In
interviews in Islamabad and Washington, Bush administration and military
officials said they believed that much of the American money was not
making its way to frontline Pakistani units. Money has been diverted to
help finance weapons systems designed to counter India, not Al Qaeda or
the Taliban, the officials said, adding that the United States has paid
tens of millions of dollars in inflated Pakistani reimbursement claims
for fuel, ammunition and other costs.
“I
personally believe there is exaggeration and inflation,” said a senior
American military official who has reviewed the program, referring to
Pakistani requests for reimbursement. “Then, I point back to the
United States and say we didn’t have to give them money this way.”
Pakistani
officials say they are incensed at what they see as American ingratitude
for Pakistani counterterrorism efforts that have left about 1,000
Pakistani soldiers and police officers dead. They deny that any
overcharging has occurred.
The
$5 billion was provided through a program known as Coalition Support
Funds, which reimburses Pakistan for conducting military operations to
fight terrorism. Under a separate program, Pakistan receives $300
million per year in traditional American military financing that pays
for equipment and training.
Civilian
opponents of President Pervez
Musharraf say he used the reimbursements to prop up his
government. One European diplomat in Islamabad said the United States
should have been more cautious with its aid.
“I
wonder if the Americans have not been taken for a ride,” said the
diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Lawmakers
in Washington voted Thursday to put restrictions on the $300 million in
military financing, and withheld $50 million of that money until
Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice certifies that Islamabad has been restoring democratic
rights since Mr. Musharraf lifted a state of emergency on Dec. 16. The
measure had little effect on the far larger Coalition Support Funds
reimbursements.
While
it was a modest first step, any new conditions in aid could have a major
effect on relations between the United States and Pakistan. Pakistan’s
military relies on Washington for roughly a quarter of its entire $4
billion budget.
In
interviews, American and Pakistani officials acknowledged that they had
never agreed on the strategic goals that should drive how the money was
spent, or how the Pakistanis would prove that they were performing up to
American expectations.
After
Six Years, a Plan
Early
last week, six years after President Bush first began pouring billions
of dollars into Pakistan’s military after the attacks of Sept. 11,
2001, the Pentagon completed a review that produced a classified plan to
help the Pakistani military build an effective counterinsurgency force.
The
plan, which now goes to the United States Embassy in Islamabad to carry
out, seeks to focus American military aid toward specific equipment and
training for Pakistani forces operating in the Federally Administered
Tribal Areas where Qaeda leaders and local militants hold sway.
For
their part, Pakistani officials angrily accused the United States of
refusing to sell Pakistan the advanced helicopters, reconnaissance
aircraft, radios and night-vision equipment it needs.
“There
have been many aspects of equipment that we’ve been keen on
getting,” said Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad, the Pakistani military’s
chief spokesman. “There have been many delays which have hampered this
war against extremists.”
United
States military officials said the American military was so
overstretched in Iraq and Afghanistan that it had no advanced
helicopters to give to Pakistan. American law also restricts the export
of sophisticated drones, night-vision goggles and other equipment for
security reasons.
There
is at least one area of agreement. Both sides say the reimbursements
have failed substantially to increase the ability of Pakistani forces to
mount comprehensive counterinsurgency operations.
