Pakistan sends new $2 bn war bill to US

[dead0man]

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[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

How about the money be spent on the US economy instead of the country that harbored Bin Laden?

[MaxQue]

How about replacing their dictator by another one sending less bills?

[Silent Hunter]

How about replacing their dictator by another one sending less bills?

Pakistan's not a dictatorship. It's a democracy.

[AkSaber]

It's been eleven years. This fiasco is long overdue to be ended.

How about the money be spent on the US economy instead of the country that harbored Bin Laden?

Excellent point.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Screw Pakistan. The moment 2014 comes, we exit Afghanistan through an invasion of Pakistan and abandon the region for good.

[Silent Hunter]

It's worth remembering that al-Qaeda has probably killed more Pakistanis than Americans this year so far.

[Zioneer]

I really don't understand why we allied with them in the first place; I know they have nukes and are an easy access point to get to Afghanistan, but couldn't we just rely on India and a few of the Central Asian 'Stans?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

How about replacing their dictator by another one sending less bills?

Pakistan's not a dictatorship. It's a democracy.

Pakistan has no current dictator.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I really don't understand why we allied with them in the first place; I know they have nukes and are an easy access point to get to Afghanistan, but couldn't we just rely on India and a few of the Central Asian 'Stans?

Yeah, I'm also wondering why in the world the US would want such an "ally".

[patrick1]

I really don't understand why we allied with them in the first place; I know they have nukes and are an easy access point to get to Afghanistan, but couldn't we just rely on India and a few of the Central Asian 'Stans?

Diplomacy and such do not operate in a vacuum.  Historically speaking; the 50+years before 9/11, the US had much better foreign relations and military ties with Pakistan than with India.  There were strong links in the military and intelligence communities.  Shortly after our post Cold War distancing from the immediate region these ties weakened and in many ways the two countries have been following different aims and objectives since.  However, for present/future intelligence and logistics in the conduct of the war on terrorist organizations it is absolutely vital that we try to maintain strong links and friendly relations. Granted this is often distasteful and unpleasant for both nations.  The tribal regions of PK are still a hot bed of international terrorism, and these can easily be exported further afield, as witnessed in Mumbai attacks and plots in UK and US. The problem is best solved and the wound best stanched locally. As much of Bush foreign policy demonstrated, it is fool hardy and dangerous to just dismiss potential partners and take unilateral action regardless of consequences.

[Mr. Morden]

I really don't understand why we allied with them in the first place; I know they have nukes and are an easy access point to get to Afghanistan, but couldn't we just rely on India and a few of the Central Asian 'Stans?

Because they were arming and supplying the Taliban, and the idea was to get them to cut off support.

[Silent Hunter]

If this region was abandoned by the US, like it was in the aftermath of the Soviet-Afghan War, it won't get rid of terrorism and those terrorists will not solely focus on that region.

If you leave them to kill each other, eventually the survivors will find other people to kill.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

How about the money be spent on the US economy instead of the country that harbored Bin Laden?

For one- we agree

[Zioneer]

I really don't understand why we allied with them in the first place; I know they have nukes and are an easy access point to get to Afghanistan, but couldn't we just rely on India and a few of the Central Asian 'Stans?

Because they were arming and supplying the Taliban, and the idea was to get them to cut off support.

Doesn't seem like that worked, well, at all. A portion of the Pakistani government was even harboring Bin Laden!