Pakistan refuses US Aid to protest OBL Killing

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/20/us-pakistan-usa-aid-idUSTRE74J27P20110520
Pakistan's most populous province has canceled six aid agreements with the United States in protest over the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden
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"We have canceled six MOUs (memorandums of understanding) with the United States in the fields of health, education and solid waste management," said Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister of Punjab, the country's political nerve center.
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This is our protest against the Abbottabad incident."
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One of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratio in the world of around 10 percent has increased Pakistan's reliance on foreign funds and loans, even for development projects.

Looks like it was not the country as a whole, rather a certain province. I must say, I did not expect the Pakistanis to doing something that is hugely popular here, cutting foreign aid.

I was also surprised about how much Pakistan relies on foreign aid rather than their own tax base. Seems like much of the country is kept afloat by international aid and the IMF.

I wonder how much worse this is going to make Afghanistan's illegal immigrant problem:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2166370
 

Zebo

Elite Member
Jul 29, 2001
39,398
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Pakistan is just putting up a show for public consumption. They need our aid to stay in power, stay rich, we need their help with logistics. This will all blow over.
 

Jaskalas

Lifer
Jun 23, 2004
34,542
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I was also surprised about how much Pakistan relies on foreign aid rather than their own tax base. Seems like much of the country is kept afloat by international aid and the IMF.

No wonder North Korea made nukes while its people starve. That's probably the only thing Pakistan has going for it and the whole world may use that as an example.
 

Braznor

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2005
4,767
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/20/us-pakistan-usa-aid-idUSTRE74J27P20110520


Looks like it was not the country as a whole, rather a certain province. I must say, I did not expect the Pakistanis to doing something that is hugely popular here, cutting foreign aid.

I was also surprised about how much Pakistan relies on foreign aid rather than their own tax base. Seems like much of the country is kept afloat by international aid and the IMF.

I wonder how much worse this is going to make Afghanistan's illegal immigrant problem:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2166370

If Pakistan implodes, the ass end of the illegal immigration problem would be India, not Afghanistan. This is similar to what happened in Bangladesh when Pakistan unleashed a genocide on then their own people, killing two million, thus sending 20 million refugees into India.
 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
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If Pakistan implodes, the ass end of the illegal immigration problem would be India, not Afghanistan. This is similar to what happened in Bangladesh when Pakistan unleashed a genocide on then their own people, killing two million, thus sending 20 million refugees into India.

But it's a religion of peace....
 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
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too bad we send billions of our money overseas and have the countries who happily take it spit on us in return.

we should keep that money in the US and repair our road. I-76 near my house in NE Colorado is bad, really bad.
 

wirednuts

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2007
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^^ the us sees the world as one market. "wasting" money on one country isnt an issue as we will get benefits in return, someway eventually. in this case, we let pakistan financially collapse itself by loaning them more then they can pay back. once that happens, we invade (i mean help) them by going in there and creating a new sudo military comprised of half our own guys.
 

Lemon law

Lifer
Nov 6, 2005
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It could well be a prelude for Pakistan terminating the US lease on a supply line into Afghanistan. And if Pakistan can then stop the shooting war with the Taliban, Pakistan would probably over all economically benefit.

Pakistan had little control of its tribal regions, before and now, and the Taliban ideology does not sell in the modern parts of Pakistan. So to that extent its a Pakistani win win.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
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No wonder North Korea made nukes while its people starve. That's probably the only thing Pakistan has going for it and the whole world may use that as an example.

If countries could actually count on the UN charter and international law protecting them from invasion, they wouldn't need nukes so much.

If Saddam actually had nukes, he might not have been invaded. If Iran had nukes, they might not have had their government overthrown, might not have been invaded by Iraq, might not have as much concern about potential military attack now. Any country that might be attacked benefits greatly from that deterrent.

However, that deterrent is also hugely dangerous for the world. At some point, it can go from being a deterrent to a miscalculation where they are used.

This is one reason why there were such concerns about undermining every country's feeling of protection with the invasion of Iraq.

Some here, though, are ideological enemies against the UN preventing aggressive war.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
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LOL. That crap-hole of a country had a base over-run by 6 jihadis. HAHA.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_pakistan_blast

KARACHI (Reuters) – Troops recaptured a Pakistani naval air force base on Monday after a 16-hour battle with as few as six Taliban gunmen who had launched their attack to avenge the killing of Osama bin Laden"
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,155
10,186
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It could well be a prelude for Pakistan terminating the US lease on a supply line into Afghanistan. And if Pakistan can then stop the shooting war with the Taliban, Pakistan would probably over all economically benefit.

Pakistan had little control of its tribal regions, before and now, and the Taliban ideology does not sell in the modern parts of Pakistan. So to that extent its a Pakistani win win.


So you're saying that if Pakistanis in the more modern parts say "sorry old chap were not quite down with the stoning and the beards" the Taliban will toddle off back to their stronghold without a fight?
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
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Talk about cutting off nose to spite face. Enjoy your unmanaged solid waste.

I think it makes sense as a form of protest.

Give them some credit, talk about a non-violent 'taking responsibility' protest.

When aid programs are used for wrongful arm-twisting (whether or not they are in this case), not taking the aid can make a lot of sense, not letting poverty invite tyranny.

Remember that quote from a Chicago politician, 'I can always pay half the poor people to kill the other half'? 'Confessions of an Economic Hit Man' says a lot about this issue.