Pakistan: An outpost for democracy?

Senator Joe Biden (D-Del.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee presided over a hearing on Pakistan and it’s role in American foreign policy. Biden said that in order to establish a lasting, comfortable relationship between Pakistan and America, the U.S. should triple non security aide to 1.5 billion dollars annually and pledge that amount over the next ten years. He also called for a billion dollar democracy dividend, which would help moderate, secular, political leaders show the Pakistani people that they can deliver.

He said that this plan would change the dynamic of the Pakistan-U.S. relationship because it could persuade the Pakistani’s that America is not a fair weather friend but an “all weather friend” and show Pakistani leaders that America is an ally that can be relied upon.

Biden said that the Pakistani American relationship was been transactional. He said that Americans believe that they are paying to much to Pakistan and receiving to little, and the Pakistani’s believe the opposite. The only way to make things better, he said, is with long term non-security related investment.