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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump used his first tweet of 2018 to lash out at Pakistan, threatening to cut off aid over what he said were its “lies and deceit” in offering “safe haven to terrorists”.
“The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools,” Trump said as the new year kicked off.
“They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”
Last week, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration was seriously weighing whether to withhold $255 million (€212.5m) in already delayed aid to Islamabad over its failure to crack down more effectively on terror groups in Pakistan.
US-Pakistani ties, long contentious, have taken a nosedive under Trump, who in August declared that “Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror.”
Last month, Trump had already hinted that he may cut off the aid.
“We make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help,” he said in unveiling his national security strategy.
‘Pakistan on notice’
And in late December, Vice President Mike Pence told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan, “President Trump has put Pakistan on notice”.
The comments were an extension of repeated US warnings that Pakistan must stop offering cross-border havens to Taliban factions operating in Afghanistan as well as armed jihadist groups fighting US troops and their Afghan allies.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif responded to Trump’s tweet Monday, telling Geo television in an Urdu-language interview:
The United States should hold its own people accountable for its failures in Afghanistan.
He said all funds from the US had been “properly audited” and that “services (were) rendered”.
Islamabad has repeatedly denied the accusations of turning a blind eye to militancy, lambasting the United States for ignoring the thousands who have been killed on its soil and the billions spent fighting extremists.
Lisa Curtis, who is the South and Central Asia director on Trump’s National Security Council, wrote in an article published in February that the “activities and operations of diverse terror groups on and from Pakistani soil, and the government’s failure to rein them in, threaten vital US national security interests in the region”:
To accomplish US counterterrorism objectives in the region and to reverse extremist trends in Pakistani society, Pakistani authorities –- specifically the country’s military leaders, who control its foreign and security policies –- need to take a comprehensive approach to shutting down all Islamist militant groups that operate from Pakistani territory, not just those that attack the Pakistani state.
Trump first signaled that the US was reassessing its fractious relations with Pakistan in August, when he accused Islamabad of harboring “agents of chaos”.
The remarks triggered a series of high-level diplomatic meetings in the US and Pakistan, but Islamabad has given few signs of concessions.
After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, Washington forged a strategic alliance with Islamabad to help in its fight against terrorists. But US leaders have often complained that Pakistan, which once supported the Taliban, has done too little to help.
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Why tf are Pakistan even getting aid? If they can afford to fund a nuclear program then they can afford to look after their people
@Count Craicula: Military aid!
@Richard Wright: Dead wrong. I dislike Trump intensely but he’s 100% correct here (broken clocks and all that…).
The Pakistanis have been spitting in the face of US aid consistently, acting like an enemy rather than a friend – see ISI/Taliban/Al-Qaeda collaboration. Why exactly the US chose to side with them over secular India, I’ll never know.
@Richard Wright: “Secular India with the 3rd largest Muslim population in the world?”
Yes. Do you know what the word secular means? Clearly not. What a silly remark, jesus.
“The U.S has been dealing with Pakistan and putting pressure on them for decades”
And getting betrayal in return. The Pakistani authorities (mainly ISI and the government) have collaborated with terrorists against the interests of the US – why remain military allies if they have proved to be not only untrustworthy but dangerous?
“[...] further destabilizing Afghanistan…”
I would say that the actions of the Pakistani ISI have destabilised Afghanistan immeasurably since they keep freeing Taliban members and giving them safe passage, so this makes no sense whatsoever.
@Richard Wright: “Such a simplistic summation of a very complex situation”
What’s ‘complex’ about it, hot shot? The fact is that elements of the Pakistani ISI and government have been aiding and abetting the Taliban, and many sympathise with them. This is well known and well documented. How exactly isn’t this a betrayal? The Pakistani authorities colluded with terrorists engaged in a war with the United States. If that confuses you, that’s your problem.
“You need to read up on your history and not just what you see on Fox news or Breitbart”
Oh dear – this is the bit where you lose all credibility. ISI-Taliban links are *well-known*, it’s not a Fox News conspiracy – it came from the Pentagon for god’s sake. You haven’t done your homework and it shows.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/azeem-ibrahim/why-would-the-pakistani-i_b_663005.html
For your own education.
@Malachi: they also “unknowingly” had bin Laden living next door to Pakistani army headquarters for yrs.
@Richard Wright: One problem China will have cosying up to the Pakistanis is the Uyghurs. Sunni Muslims agitating for independence from China. And Pakistan has a long history of supporting Islamic militants around the world even against their supposed allies. Pakistani Intelligence have been playing on both sides of the fence for decades and no previous administration have called them out on it.
@Richard Wright: You really are a dense individual.
