The Trump administration will withhold more than $250 million in promised aid to Pakistan, U.S. officials told the Associated Press.
The move is the first diplomatic step in President Donald Trump’s new South Asia strategy that aims to reverse Taliban gains in Afghanistan, drive the insurgent group to the negotiating table, and pressure Pakistan to crackdown on terrorist groups acting within its borders. The money will be withheld until the U.S. believes Pakistan has taken adequate steps to curtail the Haqqani Network, one of the deadliest factions allied with the Afghan Taliban.
Senior administration officials described the forthcoming U.S. approach to Pakistan as “substantially tougher approach to Pakistan … probably since shortly after the 9/11 attacks,” in a background call before the Aug. 21 speech.
Trump pledged in his speech to pair his hardline stance in Pakistan with an enduring U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Secretary of Defense James Mattis is also following through with the military segment of the strategy, signing orders Thursday sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Trump pledged that he would adopt a “conditions” based strategy towards Afghanistan rather than impose an arbitrary timeline.
Pakistan has long held sway over elements of the Taliban movement and knowingly harbors much of its leadership structure. U.S. military commanders have complained for years that they are unable to target the insurgent group’s command control structure as it racks up victory after victory against the U.S.-backed Afghan National Security Forces.
“We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organizations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor terrorists,” Trump saidin his Aug. 21 address. “We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting.”
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