WASHINGTON, Feb 4: US President George W. Bush on Monday unveiled a $3.1 trillion budget plan for 2009, which includes a financial assistance of $830 million for Pakistan. The purpose of this assistance is to “sustain our strategic partnership with Pakistan,” the White House said. “Approximately $830 million (will) help Pakistan achieve stability, development, and democracy goals.”
The US assistance focuses “on security, economic development, and combating terrorism in Pakistan’s western frontier regions,” the White House said.President Bush also has requested $1.1 billion to “help build a stable Afghanistan.”
On Jan 28, President Bush authorised Secretary of Defence Robert Gates to provide “with the concurrence of the Secretary of State,” as much as $75 million worth of equipment, supplies and training to “build the capacity” of the Frontier Corps. The United States is also considering a proposal to increase the presence of US Special Forces on Pakistani soil in support of the Frontier Corps.
Adm Eric T. Olson, head of Special Operations Command, visited Pakistan last fall and included a stop at the Frontier Corps headquarters. The US troops, however, will only provide counter-insurgency training to Pakistani troops, particularly those from the Frontier Corps.
Meanwhile, the US Congress has attached two unusual clauses to military assistance to Pakistan. |