I cited a left wing source on purpose because you seemed to be implying I was a right-winger. I also cited a Reuters article, which you just conveniently ignored.
You can find this information anywhere on the internet from any source you want – Andrew Eager gave other examples. If you want to stick your fingers in your ears and scream, be my guest, just know that it makes you look incredibly silly.
http://www.bbc.com/news/10302946
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jul/26/wikileaks-isi-taliban-nexus
Any sources you’d like to request? Or is no link good enough?
@Richard Wright: You didn’t do my research for me, sure you didn’t even do your research for YOU.
Natter on about “history” and the “full picture” all you want, the facts above speak for themselves and you’ve demonstrated quite clearly that you’re unwilling to learn. Happy new year.
@Malachi: the problem is that Pakistan and Afghanistan are a bunch of tribal groups – not one nation deciding one way of doing things _ and you cant solve problems within these counties by applying a “FIX all” solution. Or trying to sum them up or understand them with statements like yours
@Dave Harris: That’s just not true as far as Pakistan is concerned. They have a central governmental authority and a central intelligence agency, both of which were caught red handed collaborating with the Taliban while the US was at war with them.
All of the semi-autonomous tribal areas are answerable to the federal government in Islamabad, and besides, the ISI has nothing to do with tribes – they are the ones continually flirting with terror groups.
@Malachi: I totally agree with Richard when he says your views are simplistic. You really don’t have any idea of what’s happening in that volatile, complex (politically/culturally/etc) region.
@Malachi: opium,,
Like him or hate him, Trump always says it as it is. None of the obfuscation and prettification of other leaders
@Stephen: does “saying it as it is” include saying uneducated, false, none fact based comments?
His type of ignorance should not be encouraged,
@Barry Somers: I don’t think he’s ignorant at all, he just cuts through the PC bullshit, which is refreshing these days
@Stephen: thats most unfortunate,.
It’s evident that he is either ignorant or intentionally spreading false hoods.
For starters he doesn’t understand the difference between climate and weather, only an idiot looks forward to human driven climate change.
@Barry Somers: He’s just everyone’s favourite scapegoat, the lazy man’s whipping boy
@Stephen: think what’s happening is refreshing. We need a shake up. The opportunity to question and criticise present policies and programmes that are stale and institutionalised. Take climate change.. Nasa Astronaut Scientist say its bumkum so does Dr David Bellamy, in these days of endless cash grants you’d wonder. Likewise the world does work in cycles. Next is Americas waste of its own resources. Plenty of countries with a hand out when it suits. So lets have debate rather than brush it all under the carpet and show ‘defference’ to who ever has a vested interest. Think at least Trump is taking a look under the rock..
Barry thinks that Pakistani Intelligence didn’t know Bin Laden was tucked up on their soil for several years. *giggle*
Have any of you guys clearly suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome got anything to add on the situation in Pakistan (you know the topic at hand) or are you just here to parrot boring, overused ant-Trump slogans and talking points??
@Richard Wright: You sound like an arrogant condescending pr***
@Richard Wright: You just need to get over yourself with your smug ‘Trump supporter’ rhetoric, it just makes you look small and self-satisfied
@Stephen: He really doesn’t….he’s a rampant bigot and xenophobe who lashes out indiscriminately and he is genuinely making the planet a ticking timebomb for everybody on it……you don’t need to be a health professional to understand he’s completely unbalanced…
IF…even if he was accurate with his scattergun denunciations of seemingly everybody (except American Nazis) this kind of rhetoric is better employed in the reality show for which he made his name……
The kind of people who enjoy this are the potbellied, gun-toting, beard sporting inbred of the American interior who eats their dinner from buckets….are you one…?
@Danny Blair: Not at all, he was voted in by the upper middle class just as much as by your rather snobbish model of the pot-bellied unspeakables, you need to get over yourself, you’re better than no one and no one is better than you
@Stephen: __ Yes, Trump is far from being a diplomat, the diplomats being the ones who keep things on an even keel.
@Stephen: Trump tells it like it is, even when it isn’t. Which is every time the moron opens his mouth.
@Danny Blair: yawn
When he is right, he is right. Pakistan gave aid and shelter to Usama Bin Laden for years as well as being an active breeding ground for various Islamist terror groups including Al-Qaeda.
@Steve Lennon: a rather simplistic and incorrect comment Steve.
Your claim is like saying the Irish Government gave aid and shelter to the IRA, there’s a big difference between some people within the country supporting a group and the actual government of the country supporting the group!
Its far more accurate to say that the US Government trained and armed Al-Qaeda.
Rather then take responsibility for a monster they created, its easier to blame others and make falsehoods.
