GAO Audit: $6B To Pakistan, For What?

Government Probe Finds Little Or No Proof That U.S. Funds Actually Went To Terror Fight

(AP)  The United States has given Pakistan nearly $6 billion to pursue terrorists since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States but with little to no proof that the money has been used for that purpose, an independent audit has found.

The assessment by the Government Accountability Office, released Tuesday, angered members of Congress who say they are concerned that Pakistan - the closest U.S.ally in the war on terrorism - is milking the U.S. government.

GAO found, for example, that the U.S. recently gave Pakistan more than $200 million for air defense radars without bothering to investigate whether the money was needed specifically to go after terrorists. Another example included $45 million for road and bunker construction without evidence they were ever built.

"The U.S. government is being asked to reimburse Pakistan for non-incremental air defense radar maintenance when al Qaeda is not even known to have an air force," said Rep. Howard Berman, a Democrat and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "The purpose of these funds is to support the fight against extremists, not to boost Pakistan's conventional warfare capability."

Since the 2001 terrorist attacks, the U.S. has given Pakistan some $10.8 billion in aid. About half of the money, $5.6 billion, has been used to reimburse Pakistan for military operations. The country is by far the largest recipient of U.S. military aid, designated "coalition support funds," because of the influx of al Qaeda and Taliban fighters into its unpoliced tribal areas along the Afghan border.

"We need better oversight and visibility regarding where these funds are going," said Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., the top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform's national security and foreign affairs subcommittee.

The Defense Department said the GAO report did not give sufficient weight to Pakistan's contributions to the war on terrorism, which officials say have been substantial.

"They've captured or killed more al Qaeda and Taliban than any other coalition partner and have sustained more than 1,400 combat deaths," Ret. Maj. Gen. Bobby Wilkes, deputy assistant defense secretary for South Asia, told the House subcommittee.

Wilkes added that "there are no easy answers" but said the program was among the most successful efforts available to fight terrorism.

GAO agreed that the program was critical, but concluded that the Defense Department still had not followed existing guidance to account for the money.

"As a result, we conclude that Defense cannot accurately determine how much of the ($5.6 billion) in costs reimbursed to Pakistan since 2001 were actually incurred," GAO wrote.

In a separate April report, GAO concluded that Pakistan had been unable to defeat terrorists inside its borders despite the influx of U.S. cash and that its security forces were not structured to target an insurgency and face equipment and training deficiencies.

[liferocks3]

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Posted by con_dik_kikr at 03:45 PM : Jun 25, 2008


Hey con_dik_kikr

Everyone knows ISI chief wired 100000 USD to Mohamad Atta for 911. Its the Bush Administration who keeps giving aid to Pakistan, Why you p a k i s needs air defense radar to fight AQ and yeah first of all who created AQ and Taliban. You should be kissing Bush Administration feets as they are so dumb not to realize that Pakistan is the root of terror, the NWFP is the safe heaven for terrorists, I hope Obama comes to power and nuke that safe heaven once for all

[liferocks3]

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Posted by con_dik_kikr at 03:45 PM : Jun 25, 2008


Hey con_dik_kikr

Everyone knows ISI chief wired 100000 USD to Mohamad Atta for 911. Its the Bush Administration who keeps giving aid to Pakistan, Why you p a k i s needs air defense radar to fight AQ and yeah first of all who created AQ and Taliban. You should be kissing Bush Administration feets as they are so dumb not to realize that Pakistan is the root of terror, the NWFP is the safe heaven for terrorists, I hope Obama comes to power and nuke that safe heaven once for all

Pakistan has been let down and decieved by the US many many times and we never seem to learn. HEY AMERICAN A$$HOLES, you ar enot giving us AID, you are RE-IMBURSING PAKISTAN for the fuel you get from Pakistan, for over flights which disturb civial air traffic, you pay for food, logistics and overland and bases useage. YOU ARE RE-IMBURSING PAKISTAN for the 80,000 troops on Afghan border at your request and the AQ and Taliban fight Pakistan is fighting.

You thankless Americans are spending $30 Billion a month in Iraq.... while you only RE-IMBURSED PAKISTAN $10 Billion over 5 or 6 years, why dont you take care of Afghanistan on your own and spend the $30 Billion a month and we''ll see how you like it.

Pakistan has arrested over 600 terrorists who fled Afghanistan, 911 cost you $Trillion plus, now imagine those 600 terrorists could have unleashed another 100 911s on your sorry thankless arse then how much you would have lost.

