“Ruby just smiled and said, ‘Ah, you know some babies never learn.'”
Learn what? Learn this: Pakistan’s double game exposed
“US agrees to increase military assistance,” from Dawn, December 21 :
WASHINGTON, Dec 20: The United States will provide more than $300 million a year in military aid to Pakistan over the next five years, diplomatic sources told Dawn.
The current arrangement of $300 million of annual military aid expires on Sept 30, 2009 when the US fiscal year 2008-09 ends. This was part of a $3 billion US aid package agreed in 2003 and was evenly divided between military and economic assistance. Under a new arrangement, now being discussed between Pakistani and US officials, the US administration has agreed to increase its military assistance to Pakistan.
Diplomatic sources told Dawn that while a precise figure has not yet been agreed; the US administration had informed Pakistan that it would be more than $300 million a year.
The new military aid package will be valid for the next five years. Although it is initiated by the outgoing Bush administration, a change of government on Jan 20 will not affect the package, sources said.
The proposed aid package, titled US defence and security assistance to Pakistan, aims at strengthening the country”s counter-terrorism capability. Besides enhancing the army”s counter-terrorism skills, the package will also finance programmes meant for strengthening the law enforcement agencies, such as the Frontier Corps, the Frontier Constabulary and the police.
This military and security aid will require annual certification from the US administration that Pakistan is cooperating in the war against terror….
Oh, well! That makes it all right! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?