A Senate panel expressed its outrage Thursday over Pakistan's conviction of a doctor who helped the United States track down Osama bin Laden, voting to cut aid to Islamabad by $33 million — $1 million for every year of the physician's 33-year sentence for high treason.

The punitive move came on top of deep reductions the Appropriations Committee already had made to President Barack Obama's budget request for Pakistan, a reflection of the growing congressional anger over its cooperation in combatting terrorism. The overall foreign aid budget for next year had slashed more than half of the proposed assistance and threatened further reductions if Islamabad failed to open overland supply routes to U.S.-led NATO forces in Afghanistan.

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Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Law & Legal Issues • * Economics, Politics • Economy • The U.S. Government • Budget • Foreign Relations • Politics in General • Senate • Terrorism • * International News & Commentary • America/U.S.A. • Asia • Pakistan

1. Pageantmaster [KJS to Coventry] wrote: If only Britain were to follow suit.  We are building schools in Pakistan when our own are falling down.  Meanwhile the Pakistani government is spending what should be going on their own people on nuclear weapons.  It is just mad. May 24, 9:00 pm | [comment link]

2. little searchers wrote: Pakistan is not an ally of the United States regaredless of all the money and military aid we give them.  The sooner we adknowlege that the better. May 27, 12:41 am | [comment link]

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