Presidents of Pakistan, Afghanistan Meet With Senators Weighing Aid
Friday, May 8, 2009
Senators who will shortly be voting on massive aid packages for Afghanistan and Pakistan grilled the presidents of both countries yesterday about their dedication to the fight against extremists and the capabilities of their democratic governments.
"The focus has not been as intense as it ought to be," said Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), the Foreign Relations Committee chairman, who co-hosted a closed-door lunch for the presidents attended by 24 of his colleagues. After listening to the two leaders, Kerry told reporters, "We're very, very hopeful now that that is going to change."
Others were less enthusiastic. Compared with their usual meetings with heads of state, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said in an interview, it was "very, very frank." But "my guess is they left the room with a lot less support than they came into the room with," Corker said of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
Both leaders, Corker said, gave "vague" answers and seemed less committed to the counterinsurgency fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda than the United States is.
"The focus has not been as intense as it ought to be," said Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), the Foreign Relations Committee chairman, who co-hosted a closed-door lunch for the presidents attended by 24 of his colleagues. After listening to the two leaders, Kerry told reporters, "We're very, very hopeful now that that is going to change."
Others were less enthusiastic. Compared with their usual meetings with heads of state, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said in an interview, it was "very, very frank." But "my guess is they left the room with a lot less support than they came into the room with," Corker said of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.
Both leaders, Corker said, gave "vague" answers and seemed less committed to the counterinsurgency fight against the Taliban and al-Qaeda than the United States is.
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Labels: Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Pakistan, Taliban, Terrorism, US
posted @ 6:03 PM,
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