New Delhi
9 October 2005
A report prepared by the Congressional Research
Service for the United States Congress says Washington could consider
giving an "incentive" to Islamabad by offering to sell weapons platforms
in return for taking certain steps to restore democracy like allowing the
return of exiled politicians.
That is one of four policy options the report discusses in the run-up to the
hearing on the pending legislation titled the "Targeting Terrorists More
Effectively Act of 2005". The Bill was introduced early this year and it has
since been referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The updated report says: "[The] US policy options regarding [Pakistan]
can be seen to fall into four broad categories: status quo, increased
pressure, increased incentives, and adjusting emphases of current aid
programs. Some of the policies could be employed in tandem."
It suggests that "future sale of major US weapons platforms to Pakistan
could be offered as a 'bonus' that would follow successful implementation
of full democracy in Islamabad or, short of that, for certain substantive
actions on the path to that goal (e.g., the return to Pakistan of exiled
opposition figures)."
Observing that the pending legislation in the 109th Congress includes
Pakistan-specific language regarding "a number of critical issues that
threaten to disrupt" US-Pakistan relations, the report suggests "the
strengthening of civilian political institutions in Islamabad".
It goes on to note that the US State Department and the US Agency for
International Development have identified "democratic stability in South
Asia's frontline states" of Pakistan and Afghanistan as one of 11 key
democracy and human rights-related initiatives for the world in 2006.
The "Targeting Terrorists More Effectively Act of 2005" sets forth
provisions with respect to preventing the growth of radical Islamic
fundamentalism and promoting democracy and development in South
Asia and strategy for the US relationship with Pakistan besides
Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia.
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