US Senators want scrutiny of aid to Pakistan

Washington—The Senate Armed Services Committee has sought a report on the effectiveness of US-funded Pakistani operations against an insurgency spreading along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Senators asked Pentagon’s top civilian and military officials for further analysis of the military aid during a hearing Wednesday, a day after the top US intelligence official described Pakistan as facing an existential crisis due to a spike in deadly terrorist attacks over the past year.
Appearing before the panel, Defence Secretary Robert M. Gates echoed concerns that Director of National Intelligence John M. (Mike) McConnell expressed Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
“I think it’s a fairly recent development and probably (was) brought home most vividly to them by the assassination of Mrs. Bhutto, that this is a serious threat,” Gates said, referring to the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto following a Dec 27 political rally in Rawalpindi. Senator Jack Reed asked Gates if he agrees with McConnell’s assessment that Al Qaeda, using Pakistan’s federally administrated tribal areas (FATA) as a safe haven, is growing in its capacity to attack regional US forces.
“I think that (he) is correct in saying that Al Qaeda is taking advantage of the safe havens on the Pakistani side of the Afghan border to expand and train for attacks,” he said.
“There’s clearly no doubt that they have the intent of attacking the United States, and frankly, I think that’s one of the reasons why you’re seeing a major push of equipment (into Pakistan) over the next 24 months.”—Agencies