From our partners at The Agonist
July 12
Asia Times – Pakistan has no need to be too concerned over the United States suspending payment of US$800 million in military assistance. The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is going ahead, with or without India’s participation. The heart of the matter is that the pipeline will do more than any form of US “aid” (or outright interference) to stabilize the Pakistan half of Washington’s AfPak theater of operations.
- Pepe Escobar (Jul 12, ‘11)
Islamabad takes a shot at US drones
The decision by the United States to withhold US$800 million in security aid to Pakistan is the culmination of a series of disagreements between the “war on terror” allies. Islamabad has shrugged off the loss in revenue, while stepping up its drive to curtail Washington’s drone strikes inside Pakistan that have claimed 2,587 lives in the past 10 years. – Amir Mir (Jul 12, ‘11)
An $800 million teaser
The money that Washington is withholding from Pakistan will not make much difference in material terms to Pakistan’s military. It will, though, be a test to see just how far the generals are prepared to go in substantially escalating the growing crisis in bilateral relations.
- Jim Lobe (Jul 12, ‘11)
