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After touting the "real progress" the U.S. and Pakistan have made in the past 18 months and announcing the first major initiatives in the $7.5 billion U.S. aid package to Pakistan, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she is bothered by the negative connotation that US aid still has in some areas of Pakistan.
Clinton, who faced tough questions the last time she conducted a town hall in Pakistan in October, gave her assessment at this latest one in response to a question about the way some Pakistanis view U.S. aid.
"I'm aware of fact that in some parts of Pakistan US aid is not appreciated," she said, "and that bothers me a lot."
"You've got to understand from an American perspective, especially during the economic crisis that we all have encountered and a higher than usual unemployment rate in the U.S., the idea to say an unemployed auto worker or a laid off secretary somewhere in the United States that the aid we provide to a country may not be appreciated raises the question in their minds, 'Well why are you sending money to country that doesnt want it?' So it is a challenge for us. And we are looking for ways to convey our commitment to Pakistan ... with at the same time changing attitudes among those segments of the Pakistani population that either believe or are led to believe that somehow our assistance is either not wanted or disregarded. And I think we have a lot of work to do.
"We have to do better job of conveying what we are doing, and it is our belief that the vast majority of Pakistanis appreciate what we are doing, but as is often the case in any society, a small minority can have a disproportionate influence on the public discourse. I invite your ideas -- what is a better way of conveying that information? We frankly need a dialogue within Pakistani society about that. that makes clear we are trying to help you achieve your goals -- not our goals."
Clinton also said that overcoming the security situation in Pakistan is not one that the military could win alone.
"The answer is for the vast vast majority of Pakistanis who decry violence," she said, "who are dismayed by the activities of what is a relatively small group to turn your backs on them, to deny them any support, to turn them into authorities, to prevent them from metastasizing like the cancer that they are, because in the end it is not up to your military which has sacrificed a lot. ...There is no military victory. There must be a defeat of the ideology and the actions of those who thrive on violence and extremism. So while your military with our help try to go after those who have caused such death and destruction it is really ultimately up to the people of Pakistan."
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There should be concern about the endless ideology and our economy.
LoL George W. Bush and Dick Cheney threw $20 billion at Pakistan in military and economic aid and had absolutely NOTHING to show for it. Why do I get the feeling that Hillary Clinton will have something to show for it?
you gotta be kidding
Same old BS
$7.5 Billion. One must wonder if anyone asked the 750,000 American families, that will have to pay $10,000 each to pay for the aid, how they feel about it.
if they have a job
The problem with a lot of the money being spent is that no one in the public knows how it is being spent and the benefit we get from it. No one wants to throw money down a black hole but if the Pakistanis are making progress toward fighting terrorism and helping us get Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and the Taliban than it is worth what we are spending. If there is nothing from the Paks or the Afghanis on what we give them than there never will be. Had we spent our money there instead of Iraq we probably would have made much progress by now.
So, she has to file a flight plan to China to ask them to underwrite a loan of $7.5 billion and at what interest rate so these towel heads can continue to grow their poppies? In the meantime America has to sit here and listen to this Obama BS about redistribution of the wealth? On top of that, the illegals from Mexico are flowing into this country like the gates busted and are sucking this country dry! So, Why aren't we all out dancing in the streets?
This country is being run by a bunch of jackass clowns that just don't get it, never have and never will! Vote em' out!
Can we find more ways to spend money? Obama need to put Americans back to work before playing Santa Clause with the rest of the world.
From my readings, it is the ISI that is the problem. They have and continue to support the Taliban and Al Queda. How can we be sure our Aid is NOT ending up in their hands ???
I am from Pakistan and believe me this AID will go to the usual suspects as did ALL previous aid. Those in power (mostly the military) will use it for private benefit and pet projects. The AID given during the Carter and Regan era went into producing the atomic bomb and enriching generals (many of whom and whose families reside in the US now)
My god I grow more disgusted everyday with our government and their inability to do the job the American people elected them to do. Our country and our people are suffering and our tax dollars are going to another country because it is politically correct !!! I have finally come to the point I never thought I would, screw them and every other country we are sending money to. Let them clean up their own damn countries, get our troops home and put them on the borders. Spend that money here where it belongs.