Half of $1.9 billion US 'aid' to be spent on security of US embassy and consulates

[Naveed Yaseen]

FIDA HUSSAIN & ASMA RAZAQ
ISLAMABAD (May 12 2009): Nearly half of additional 1.9 billion-dollar US assistance to Pakistan is to be spent on improving the security of the US Embassy and its consulates in Pakistan, according to a break-up downloaded from the website of the US Committee on Appropriations.

According to the document, titled "Summary: 2009 Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Pandemic Flu," an amount of 897 million dollars, out of a total of 1.9 billion dollars will be spent on security of the US Embassy and consulates in Pakistan.

This amount was evidently in the pipeline and President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to the US was not a contributory factor to this supplemental appropriation. A mere 597 million dollars is to be spent on addressing the economic crisis, including agriculture and food security, assisting the displaced population, strengthening national and provincial governance, expanding the rule of law, and improving access to and quality of education.

However with the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), estimated at over a million and rising, as a consequence of the ongoing military operation in Swat and neighbouring districts, this amount may not be adequate to meet their emergent needs.

Earlier, an amount of 400 million dollars for a new Pakistan Counter-insurgency Capability Fund (PCCF) had been approved by the House of Representatives committee and the amount was to be provided to Pakistan by the end of September 2009.

According to the website, an amount of 20 million dollars would be spent to expand oversight capacity of the State Department, the USAID and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan to review and monitor the programmes in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The website adds that President Barack Obama would have to submit a report to the Congress, assessing whether the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan are demonstrating the necessary commitment made in continuation of the President's policy announced on March 27, 2009.

According to the website, "because the stability and security of the region is tied more to the capacity and conduct of the Afghan and Pakistan governments and to the resolve of both societies than it is to the policies of the United States, the President shall submit a report to Congress, not later than the date of submission of the fiscal year 2011 budget request, assessing whether the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan are, or are not, demonstrating the necessary commitment, capability, conduct and unity of purpose to warrant the continuation of the President's policy announced on March 27, 2009."

THE WEBSITE REVEALS THAT THE REPORT THAT WOULD BE SUBMITTED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA SHOULD:

-- The level of political consensus and unity of purpose to confront the political and security challenges facing the region.

-- The level of government corruption and actions taken to eliminate it.

-- The performance of security forces with respect to counterinsurgency operations.

-- The performance of intelligence agencies in co-operating fully with the US and not undermining the security of our troops and our objectives in the region.

-- The ability of the government to control the territory within their borders.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=37133