Aid From the U.S. Going to Pakistan to Help Fight Extremists

The Obama administration is finalizing a “security assistance package” (CNN) which will provide Pakistan with almost 2 billion dollars over the next five years to help with combating militant extremists on the Afghan border. This package is intended to help Pakistan make major military purchases which will include helicopters, “weapons systems and equipment to intercept communication” (CNN). Pakistan has been assisting in the fight against Taliban members but recently Pakistani forces have been spread thin due to relief efforts put into place after the floods this summer that ravaged over two thirds of the countries fertile land. The floods in combination with Pakistan having its own battles to fight, in particularly those against India, have left little man power and technology to guard borders and track militants. This is why the United States has come up with a guarantee for large sums of money over the next five years; promising funds in exchange for military aid. Of course there are strings attached, Pakistan must assure this 2 billion goes towards assisting in fighting militants “it can’t be diverted to other threats” (CNN) states one U.S. senior official. With this money there are going to be greater expectations placed on Pakistan to stamp out some of the threatening extremists that have been roaming across borders, hiding out and finding safe havens. Talks about the security package will take place this week in Washington. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton as well as Defense Secretary, Robert Gates will meet with Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Pakistan military chief, Gen, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in order to talk about logistics and expectations.

Works Cited

http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/19/sources-u-s-finalizing-aid-package-           to-help-pakistan-fight-extremists/?iref=allsearch

10/4/10

Pakistan officials are currently exercising their sovereignty by recently closing Pakistan’s boarders to U.S and NATO supply troops heading towards Afghanistan. Pakistan closed it’s boarders on Thursday because of the recent drone and helicopter strikes which have killed many Pakistani officials and boarder control officers. The drone strikes have been building the tension between U.S and Pakistan during the past two weeks and it was not until recently that the U.S took responsibility for the drone strikes. According to the New York Times, “the border closing, and the exceptional series of strikes by piloted aircraft, signaled a general increase in tensions between Pakistan and the United States” (NYT). The boarder closing is causing problems for NATO and U.S because of the closed access of the transportation of supplies which need to be moved to Afghanistan. Over 29 NATO supply trucks moving through Pakistan territory towards Afghanistan have been lit on fire and destroyed causing troops in Afghanistan to struggle, waiting for the much needed supplies. BBC news reports that, “NATO supplies have little or no security. Islamabad police chief Kalim Imam said the entire supply operation was "very vulnerable" to such attacks” (BBC News). The attacks are the result of Taliban militants protesting the U.S air strikes and it does not look like they are going to cease “until the supplies have completely stopped” (BBC). Because of the attacks NATO supply lorries are being forced to take a different route to Afghanistan, they “are currently brought into northern Afghanistan via Uzbekistan and Tajikistan but the spokesman declined to say which northern route was being considered” (BBC). Until an agreement can be met it seems as though tensions will continue to run high between U.S, NATO and Pakistani officials resulting in a continuation of the boarder closing.

Works Cited

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/world/asia/01peshawar.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11463490