Senate panel slashes Pakistan aid over conviction of doctor who helped US get Osama bin Laden

[IDemo]

Source: Washington Post

WASHINGTON — A Senate panel expressed its outrage over the conviction of a Pakistani doctor who helped the U.S. get Osama bin Laden by slashing aid by $33 million — $1 million for every year of the doctor’s 33-year sentence.

The Appropriations Committee approved the amendment 30-0 on Thursday as Republicans and Democrats widely criticized Pakistan’s conviction of Shakil Afridi for high treason a day earlier. Afridi ran a vaccination program for the CIA to collect DNA and verify bin Laden’s presence at the compound in the town of Abbottabad where U.S. commandos killed the al-Qaida leader in May 2011.

The United States has called for Afridi to be released.

The vote came on a $52 billion foreign aid budget for next year.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/senate-panel-slashes-pakistan-aid-over-conviction-of-doctor-who-helped-us-get-osama-bin-laden/2012/05/24/gJQAeheNnU_story.html

[cosmicone]

1. They should have cut it all

$33 million is Pakistan's one day heroin revenue. Won't make a dent.

[IDemo]

3. Out of a total 2.9 billion, it's just a gesture

I would have slashed the figure a long time ago with the knowledge that the ISI (Pakistan's secret police) support the Taliban. Their reaction to the bin Laden raid just underscores that they in no way consider themselves friends of the US.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

8. Then it should have been $3.3 billion...

... taking the other $.4 billion via the Foreign Exchange of the New York Federal Reserve.

Just a thought.

[may3rd]

18. That's high considering the supply routes will remain closed

if we don't pay off the highway robers and their handlers to NOT attack NATO supplies.

[Comrade Grumpy]

10. Got a link for that one day heroin estimate?

[razorman]

15. If we really want their attention, we should announce that not only are we cutting off their aid,

but we are giving it to India, instead.

[may3rd]

17. 33 million from how many BILLION a year?

ISI and military will still get their cuts. The "winning hearts and minds" free medical care clinics will suffer.

[Thinkingabout]

2. Denial of Aid may be the best attention getter in Pakistan.

Why should we continue the aid when they are using tactics to prevent the US from getting those like bin Laden. Why should we continue aid to Pakistan when they refuse to allow our military to remove our troops using their routes. When they give nothing, then they will get nothing.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. Why should we give them aid?

Because the cooperation of Pakistan is essential to our interests in Afghanistan.

Kinda of a quandary, isn't it?

Ah, the complications of empire.

[Noose4]

4. Guys a hero

We should do whatever we can to get him his freedom and out of that country.

[rollin74]

5. should have cut it a lot more nt

[rayofreason]

6. Excellent 1st step. I want more. n/t

[RitchieRich]

7. %

I wanted to divide 20 billion (total since 2002) by 33 million so to post the shocking low %... but I keep screwing up all the zeros. That's way to many zeros.
One of the few things I liked about Ron Paul (which I REALLY liked) was his idea to cut off all foreign aid, spend the money locally. Imagine 20 B spent putting the rust belt to work making wind mills.
How much good will does it generate to build up one country's army, when we do the same for their enemy?

[Iliyah]

9. Was this bipartison, LOL

I'm pretty sure that the administration is negotiating with the Pakistani government for the doctor and his family to come to the US. If not, we can always send in Mittens' sons, and sons of the GOP party and have Chuck Norris as the team leader to swoop in and grab the doctor and his family.

[IDemo]

12. "Elephant Team 6" - just doesn't have the same ring to it..

[sad sally]

19. Just like in Vietnam, thousands of Iraqis who helped Americans for almost a decade would also like

safe haven in the US. But no, they're on their own - no special visas, no concern if they're displaced, in hiding or dead.

[may3rd]

20. Goodnight Kabul

I see no reason history will not repeat.

&feature=related

[lsewpershad]

13. How about

cutting financial assistance to some ot the most despicable regimes...around the world like Israel, Columbia, Honduras etc.

[McCamy Taylor]

14. We wouldn't be giving them any $ if Dr. K had not given them the bomb.

[may3rd]

16. $33 million .. how much was the bounty on bil Ladens head ? 15 or 30 million ?

WHo got the $$$ ?
Wold Health Organization ?