Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009

The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 s.1707(also known as the Kerry-Lugar-Bergman Act) was an Act of Congress passed into law on October 15, 2010. It authorizes the release of $1.5 billion per year to the Government of Pakistan as non-military aid from the period of 2010 to 2014. It was proposed by Senators John Kerry (D-Massachusetts) and Richard Lugar (R-Indiana). It is considered a major shift in foreign aid to Pakistan, as it significantly increases the civil aid given to the country as compared to previous aid given.

History

The bill was introduced to Congress on September 24, 2009, after being voted for submission to Congress by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Senate unanimously passed the bill the same day. The House of Representatives passed the bill on September 30. No voting records were kept, as it was a voice vote. U.S. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law on October 15 as Public Law No. 111-73.^[1][2]

Support for the act

There was general government support for the Act, as it passed through Congress with relative ease and was signed into law. John Kerry has been particularly vocal about his support for the bill, including postings on his website and an article written with the Council on Foreign Relations defending the Act.^[3][4] Pakistani President Asif Zardari and The Pakistan Peoples Party endorsed the legislation, as the Pakistani government seriously needed aid.

Another supporter of the Act was the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. Citing that because a lot of the aid bypasses dysfunctional government institutions in favor of grassroots programs, NGOs, and local institutions, the effectiveness of bringing tangible benefits for the people would increase.

Academic Ishtiaq Ahmad also noted that the Act was meant as a gesture of support to the people of Pakistan, as well as combat terrorism. He stated there was a "trust deficit"^[5] between the United States and Pakistan, which the Act demonstrates solidarity with the Pakistani people by improving institutions they interact with everyday. Furthermore, by improving the social and economic security of Pakistan, fewer people would be inclined to militarism ^[5]

Critics and skeptics

Many Pakistanis were agitated by the terms of the Act. Foremost was the Pakistani Army, which was quoted saying there were "serious concerns"^[6] with the language and terms of the Act. The Times of India alsoquoted a Foreign Office spokesperson saying "The Kerry-Lugar bill is not a negotiated document."^[6] An article written by Time states that "The backlash to Kerry-Lugar is fueled by a widely held perception that President Zardari has bowed too easily to foreign demands."^[7]

Zadari's support for the bill has left him isolated in Pakistani politics, including from some fellow cabinet members. While opposition to the Taliban has grown, so has opposition to U.S. intervention on Pakistani soil, which was reflected in a poll claiming as many as 80% of Pakistanis disapproved of the Government's relationship with the U.S.^[7]

Opposition from the Pakistani military has been staunch. Claude Rakisits of the World Politics Review wrote "The Pakistani top brass has seen this all before, and has not forgotten America's many broken promises over the past 50 years. Accordingly, they will keep their options -- including backchannels with the Taliban and other fellow travellers -- open, knowing that at the end of the day, the Americans have few alternatives available to them."^[8] Academic C. Christine Fair argued that the U.S. position under President George W. Bush where the U.S. insisted on effort to combat al Qaeda but "not insist that Pakistan shut down its support for all militant groups including the Taliban and those groups operating in India and Kashmir,"^[9] further entrenched the Pakistani military's interests in maintaining links with such groups. She further argued that given the amount and ineffectiveness of aid donated between 2002 and 2008 ($11.2 billion, of which $8.1 billion was militarily related),^[9] more money will not solve the issue.^[9]

The U.S. House of Representatives' Foreign Relations Committee proposed defunding the new Act on the grounds of Pakistan's reluctance on combating militant groups such as the Taliban. It was proposed by Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R - California). The committee, however, vetoed a further amendment which would cut all aid to Pakistan.^[10]

References

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article: Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009

• http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s111-1707
• USAID
• The CIA World Factbook
• U.S. Department of State