Pakistani poor hit by decision to spurn US aid

[n2doc]

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — U.S. aid could have transformed Pakistan's largest maternity hospital, where rats run through the halls, patients sleep three to a bed, women who require C-sections aren't getting them because only one operating room is functioning, and premature babies risk death because of a shortage of incubators.

But the government of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, turned down an American offer of $127 million for health care, education and municipal services following the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Sixteen million dollars was earmarked for Lady Willingdon Hospital in the provincial capital of Lahore.

The government's decision was thought to be an attempt to win votes by capitalizing on pervasive anti-American sentiment in a province with a significantly larger population than France and a bigger land area than Greece. Pakistan's federal government and other provinces did not follow suit, but they may also find themselves with less U.S. assistance soon.

Pressure is growing in the U.S. Congress to reduce the billions of dollars in annual military and civilian aid because of the government's alleged ties to Islamist militants. The money has failed to persuade Pakistan to target militants using its territory to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

The experience in Punjab shows that the impact of an aid cut in this poverty-stricken country would be felt most acutely by the poorest citizens, not the army generals allegedly gambling with militant proxies in Afghanistan or wealthy politicians hoping to win votes with their anti-American gestures.


Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Pakistani-poor-hit-by-decision-to-spurn-US-aid-2226285.php

Sounds just like some repub Governors we have here in the states (pRick Scott, cough cough)....

[closeupready]

1. They do have Saudi Arabia and China to look to for help, both of whom

have been generous with Pakistan in the past. Not sure that's a great outcome for US foreign policy, but what do I know. :sarcasm:

Maybe military-industrial-complex supporters have some kind of secret agenda?