Change in US policy

The POST, Sun, Mar,02, 2008.

Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema

Recent reports amply stress that the American Congress leaders are demonstrating reluctance in releasing money meant for war on terror and equipment deemed necessary to carry on effectively the war against terrorists. It has been reported that during the last six months Pentagon has slowed the process for reimbursing the bills Pakistan submits regarding the expenses incurred during its engagement with extremists/terrorists.

According to the existing arrangements US pays Pakistan $650 per soldier per month where as it spends $80,000 per soldier per month and $100.000 per soldier per month in Iraq. Not only the allocation for Pakistani soldier, for keeping up it efforts in the war against terrorism, is far lower than what is allocated for other contributors, especially the American soldiers but also one finds extremely slow reimbursement of bills as far as Pakistan is concerned. The bills for allowed charges for the month of March-June 2007 have only been recently reimbursed. The bills for July-Oct. 2007 are still pending.

It needs to be mentioned here that Pakistan is only charging what has been spent on the above mentioned items. It does not claim pay and allowances, collateral damage and charges for depletion of equipment. Above all there is no compensation for civilian lives or damages to civilian property. It needs to be stresse4d that Pakistan has already lost more than 1000 soldiers in this war.

The US media has been reporting that that Pentagon is reconsidering its policy of reimbursement as the desire to tighten the process are frequently aired during various Congressional hearings. While it is true that there is no official indication either to revamp the process of reimbursement or reconsideration of existing arrangement, the suggestions to exert more control has been discussed both in media as well as in the Congressional hearings.

Many Pakistani views that the latest moves somewhat unfavorably. Many consider such moves as part of American strategy to pressurize Pakistan with the objectives of diverting focus on their own inabilities in Afghanistan and ask the Pakistanis to do something which they have failed to deliver.

It has been argued among many Pakistanis that in the recent times Americans have undertaken many moves to pressurize Pakistan. Among the moves that have been overtly criticized by many Pakistanis include the notion of safe heavens, persistence in asking Pakistanis to do more, increased Congressional control on aid to Pakistan, the intention to tighten reimbursement procedures etc. Such unnecessary moves are likely to erode whatever little trust the Pakistanis have in American associations.

Similarly the cost factor is also now regularly highlighted by the Pakistanis. The cost that the Pakistanis have paid includes a tarnished image as many in Pakistan believe that Pakistan is fighting an American war, the loss of many Pakistani soldiers, damage to property, the spate of suicide bombing that has already taken a very heavy toll of civilians, spillover effect of American failure in containing the war in Afghanistan etc.

The Pakistani analysts have also been highlighting the non-cooperative attitude of the Americans in either sharing appropriate intelligence information or providing the desired equipments. For example the allegation that Al-Qaeda enjoys safe heavens in Pakistani tribal areas has never been substantiated in terms of providing appropriate intelligence. Equipped with latest technology, the US forces has utterly failed to provide exact information about the alleged safe heavens. Had they provided the exact information, the Pakistanis would have taken the necessary action.

While the Bush administration is supportive of Pakistani efforts in war against terrorism, the Congressional leaders have repeatedly expressed doubts about Pakistani efforts. The Bush administration is also seeking to expand its influence in the tribal areas through a new economic support initiative that would initially focus on schools and road construction projects. While the officials have recently asked for $453 million to launch the effort, it is not sure that the Congress which is controlled by the Democrats would grant this amount.

Questions have also been raised about the capacity of Pakistan military to fight the unconventional war on Pakistan-Afghanistan borders. A democrat Senator Biden who recently visited Pakistan stated in a talk delivered at the Council of Foreign Relations that Pakistan’s military is primarily ‘designed to fight a conventional war with India, not conduct counterinsurgency operations in the tribal areas’ and hence it lacks the requisite capacity’. He also stressed that US should make it a priority to help Pakistan train its military to enable them to undertake effective counterinsurgency operations.

The above mentioned Senator tried to dispel the popular impression in Pakistan that American approach has been, as in the past, a fire brigade approach and further stated that in his view US ‘can demonstrate to the people of Pakistan that ours is a partnership of mutual conviction, not American convenience, that we care about their needs and progress, not just our own interest narrowly defined’.

What is perhaps most interesting aspect of Senator Biden’s talk was that he recognized the scant attention was paid to situation in Afghanistan. He even mentioned that amount of money that has been spent on the reconstruction of Afghanistan in last six years was just about the money spent on American military operations in Iraq in three weeks time.

It is intriguing to note that the voices emanating from American legislature are simultaneously recommending tripling the non-military aid to Pakistan and offering to train Pakistan military in counterinsurgency operation on one hand and putting some kind squeeze on the release of reimbursement money already spent on the stationing of troops on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Despite Senator Biden’s assertion to regain confidence of the people of Pakistan and recommendation for increased aid, the slow reimbursement of money is likely to inject more doubts rather than removing the existing doubts. The existing arrangements under the Coalition Support Funds allows Pakistan to submit bills for food, clothing, fuel charges, transportation, medical services, damaged and destroyed equipments, helicopter flying hours, repairs and maintenance and communication charges.

Ordinarily the bills are scrutinized at the US embassy level here in Pakistan and then these are sent to US yet one finds long delays in reimbursement. Such delays do not help in restoring the confidence. Instead it begins to inject more doubts which are further reinforced by statement issued by members of American legislature urging more control. In fact they also begin to take heavy toll of even positives approaches such as the one demonstrated by Senator Biden recently.

The writer works for Islamabad Policy research Institute.