The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    We've been fooled for 15 years, but no more: Donald Trump's tweet to Pakistan

    Synopsis

    In a scathing attack, Trump said the US had "foolishly" given Pakistan $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years, only to get 'lies and deceit' in return

    US has foolishly given aid to Pakistan; no more, tweets Donald Trump
    In the strongest indication yet on the US cutting off aid to Pakistan, President Donald Trump said Washington had “foolishly” provided Pakistan $33 billion in 15 years to fight terror, but “they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools”. “They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!,” Trump tweeted on Monday.

    The US, which has been providing financial support to Pakistan for what it termed as Islamabad’s support to its fight against terror, said in August that it was withholding a $255 million instalment until Pakistan did more to crackdown on terrorist groups.
    Last month, US officials held a meeting to decide on continuing the support for Pakistan.


    STRONGEST INDICTMENT SINCE THREAT DURING BUSH Jr PERIOD
    Monday’s statement is the strongest against Pakistan by any US President since George Bush Jr.

    Bush had said after 9/11 he would “absolutely” order military operations inside Pak if Osama bin Laden or other top terrorists were found to be hiding there, and Pakistan’s then leader, Pervez Musharraf, had said the US had threatened to blow the country “back to the Stone Age” if he didn’t switch his support to the American-led war on terror.

    US VP Mike Pence said in Kabul recently the Trump administration had put Pakistan on notice. Pakistan has refused to give the US access to one of the abductors of a Canadian-American family freed early this year, further straining the ties between Islamabad and Washington.

    Last week, Pakistan’s all powerful military warned the US against the possibility of taking unilateral action against terror groups on its territory.

    Upping the ante, Trump in August unveiled a new US strategy for the war in Afghanistan aimed at defeating the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network. Trump said Pakistan “gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror” and vowed the administration would be tougher on the country.

    The US President again singled out Pakistan for criticism when he announced his national security strategy in December 2017. “We make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help.”



    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
    ( Originally published on Jan 01, 2018 )
    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 News, Budget 2024 Live Coverage, Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 News, Budget 2024 Live Coverage, Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more
    The Economic Times

    Stories you might be interested in