Another problem in Pakistan

By Libby

I haven't written about the mess in Pakistan much but this item is likely to slip under the radar. We so own this mess, just as much as we do Iraq or Afghanistan. Our tax dollars financed it.

In fact, however, a considerable amount of the money the U.S. gives to Pakistan is administered not through U.S. agencies or joint U.S.-Pakistani programs. Instead, the U.S. gives Musharraf's government about $200 million annually and his military $100 million monthly in the form of direct cash transfers. Once that money leaves the U.S. Treasury, Musharraf can do with it whatever he wants. He needs only promise in a secret annual meeting that he'll use it to invest in the Pakistani people. And whatever happens as the result of Rice's review, few Pakistan watchers expect the cash transfers to end.

Meaning this cozy little payola scheme won't escape the notice of the rest of the world although most Americans are likely to remain clueless.

Meanwhile, via Avedon I see the Taliban are staging their own coup in the border provinces. This doesn't strike me as a good thing.