@Steve Lennon: so he must have been wrong less than two months ago when he was talking about how great the relationship with Pakistan was and how respected America was by the Pakistanis
@Barry Somers:
Bin Laden was hiding in a large, custom built compound protected by many armed men and this compound was situated less than half a mile from Pakistan’s top military training academy. Furthermore, according to wikileaks Pakistani security officials were warning Bin Laden whenever US forces were in the area.
Additionally it would be fair and accurate to say the United States armed and trained the Mujahideen but wholly inaccurate to claim they armed or trained Al-Qaeda.
@Dave O Keeffe: Yes Dave that is called giving diplomacy a chance and Pakistan has not stepped up to the plate and begun tackling their radical islamic terrorism problems.
@Barry Somers: Except they didn’t just shelter Bin Laden – elements of the Pakistani ISI *collaborated* with Islamic extremists behind the backs of their US paymasters. Trump is right, but he had to get something right eventually – took him long enough.
@Steve Lennon: so he gave them a warning early in his presidency said they had complied and really stepped up and then two months later he’s back to square one? You’re either accusing him of not telling it like it is or being made a fool of
@Dave O Keeffe: Exactly…he can’t even keep abreast of his own lies and contradictions..
@Barry Somers: Barry I think you might be better off trying to sort out the creche situation in Callan, not going too well though, right?
Now we are talking, I could never understand why Pakistan & Saudi Arabia have been getting away with murder for so long. Obviously money and business dealings. Hopefully President Trump will turn up the heat on Pakistan now and wait and see if the new Prince with the power in Saudi Arabia will do as he says.
@KerryBlueMike: i dont care about your comments on KSA as their might be some truth but Pakistan has not been given aid for nothing by the US invaders in recent times. The US army used Pakistani soil to fight in Afghanistan the NATO trucks loaded with food/arms for the US army went via Pakistan to Afghnaistan. Now it is evident the US could not eradicate Taliban in Afghanistan and are on the verge of loosing control (recent suicide attacks in Afghanistan) thebUS have to find a scapgoat. Pakistan fits the purpose for the lunatic man as trump. Though, Pakistan is taking no crap anymore from this man. The minister of defence has replied to this illogical tweet from trump. Everyone knows the guy is half-wit.
@Kash Jam: Pakistan helped create the Taliban funded and armed them then just before they were completely destroyed flew thousands back to Pakistani army bases to regroup and invade again. With allies like that is hard to win a war
@Richard Wright: Saudi Arabia and pakistan were the first to funnel arms and funds to the Afghan mujahideen but no one created them, mujahideen is an Islamic term for a fighter involved in jihad and many of these were groups from a village or area who banded together at the start
@Richard Wright: Are you suggesting that because the US helped create the Mujahideen they should now have to suffer through a dangerous, pointless relationship with Pakistan?
What on earth made you think that made any sense?
@Richard Wright: what has one got to do with the other you are making absolutely no sense, Pakistan were supporting one of the most brutal regimes of modern times while at the same time pretending to be involved in the fight against them
@Richard Wright: Has Robert Fisk started working for Fox News? I did not know that. Is that a scoop you are bringing us? Because, from what I’ve seen from Fisk’s previous analysis, and he no friend of the US Govt, has been the consistent observation that the ISI in Pakistan have been playing all sides to meet their own regional strategic requirements.
@Richard Wright: Someone pointed out to you that the Pakistanis have been collaborating with the Taliban, and you responded with jibberish about the Mujahideen.
Could you explain why any country would remain in a military alliance with an ‘ally’ openly supporting their main enemy in the region?
“Something [geopolitics] which a lot of commentators including yourself should study up on”
Try me, baby. All you’ve done is take the opposite position to Trump on a foreign policy issue and expected to be right – which would usually be fine – except you don’t know what you’re talking about.
@johnp: taliban stronger than ever..
He’s right
Don’t agree with Trump but for once he’s tight
If World War III breaks out, it’ll be the rest of the world’s fault for letting the US down.
Trump’s adoring love of Saudi Arabia and Israel leaves him with no love left for the rest of the Middle East and beyond.
@Fiona deFreyne: Of course no President before President Trump had any time for the two countries you mention.
Kushner Jerusalem Sophia AI UNDP ICANN.
Hon the Donald playing a blinder, not a pr idiot like the most ineffectual president in us history Obama
It’s called geopolitics Mr. Prez – enemy of my enemy is my friend etc.
Everything you say is right but with China’s warm water port in Pakistan it’s too little too late now.
Your choice: let Pakistan play you, Saudi and China off one another or simply lost all influence in the Hindu Kush.
