Democrats question $6 billion in Pakistan aid

By ANNE FLAHERTY Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats are sharply questioning a U.S. aid program that has reimbursed Pakistan's military $6 billion since 2001 for anti-terrorism operations along its Afghanistan border, contending the program has grown too costly.

"The Bush administration has basically been shoveling taxpayer money to Pakistan, no questions asked, crossing its fingers and hoping that our al-Qaida problem goes away," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the U.S. has provided Pakistan some $10.8 billion in aid. Most of the money - $5.6 billion - has gone toward reimbursing Pakistan's military for combat operations, particularly into unpoliced tribal areas along the Afghan border. About $1.5 billion has paid for military training and equipment, while the rest of the money is devoted to economic aid and other priorities, such as legal reform and local police training.

Democrats say the $5.6 billion in "coalition support funds" was initially intended as a short-term solution to getting Pakistan to aid U.S. anti-terrorist efforts. But since the program's inception, it has become nearly impossible to determine if the money is being spent wisely.

"The more I learn about this program, the more convinced I become that (it is) the wrong approach," said Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform national security and foreign affairs subcommittee.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said future aid dollars must include "strict guarantees" that the money is being used for anti-terrorism and is making Americans safer.

"They lack a plan, they seem to lack oversight and they do not seem very concerned about it," said Harkin of the Bush administration.

The Government Accountability Office is expected to release this summer the results of its investigation into the program. In a preliminary report released Tuesday, the GAO reiterated earlier findings that Pakistan has been unable to defeat terrorists inside its borders despite the influx of U.S. cash. The GAO found that the Pakistani security forces aren't structured to target an insurgency and face equipment and training deficiencies.

The Defense Department defended the program to the GAO as a "critical tool" to deter terrorists in the region. For example, Pakistan recently was able to buy 26 helicopters with the help of U.S. aid. The helicopters provided a direct contribution to air assault and other anti-terrorism efforts along the border, the department said in response to the report.

Also on Tuesday, a top counterterrorism official told the Senate Intelligence Committee that al-Qaida leaders continue to hatch new terrorist plots from their sanctuary on Pakistan's western frontier.

"We have clearly not succeeded in stopping core al-Qaida plotting," said acting National Counterterrorism Center Director Michael Leiter. "We have not disrupted the senior leadership that exists in (Pakistan's tribal areas) or their promulgating messages that successfully gain them more recruits."

Leiter said the U.S. intelligence agencies have done well in disrupting planned terrorist attacks before they can be carried out, however.

Leiter also said he wished he had more resources dedicated to identifying and addressing future threats and potential terrorist havens, rather than focusing so much of his work force on the current threat.

Leiter has headed the NCTC as acting director for six months. He needs Senate confirmation to hold the job officially. The NCTC was created in 2004 to analyze and knit together analysis from more than a dozen U.S. intelligence agencies.

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Associated Press writer Pamela Hess contributed to this report.