"Gains for Pakistan bear Kerry’s mark" by Farah Stockman, Globe Staff | April 5, 2010
WASHINGTON — The president of Pakistan recently sent Senator John F. Kerry flowers. Pakistan’s powerful army chief spent three hours at Kerry’s house recently for dinner. And soon, officials in Islamabad will confer on Kerry the “hilal-e-Pakistan’’ — the highest honor given to a foreigner.
“Senator Kerry cares about Pakistan,’’ said Husain Haqqani, Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington. “A lot of Pakistanis recognize that.’’
Related: Pakistan's American Face
Why does a puppet need a mask, America?
So does the White House. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kerry has been the president’s point man on providing billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan aimed at improving the US image there and strengthening the uneasy alliance with Islamabad. Both goals are considered essential for US success next door in Afghanistan....
So he is working hard to stop the missile strikes, right?
As a result, Pakistan is on track to become the second-largest recipient of US foreign aid in the world, outstripping Israel, historically the largest recipient, according to preliminary budget documents the administration gave to Congress.
Wait a minute!
Woah, woah, woah!
I'm sure Congress will have to cut Israel a check right away!!
Good thing you don't need that money for anything, Americans.
Best be spent over lies.
The Obama administration seeks at least $3.05 billion for Pakistan for the 2011 fiscal year, about half of which would go to a massive civilian package that Kerry steered through Congress. Only one country — Afghanistan — is slated to receive more: $3.9 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations.
Not like your government is borrowing to beat the band or anything over here, America, but....
When can we start LEAVING PEOPLE ALONE and LET THEM TEND to their OWN AFFAIRS?!!!
The figures do not include covert CIA programs or Pentagon reimbursements and supplemental military aid that are expected to bring the final price tag for Pakistan to about $5.5 billion.
Yeah, NO ONE KNOWS HOW MUCH they spend on that s***!!!
Some fear that the civilian aid — $1.5 billion annually for the next five years — will be wasted by Pakistan’s government, which has a reputation for corruption, or will be hijacked by Pakistan’s military, which has a history of coups and support for extremist groups that are considered terrorists in Washington....
Meanwhile, my government and its media.... sigh.... sad.... so sad.
***************
In September, the bill passed just in time for Obama to announce the package at the United Nations. But within weeks, the bill sparked a firestorm in Pakistan, as military leaders and opposition parties complained that some provisions insulted Pakistan and sold out the country.
Yeah, I remember; obviously, things got smoothed over real quick.
Richard Holbrooke, Obama’s special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said the controversy was “probably orchestrated’’ by rivals of Pakistan’s new president, Asif Ali Zardari.
Yeah, whatever.
So what hotel room you living in now, Dick?
Kerry spent weeks repairing the damage. He flew to Pakistan to explain the bill, telling opposition leader Nawaz Sharif over dinner “that a lot of Americans are hurting now and would find good use for the money’’ if Pakistan doesn’t want it, Kerry recalled.
Unfortunately, guys like Kerry are the ones deciding who gets the tax loot -- and it ain't you, American.
Yeah, Sharif the second side of the U.S. stooge cent.
Now, most critics have turned their focus to how the aid should be spent. Pakistani military officials have pushed for big signature projects that could display US good will, such as a dam or a large power plant, while some civilian officials said such projects would take too long to build while urgent needs demand immediate action.
Just wondering when this government is going to start displaying a little good will towards its own people.
In a recent interview, Kerry expressed support for a signature energy project, as well as aid for people displaced by Pakistani military operations. He said he sees those operations, plus the recent arrests of Taliban leaders, as a sign that Pakistan has made a strategic decision to move against the militants, especially after a spate of suicide attacks targeting the Pakistani military. Kerry hopes the aid will bolster what he calls a “sea change’’ in Pakistan....
Yeah, we can all hear the whiz-bang of it, yup.
--more--"
Yeah, both Kerry and the BG have a little bit of a blind spot....
"Bill would help blind veterans keep state stipend" by Brian MacQuarrie, Globe Staff | March 29, 2010
DARTMOUTH — Massachusetts pays some blind veterans a stipend, only to have the federal government take it away.
That's the government we all know and love; not only do they lie you into wars, they screw you when you get out.
The result has been the loss of up to $2,000 per year from federal benefits for those handicapped veterans, mostly elderly, who often live on a low, fixed income.
Here they are WOUNDED SERVING this nation and THEY CAN'T COME UP with a measly $2,000 dollars a YEAR!?
Tossing away TRILLIONS on WARS and CAN'T CARE for the GUY FIGHTING THEM, huh?
Yeah, "support the troops!"
To the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the stipend is considered additional income that can be deducted from its modest pensions.
But let's PAY COST OVERRUNS to the COST of BILLIONS!!!!
“I don’t think it’s fair to veterans, particularly veterans who in many cases suffered an injury and are being punished for it,’’ US Senator John F. Kerry said. “To subtract one from the other is unfair.’’
To rectify what he called an outrageous penalty, the Massachusetts Democrat has filed a bill to allow blind former service members to keep their state annuities without having their VA pensions shrink.
“I’ve been fighting for this for years now,’’ Kerry said....
And NO ACTION, 'eh, John?
Oh, yeah, it is stuck in the Senate!
Related: Senate Republicans Roll Over For Fed
Well, some things go right through.
