In strong signal of US frustration, Trump cancels USD 1.66 billion aid to Pakistan


Team Udayavani, Nov 21, 2018, 11:58 AM IST

Washington: The US has suspended USD 1.66 billion in security assistance to Pakistan after President Donald Trump’s directive, the Pentagon has said, in what experts believe is a strong signal of American frustration. The Pentagon’s statement came days after Trump said Pakistan does not do “a damn thing” for the US, alleging that its government had helped Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden hide near its garrison city of Abbottabad.

“USD 1.66 billion of security assistance to Pakistan is suspended,” Col. Rob Manning, spokesman of the Department of Defence, told reporters in an e-mail response to questions on Tuesday. No further breakdown of the suspended security assistance to Pakistan was provided.

According to David Sedney, who served as Deputy Assistant Secretary Defence for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia during the previous Obama administration, the blocking of military assistance to Pakistan, which began in January this year, is a strong signal of American frustration.

“But, so far Pakistan has taken no serious steps to address the core US concern – that Pakistan tolerates and often encourages groups which use violence against Pakistan’s neighbours,” Sedney said. “Pakistan’s leaders have promised cooperation, but beyond words, serious cooperation has not happened, therefore President Trump is frustrated and so are most Americans,” he said in response to a question.

“This frustration does not ignore the suffering that Pakistani people have undergone. It just asks Pakistan to recognise that it should act to help stop the suffering of others,” said the Senior Associate at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank.

Sedney was part of the Pentagon when Osama bin Laden was killed in a raid by US commandos in Pakistan’s Abbottabad.

Over the last few days, Trump has said that people in Pakistan knew about the presence of Laden. “I agree with the views of Carlotta Gall of the New York Times who reported in her book ‘The Wrong Enemy’ that a very small group of very senior Pakistani military leaders knew about bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan. I have not seen any evidence that his presence in Abbottabad was widely known by many in Pakistan,” Sedney said.

While Pakistan has suffered terribly from terrorism, Islamabad has also enabled terror groups that attack its neighbours, he said.

Ties between the US and Pakistan strained after Trump, while announcing his Afghanistan and South Asia policy in August last year, hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to “agents of chaos” that kill Americans in Afghanistan and warned Islamabad that it has “much to lose” by harbouring terrorists.

In September, the Trump administration cancelled USD 300 million in military aid to Islamabad for not doing enough against terror groups like the Haqqani Network and the Taliban active on its soil.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

Moodbidri: Judges’ decision to be final, says District Kambala Committee

Gautam Adani, nephew Sagar not charged with bribery, but with fraud: Adani Green clarifies amid US DoJ indictment

‘Low-quality’ catheters supplied to West Bengal govt hospitals at high price, probe ordered

Bengaluru: CM Siddaramaiah questions Pejawar Swamiji’s comments on Constitution

EC notifies by-polls for three Rajya Sabha seats from Andhra

Deputy CM Shivakumar hints about Cabinet reshuffle on cards in Karnataka

BJP to corner Congress govt in K’taka on Waqf issue, alleged scams, during legislature session

Related Articles More

Will impose 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Canada, Mexico: Trump

Internal divisions leave open question whether Gandhi’s vision will ever be fully realised in India: Bill Clinton

COP29: India rejects new USD 300 billion climate finance deal

Royal tour of India in offing for King Charles, Queen Camilla: Report

Indian-American leaders applaud PM Modi for inclusive growth in India

MUST WATCH

Grafting

Coconut Flower

Prakash Belawadi

Naxal Leader Vikram Gowda

Christmas Cake Fruit Mixing


Latest Additions

Moodbidri: Judges’ decision to be final, says District Kambala Committee

Gautam Adani, nephew Sagar not charged with bribery, but with fraud: Adani Green clarifies amid US DoJ indictment

“Don’t fear anyone, won’t stop Waqf protest”: Basanagouda Patil Yatnal

‘Low-quality’ catheters supplied to West Bengal govt hospitals at high price, probe ordered

Bengaluru: CM Siddaramaiah questions Pejawar Swamiji’s comments on Constitution

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.