

[Saddle Bronc 124]

It seems the Carpetbagger needs a good remedial geography class....

Not really; he's been no worse than presidents up to Reagan on Sub-continental history/geography.