Washington: Pakistan has come under severe criticism from a US congressional panel which has demanded cutting off all US assistance to Islamabad to persuade it to act against terror groups operating from its territory.
"They are making chumps out of us. They see us we are being so stupid. It seems like paying the mafia," said Congressman Matt Salmon, Chairman of the Asia and Pacific subcommittee of House Foreign Affairs Committee. "
A lawmaker said if that doesn’t work, the US could consider declaring Pakistan a “state sponsor of terrorism” — like Sudan, Syria and Iran — and subjecting it to crippling sanctions.
That would be a new low for Pakistan, currently held close by the US as a “non-Nato ally” and a “critical counterterrorism partner”, but not entirely unexpected.
Bill Roggio, senior editor of the Long War Journal Foundation for Defense of Democracies along with Khalilzad called for cutting aid to Pakistan and put them in the list of State Sponsor of terrorism.
“If I may use an undiplomatic term, we have been patsies,” said former US ambassador to Kabul, Baghdad and the United Nations, Zalmay Khalilzad.
Mr Khalilzad, who is an ethnic Afghan, claimed that Pakistani leaders had gamed the American system for decades.
“Patsies chumps. Most Americans see out of this and yet our so-called leaders do not really get it,” said Mr Salmon while endorsing Mr Khalilzad’s views.
"Pakistanis are very clever in manipulating us. I have to say that," said Khalilzad, sharing his experience of dealing with the Pakistani leadership when he served in various diplomatic position in the Bush era including the US ambassador to Afghanistan and the Permanent Representative of the US to the UN.
"My experience in dealing with Pakistan is that they will only give you something, when they know that they are going to get something," the former top American diplomat said. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said the Pakistani government and the Saudi Arabia created the Taliban and the Haqqani network.
Rohrabacher said the US' aid giving to Pakistan was "ridiculous".
"People of Baluchistan are being slaughtered by this corrupt oppressive regime. People of Baluchistan should understand that the US is on their side for their independence and self-determination from a corrupt, viscous terrorist supporting regime," Rohrabacher said.
"Same with the Sindhis. Same with other groups in Pakistan. So we got a regime that murders and represses and is corrupt with their own people and yet we still continue to give them some type of support... absolutely absurd," Rohrabacher said during the Congressional hearing.
Congressman William Keating ranking member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-Proliferation and Trade asked panelists if ISIS was a state within a state.
"It is by no means a rogue institution within Pakistan. It does not operate independently or on its own. It is an instrument or an arm of the Pakistani army. It is implementing the policies of the Pakistani army. It is implementing on behalf of the Pakistani Army," said Tricia Bacon, Assistant Professor, American University.
"Roggio said ISI is an arm of the Pakistani military. It is executing the will of the Pakistani military, which is really the Pakistani State. The (elected) government is just the face of the Pakistani military," Bacon said.
"I concur with my colleagues," Khalilzad said.
Salmon said he personally believed that as the first step, the US should completely cut off aid to Pakistan. "That would be the right first step. If we do not any changes, we move some of the other suggestions, state sponsor terrorism, possible economic sanctions. I personally believe we have the worst policy that we have and what we are doing is rewarding thugs," Salmon said.
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