Pakistan should understand US patience is wearing thin

The unanimous decision by the Senate Appropriations Committee to cut $33 million from the $1 billion-plus Pakistan is expected to receive from the U.S. in fiscal 2013 is designed not to punish but to warn.

However, if Pakistan continues to do things that give America heartburn, members of Congress won’t hesitate to take action that will cause pain. Their constituents, the American people, are increasingly negative when it comes to foreign aid, and are especially put off by countries that are supposed to be our friends but behave like enemies.

This nation has paid a heavy emotional and financial price in conducting the war on global terrorism — it was triggered by the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on America’s mainland — and cannot understand while those who are benefitting from this action aren’t grateful.

Pakistan’s latest act of ingratitude has exacerbated an already strained relationship. Last week, a doctor who helped the CIA hunt down Osama bin Laden, the world’s leading terrorist who had lived in secret for six years in Pakistan, was sentenced to 33 years in prison. He was convicted of conspiring against the state.

The fact that Dr. Shakil Afridi, who is in his 50s, helped get rid of one of the most evil human beings on earth was ignored by officials in Islamabad and the military. To them, the killing of bin Laden by U.S. Navy Seals remain an unforgivable act of aggression because the administration of President Obama did not notify anyone in Pakistan that a raid on bin Laden’s house in Abbottabad was taking place.

The Navy Seals went under the cover of darkness, killed bin Laden, took his body out and buried it at sea.

The White House had good reason not to trust the military or the intelligence service. After all, bin Laden has long been reported to be in Pakistan, living in the tribal areas on the border between that country and Afghanistan. His home in Abbottabad was in the shadow of a military barracks.

The imprisonment of Dr. Afridi is clearly designed to send a message that any Pakistani who assists the U.S. in its assault on al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations operating in that part of the world will be punished.

Accidental deaths

Last November, when the U.S. accidentally killed Pakistani border guards, the government retaliated by closing the NATO supply routes and kicking the U.S. out of a base used by American drones.

The White House has been pressing Isalambad to reopen the routes, but the Pakistanis are first demanding an apology for the killing of the guards and a stop to the drone attacks.

The unmanned aircraft attacks are an important part of the war on global terrorism. Several key members of al-Qaida’s leadership have been killed by missiles fired from the drones.

The U.S. and Pakistan need to rebuild their relationship before things reach a point of no return.

By mid-week, there were reports that Dr. Afridi was convicted because he had conspired with an Islamic extremist group that is being blamed for acts of terrorism within Pakistan.

If you believe that, you will also believe that the Pakistani military and intelligence service really did not know that bin Laden was living in their midst.