Corker Says Administration is Right to Tie Pakistan Aid to Progress Against al-Qaida

Statement

U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today commented on reports that the White House has begun tying aid to Pakistan based on the Southwest Asian country's progress in combating al-Qaida and other extremists.

"If news reports are accurate, the administration is right to finally be recognizing that our country's relationship with Pakistan on security issues is -- unfortunately -- transactional, and therefore our aid should be tied to their efforts against al-Qaida and other extremists. Pakistan must show that it will no longer tolerate terrorist and criminal elements determined to commit violence against the U.S. and our allies, and after all, actions to ferret out these elements are in the national security interests of Pakistan, as well," Corker said. "Our national security is greatly affected by what happens in Southwest Asia, and the American people need assurance that we have a real and lasting partnership with the Pakistanis, who we depend on for security and intelligence cooperation in the fight against international terrorists. With so many taxpayer resources at stake, this apparent change in policy is long overdue."

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