Our tax money, well spent!
"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."
Pakistani officials say they are incensed at what they see as
American ingratitude for Pakistani counterterrorism efforts that have
left about 1,000 Pakistani soldiers and police officers dead. They
deny that any overcharging has occurred.
The $5 billion was provided through a program known as Coalition
Support Funds, which reimburses Pakistan for conducting military
operations to fight terrorism. Under a separate program, Pakistan
receives $300 million per year in traditional American military
financing that pays for equipment and training.
Civilian opponents of President Pervez Musharraf say he used the
reimbursements to prop up his government. One European diplomat in
Islamabad said the United States should have been more cautious with
its aid."
On Dec 27, 2007, at 1:50 PM, justifiedright wrote:
Scary stuff in Pakistan. Musharef seems to be the old enemy of my
enemy is my friend.
Whose guarding the nukes today?
We had decided to not chase Bin Laden into the Tribal areas
uncontrolled by Musharef because it was alleged that if we did the
delacate balance of power could be upset.
Seems pretty upset now. Perhaps its time to go in and destroy that
area. Nothing good can come from those Islamo-fascists housing UBL.
Will need an army massed along the border to hold back India though.
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "oakdorf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Tommy, you in?
>
> ....
>
> His appearance came as U.S. officials here struggled to cope with
the
> immense policy implications of the assassination on relations with a
> nuclear-armed country that has received billions of dollars in
American
> financial assistance and is an ally in the war on terrorism. White
> House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush planned to speak with
Musharraf
> as soon as it could be arranged Thursday.
>
> ....
>