@Robespierre: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” principle has led to huge superpowers wreaking havoc throughout the entire world for decades because of their support for disgraceful dictatorships.
Why support Pakistan, an Islamic state that has clearly backstabbed the US many times during the fight against terrorists – over secular India, a country you could *really* consider your ally, whilst retaining influence in the Hindu Kush?
The Pakistani-US relationship is senseless as it stands, and that’s a fact.
@Malachi: it isn’t and none of these relationships are exclusive anyway. India has a Cold War with china but buys arms from Russia as well as USA. Russia is pakistans rival for Afghanistan so Pakistan plays footsie with Saudi, US and China.
USA has choice between some influence on edges of russosphere and sinosphere or none – easy choice
@Robespierre: “USA has choice between some influence on edges of russosphere and sinosphere or none – easy choice”
Sorry, you missed the bit about ‘some influence on the edges of russosphere and sinosphere knowing your ally is aiding the Taliban, your main enemy in the region’.
It’s an easy choice, you’re right about that much. Support a secular democracy in the region, the world’s second most populous country with over a billion people (and a nuclear power), that won’t stab you in the back to support terrorists.
@Malachi: India is not a secular democracy – the BNJ are in power and are Hindu nationalists. India was on Russian side during Cold War due to post colonial antipathy post ww2 – I wouldn’t ever trust a rising power as naively as you would seem to.
No country in the region is reliable. Pakistan has always had ties with Afghanistan because tribal alliances predate colonial borders by hundreds of years. Urdu vs Farsi speakers
@Robespierre: India is a secular democracy. The BJP are Hindu nationalists, true, but they were voted into power with a majority. That’s how democracy works – just because a religious/nationalist group is in power does not mean India isn’t a secular democracy.
India’s constitution mandates secularism and thus India has no official state religion. That’s compared to Pakistan, an Islamic state based on the Koran. There is no comparison – India is miles ahead in terms of secularism and in my book qualifies as a secular nation.
Some countries in the region can be trusted more than others, which is the point. Pakistan have demonstrated their untrustworthiness by colluding with the enemies of the US and everybody knows about it.
@Malachi: are you sure IS and extreme political Islamic groups are america’s enemies in all contexts? I wouldn’t assume that at all.
Tamil Nadu has a confessional carve up at state level so while federal politics is officially secular, and is more secular than Pakistan, culturally the country at state level varies from fundamentalism to the secular and urbane.
India is a rising power and will be a US ally on some matters but it’s very much issue by issue. Modi has had a few run ins with trump to date.
@Robespierre: Eh, we’re talking about the Taliban (not IS). That’s who the Pakistani ISI collaborated with behind the backs of the US. And yes, in all contexts and situations, the Taliban are the enemy. That’s who they’ve been fighting tooth and nail for coming up on two decades now. It’s not really an assumption.
So yes, as I said – India is a secular state and a democracy. Streets ahead of Pakistan anyway, which is the entire point. Ludicrous to back the Islamist backstabbers over the comparatively ultra-secular democracy when both are bitter rivals.
They’ll be a US ally on some issues, so why not make it all issues? Look, either the US butts out of the region (geopolitical suicide) or they back the right horses. Out of India and Pakistan, India is the horse way out in front.
@Robespierre: never forget it was all about the Minerals in afghanistan.
Go Trump go you tell it as it is not like the other cowards affraid of upsetting some Country’s
@Alan Scott: I hope, you’re first to pick up a gun and go to the front line. If he starts another world war?
The US spends money overseas purely for selfish reasons, to support a world order that it deems amenable to US interests. It’s complex and so Trump will not understand.
When Pakistan becomes Russia or China’s NBF, Trump may pause for thought, for a moment, before launching his next shallow tirade.
@alphanautica: He’ll be gone by then, a bullet or impeachment and maybe a resignation will bring it about?
@alphanautica: when pakistan sens arms to other countries like somalia etc
He’s bang on the money here.
Pakistan and the Saudis have been exporting terrorists for the last 25 years.
They are getting aid because they are a nuclear power.. believe it or not ..and it keeps them relatively stable.
As for the trump tweet he’s just throwing the crowd a bone to distract them and boy are they easily distracted
I hate trump but on this rare occasion he has a point
such a handsome man donald
All the political commentators who think they know sh*t. USA give money to a lot of countries Egypt Israel etc to grease the wheel. It’s not rocket science guys.
Trump, is an expert at both and it takes one to know one.
Tapped..
Wow. i actually love this game. there is nothing like this game out there but why did they have to make the other episodes paid. i would recommend this game to anybody.
https://www.techshure.com/facebook-registration-form/
Wonder where they’d get that idea?
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