A Sobering Reality That We Must Face (Rep. Hank Johnson)

Pakistan’s internal problems and how that interacts with US security interests in the region, most notably Afghanistan and the war against Al Qaida and the Taliban, is an important subject.

Basically, we have taken our eye off the prize. When we invaded Iraq, we took our focus off that war against terrorism in Afghanistan and it has now seriously come back to haunt us. It has resulted in the re-insurgence of the Taliban, who are housed or sheltered in the western region in Pakistan. That has aided the process of the destabilization of the Pakistani internal politics, at a time where we are soaking billions into the Pakistani military machinery. We need to be putting more into the affairs of the civil process, so that people will start appreciating America more, and freedom and democracy in Pakistan, as opposed to military rule. Also we need to adjust our spending in Pakistan accordingly. Spending has been geared towards the military at the expense of support for economic aid for the people.

The Pakistani people are not seeing the financial support that America is giving. If they did see that support, then they will regard the Americans more as a friendly force, rather than one that is operating in a military way.

Of course, when you’re operating in a military way, you’re competing with tribal instincts, the Taliban, Al Qaida and other extremists groups. They way to confront that extremism is through ethics, to promote democracy and the economic development of the people.

Right now, the affairs of Pakistan with a military leader who is now the civilian President, is promising to give up his military rule if the Supreme Court in Pakistan allows him to continue to serve, it is sill a military dominant society.

My understanding of the Hearing today where panelist discussed security challenges in Pakistan, is that we need to move Pakistan more towards a civilian authority. We also need to put more money in Pakistan so civilians will actually benefit, as opposed to the military.

In addition, Pakistan has nuclear capabilities. With the political instability of the region, we are not really paying attention to that particular aspect as we need to. There is a need to secure those nuclear capabilities, because if it is in the hand of a government that is unstable, that instability leads to suspicions that the nuclear materials themselves, would be at risk for falling into the wrong hands.

There have been incidents where high level, retired Pakistani officials with vast technical knowledge of nuclear weaponry have in fact, used that knowledge and consulted with Al Qaida. It is a sobering reality that we must face. While we are focused on Iran’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities, we take our eyes off the reality in Pakistan, a reality which really has up to 90 nuclear weapons at its disposal.