Yet another reason to leave the Middle East and its people to their own devices–and fate.
The United States has long suspected that much of the billions of dollars it has sent Pakistan to battle militants has been diverted to the domestic economy and other causes, such as fighting India.
Now the scope and longevity of the misuse is becoming clear: Between 2002 and 2008, while al-Qaidaregrouped, only $500 million of the $6.6 billion in American aidactually made it to the Pakistani military, two army generals tell TheAssociated Press.
The account of the generals, who asked to remain anonymous because military rulesforbid them from speaking publicly, was backed up by other retired andactive generals, former bureaucrats and government ministers.
At the time of the siphoning, Pervez Musharraf, a Washington ally, served as both chief of staffand president, making it easier to divert money intended for themilitary to bolster his sagging image at home through economicsubsidies.
“The army itself got very little,”said retired Gen. Mahmud Durrani, who was Pakistan’s ambassador to theU.S. under Musharraf. “It went to things like subsidies, which is whyeverything looked hunky-dory. The military was financing the war on terror out of its own budget.”
Generals and ministers say the diversion of the money hurt the military in very real ways:
_Helicopterscritical to the battle in rugged border regions were not available. Atone point in 2007, more than 200 soldiers were trapped by insurgents inthe tribal regions without a helicopter lift to rescue them.
_The limited night vision equipment given to the army was taken away every three months for inventory and returned three weeks later.
_Equipment was broken, and training was lacking. It was not until 2007 that money was given to the Frontier Corps, the front-line force, for training.