Sunday, September 6, 2015

Pakistan Update

Coalition Support Fund (CSF). The U.S. Congress is currently in deliberations on the last installment of its annual $1 billion aid package to Pakistan as part of the Coalition Support Fund or CSF. The last payment of $300 million could be withheld because Pakistan is not doing enough to combat the Haqqani Network (or should we really say they are doing too much to support it?).  This past week National Security Advisor Susan Rice visited with Pakistan's civilian and military leadership in Islamabad and the issue of the Haqqani Network was at the top of her agenda. May believe that the Haqqani Network is an informal extension of the Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Read more in "US, Afghanistan Still Doubt Pakistan's Commitment in Fight Against Militants", Voice of America, August 31, 2015.

Politics of Military Aid. Stephen Tankel examines the topic of aid to Pakistan. "Ending U.S. reimbursements to Pakistan's military is not as simple as it sounds. The way Washington handles this delicate issue could have a big impact on Pakistan's behavior as well as on militant groups with American blood on their hands". Read more in "Is the United States Cutting Pakistan Off? The Politics of Military Aid.", War on the Rocks, August 31, 2015.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Riff. Pakistan's foreign minister will be trying to repair the relationship between the two countries. It seems that Pakistan can't understand why Afghanistan is pissed (U.S. terminology; not Brit terminology) that the Pakistani intelligence agency (ISI) is supporting the Haqqani Network (and other insurgent groups). Read more in "Senior Pakistani Official Looking to Restore Trust with Afghanistan", Gandhara Blog, September 3, 2015.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.