Washington: President Obama’s top military adviser Gen. Martin Dempsey said on Monday that Senate lawmakers made the right call by voting to cut Pakistan aid.
Speaking to a US news channel, he said, “I think choices should result in consequences. And I think the Senate acted appropriately.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee voted last week to cut $33 million for Pakistan, or $1 million for each year of a prison sentence given to Shakil Afridi, the doctor who helped the CIA locate al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
The move has only widened the scale of rift between both the countries.
Moreover, the Senate Armed Service Committee voted to fence in $250 million in military aid until Pakistan reopens Nato supply routes to Afghanistan, ceases its support for militants and stops detaining citizens — a veiled reference to the sentencing of Afridi.
Asked if the US relationship with Pakistan has ever been worse, Dempsey replied: “not in my experience.” However, he underlined the need to repair bilateral ties. “Pakistan is an important country in the region and globally. And so we need to work through the relationship.”
The Senate appropriators’ plan would provide $800 million for Pakistan next fiscal year, which is far below what the Obama administration is seeking.
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