The State Department is set to reveal the details of a $15 billion dollar aid package to Pakistan later this week. The assistance—$1.5 billion given annually to the Pakistani
government over the next decade—is part of a global effort aimed at
bolstering the fragile government and improving the quality of life
for Pakistanis in the face of increasing Islamic militancy.
Though
it was initially announced that the aid would only be provided if the
Pakistani government met certain conditions
imposed by Congress, a Pakistani newspaper reported that Sen. John
Kerry (D-Mass.), in Pakistan to discuss the terms of the package, said that the
aid would be given without conditions.
The State Department, seemingly more skilled at the whole
diplomacy thing than Sen. Kerry, confirmed the uncertainty
surrounding the deal.
"Any changes in our assistance levels [to
Pakistan], we need to coordinate with our partners on the Hill,"
explained Karl Duckworth, State Department spokesperson. He did not hesitate, however, to highlight the importance of
Pakistan to the United States, adding that the U.S. government supports
Pakistan's efforts "to build democratic institutions" and its move
towards "good governance."
Many people believe that the absence of good government and the
prevalence of poverty
are the driving forces behind the recent rise in Islamic fundamentalism
and terrorist attacks. Recently, Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari
told the world that his country was waging a fight for survival
against the militants, who could seize Pakistan's nuclear arsenal
should the government collapse. The Obama administration and Congress
hope to work with the Pakistani government to stop that from happening.
Though politicians in Congress are at odds over the conditions attached to the aid, and many are not thrilled
about the prospect of giving money to a government that isn't exactly
famous for honesty and transparency, leaders around the world generally
recognize that the situation in the region requires swift action. The
World Bank has said that a donors conference in Tokyo later this week
is likely to yield about $5 billion dollars in aid for Pakistan.
The debate over conditions attached to the aid is one that will likely continue even after this weekend. Some people are concerned that tensions with
India,
a country with much stronger ties to the U.S., will lead Pakistan to
spend some of the aid on militarizing its territory along the Indian
border.
Others are concerned that setting conditions for the aid, a tactic opposed by the
Pakistani government, could jeopardize the legitimacy of the aid. The
government has already been labeled a lackey of the U.S. government by
many Pakistanis, after allegedly allowing the sometimes errant drone
attacks on militants along the Afghan border to take off from Pakistani
military bases.
Though the deal may be far from perfect, and no one involved is
likely to be happy with the final terms of the aid, one thing is
clear: Despite mutual distrust between all parties involved, the aid
is a necessary evil to prevent an even greater evil from potentially
bringing the world to its knees. How much that distrust will
jeopardize the success of the aid package should be known in a few
days.
Food from USAID. More on the way?
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