Dana Rohrabacher: “My amendment would prevent any funds appropriated by this bill from being provided to the Government of Pakistan. It is…”

“My amendment would prevent any funds appropriated by this bill from being provided to the Government of Pakistan. It is reprehensible that our government is still willing to provide military assistance to a known terrorist-supporting state like Pakistan. Since 9/11, Pakistan has received over $28 billion from the United States. This should not continue. It is a farce to believe that our aid, sometimes deceptively labeled as ``reimbursements,'' is buying Pakistan's cooperation in hunting down terrorists. It was the Pakistani establishment that sheltered Osama bin Laden for years. They continue to jail Dr. Afridi, the man, the heroic man, who helped the CIA locate bin Laden. Why would Pakistan do that if they were on our side? The abysmal human rights record of the Pakistani Government is shameful. It is even worse because American money contributes to strengthening the security forces which kill and persecute minority groups who are denied their own right of self-determination. This is especially true of the Baloch and Sindhi, two large ethnic minority groups in Pakistan. Our tax dollars equip the Pakistani military, which brutally oppresses the aspirations of both of these people, and both of which have a long history separate from Pakistan. Pakistan is not an ally, and any assistance we send them only strengthens their ability to act against their own people, against us, and against Afghanistan as we withdraw our military.…”