Its easy to forget the losses that have been avoided thanks to Pakistan, you filthy scum, I hate you sorry a$$ Americans with a passion because of your thankless ways.

You should be kissing Pakistans feet for helping you fight terrroism, at such a cheap cost.

[vietnam21]

CAN WE GET A REFUND PLEASE. OR WE GONNA NUKE U

[payasyougo]

"No longer can Republicans get away with the saying "Tax and spend Liberals" as they are the "Spend Foolishly with No Accountability Conservatives". I''''m sure for true conservatives this is a huge embarassment!"
-------------------------------
It''s not an embarassment. It''s utter disappointment and frustration.

[lochlan-2009]

"The country is by far the largest recipient of U.S. military aid, designated "coalition support funds,""

Another flat out lie by our media. We have a pipeline being built into Pakistan and we need it protected from the "terrorists". Bush and Mushareff are on the same team, get the oil no matter who they have to kill.

[antoniof123]

I''''m sure for true conservatives this is a huge embarassment!

Posted by jntlw at 10:54 AM : Jun 25, 2008

There are no true conservatives we are now fiscal responsible Democrats.

Only wing nuts are left in the Republican party.

Wasteful bastar.ds....

[mrright5]

GAO Audit: $6B To Pakistan, For What?
Government Probe Finds Little Or No Proof That U.S.

Funds Actually Went To Terror Fight


Good Job George and D I C K

Republicans applaud your efforts and work on behalf of the American people. YA

[mrright5]

sleepyric, shut up you American hating liberal!


Posted by faith_in_w at 11:03 AM : Jun 25, 2008

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Posted by corey2444 at 011:48 AM : Jun 25, 2008

[mrright5]

Shut up you liberals! Your nose doesnt belong here!!!

Posted by faith_in_w at 09:38 AM : Jun 25, 2008

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Posted by corey2444 at 08:16 AM : Jun 25, 2008

LOL

[missingamerica]

I just know that, wherever they are, Albert Fall, Edward Doheny, and Harry Sinclair are looking on and shaking their heads in admiration of this Administration.

[faith_in_w]

sleepyric, shut up you American hating liberal!

[ghostcommand]

The Fascist Criminal Enterprise of "Thing" cheney and "Thing" bush seems so willing to give our hard earned tax dollars to anybody and everybody with no accounting whatsoever. The only reason they are doing this is because they are getting a 20% kickback?

[sleepyric]

hey Faith_in_w: Why don''t you just eat $hit and die.

[jntlw-2009]

Is it Republicans in general is it just Bush who is incapable of being accountable for how and where your money is spent? We should have audits to ensure it is spent on what is was meant for and if it was used wisely in conjunction to the efforts it was intended for. Bush and his administration is so grossly incompetent in spending. No longer can Republicans get away with the saying "Tax and spend Liberals" as they are the "Spend Foolishly with No Accountability Conservatives". I''m sure for true conservatives this is a huge embarassment!

[incog-nito]

No deal. It''s only taxpayers'' money. Americans are doing great financially that they can give billions to Pakistan to spend however they want. Right?

[talkingham]

Oh it was spent alright. Spent to ensure a Taliban, Al Quaeda refuge in Pakistan our biggest "ally" in the region. Obviously we learned nothing from the British failures of the last century (in trusting med-east "allies") and of course absolutely nothing from the never ending list of Bush failures - though I think Bush failures are somewhat coordinated in the neocon mission to bring New World Disorder where ever they can just like daddy and grand daddy Bush''s dreams. Just search the term New World Order, which was oft use by daddy Bush in his "presidency".

[macusweil]

George Bush and his GOP cronies are miserable failures at government and protecting vital American interests. The only thing they protect is their own self interest including those of BIG oil. We are far less safe today than when he first took office in Jan 2001.

Don''t forget 9/11 happened in the Republican watch no matter how their pundits would love to twist it or somehow blame president Clinton. It was their watch. That''s the whole point.

You hand over to a new president, their is no grace period, Bush was warned about terrorists using planes as missiles even though he denied it. He probably just never read the national intelligence estimate report, too busy making plans for $100 a barrel oil.

[frankbowers]

some of you are forgetting gw bush has to make sure the al Quida (bin Laden) has the funds to continue the war against the infidels and so gw bush is giving the a few billion to make sure thaey have funds topay their warriors.
Sad that you in america have not got the picture as long as gw bush keeps the war going the americans will not be able to do anything against or to him for his war crimes.
Frank

[faith_in_w]

Shut up you liberals! Your nose doesnt belong here!!!