[Geo News] U.S. senator John F. Kerry has termed Pakistan's action against insurgency in its north western areas as "the most difficult foreign policy challenge" for the U.S. Obama is sending 21,000 more troops to Afghanistan, agreed to the replacement of the top US general in Afghanistan, announced Monday, and supports a bill being pushed by Senator John F. Kerry to increase aid to PakistanŽs government to $1.5 billion a year. In his opening statement at the hearing, Kerry, the committeeŽs chairman, declared that ŽŽwith its nuclear arsenal, terrorist safe havens, Taliban sanctuaries and growing insurgency, Pakistan has emerged as one of the most difficult foreign policy challenges we face.ŽŽ The Massachusetts Democrat said that ObamaŽs meetings last week with Pakistani President Asif Zardari and Afghan President Karzai were ŽŽa significant step forward,ŽŽ but much work remains to succeed with a ŽŽbold new strategy.ŽŽ
ŽŽSince President Obama called on Congress to pass a Pakistan aid bill, the dangers of inaction have risen almost by the day. The government has struck an ill-advised deal that effectively surrendered the Swat Valley to the Taliban. Predictably, this emboldened the Taliban to extend their reach ever closer to the country's heartland. In recent days we have seen encouraging signs that Pakistan's Army is finally taking the fight to the enemy, but much remains to be done,ŽŽ Kerry said, according to prepared remarks released by the committee.
ŽŽEven as we help Pakistan's government to respond to an acute crisis, we also need to mend a broken relationship with the Pakistani people. For decades, America sought Pakistani cooperation through military aid, while paying scant attention to the wishes of the population itself. This arrangement is rapidly disintegrating. Today an alarming number of Pakistanis actually view America as a greater threat than Al Qaeda. Until this changes, there's little chance of ending tolerance for terrorist groups-- or persuading any Pakistani government to devote the political capital necessary to deny such groups sanctuary and covert material support.ŽŽ The additional aid is an important first step, Kerry said. ŽŽ Our aid to Pakistan aims to achieve more than just good deeds: It will empower the civilian government to show that it can deliver its citizens a better life.