02-26-2008, 10:26 PM
<b>Pakistan 'misspent billions in US aid'</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->AMERICA'S huge military aid to Pakistan has come under sharp scrutiny, with allegations that as much as 70% of $US5.4 billion in help has been misspent.
The US has reimbursed the Pakistani military for the cost of operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in the tribal belt, where 110,000 soldiers have been stationed since 2002.
The payments for food, fuel, ammunition and maintenance, averaging $80 million a month, have been a cornerstone of US support for President Pervez Musharraf. But US officials believe Pakistan's expense claims have been vastly inflated, according to two Western military sources, who did not want be named.
"My back-of-envelope guesstimate is that 30% of the money they requested to be reimbursed was legitimate costs they expended," said one official. He added that the US did not know what had happened to the remaining 70% â about $3.8 billion â but suspected that part of the <b>money had been spent on F16 fighter jets or new housing for army generals.
Apart from military-related expenses, the official said, at least half the money was thought to have disappeared. "Who knows, the roads on Constitution Avenue (in Islamabad) may have been paved with part of this money," he said.</b>
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--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Great, it serve US well, all billions came back to US within 3 months.
Pakistan bought old planes, paid good price, In Texas thousands were able to keep jobs in parts manufacturing job.
Money gaind by Army officer helped their kids and wives to vist US and UK, lot of shoping for new house and some went to college education in US.
Not bad for US. No one can beat US in used car sale.
The US has reimbursed the Pakistani military for the cost of operations against Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters in the tribal belt, where 110,000 soldiers have been stationed since 2002.
The payments for food, fuel, ammunition and maintenance, averaging $80 million a month, have been a cornerstone of US support for President Pervez Musharraf. But US officials believe Pakistan's expense claims have been vastly inflated, according to two Western military sources, who did not want be named.
"My back-of-envelope guesstimate is that 30% of the money they requested to be reimbursed was legitimate costs they expended," said one official. He added that the US did not know what had happened to the remaining 70% â about $3.8 billion â but suspected that part of the <b>money had been spent on F16 fighter jets or new housing for army generals.
Apart from military-related expenses, the official said, at least half the money was thought to have disappeared. "Who knows, the roads on Constitution Avenue (in Islamabad) may have been paved with part of this money," he said.</b>
...........<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Great, it serve US well, all billions came back to US within 3 months.
Pakistan bought old planes, paid good price, In Texas thousands were able to keep jobs in parts manufacturing job.
Money gaind by Army officer helped their kids and wives to vist US and UK, lot of shoping for new house and some went to college education in US.
Not bad for US. No one can beat US in used car sale.