Pakistan Refugee Crisis, in Today's News 06.04.09

Pakistan Refugee Crisis.  According to the Wall Street Journal today the United States has pledged $200 million (if Congress approves) for a total of $300 million in a bid to quell a refugee crisis of three million displaced people.  "U.S. officials stressed on Wednesday that a quick and coordinated international response to Islamabad's emergency was crucial to underpinning recent gains Pakistan's army has made against the Taliban..."  

So far there are no takers from other countries on providing aid.  The United States intends to put the arm on Arab countries to fork over during a tour of major Arab states next week by Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration's point man on Pakistan. The United Nations sought $543 million to address the crisis, but has received only a fraction.  "The Obama administration is hoping that its quick (!) and high profile (!) response to the refugee crisis can win it points with the Pakistani public." (!!!)(Emphasis added.)

Comment:  This is almost too priceless for words.  The arrogance and stupidity of the American policy makers is beyond description.

The refugee crisis, which has gone from non-existent to three million in a few weeks, was brought about by the United States pressuring a reluctant Pakistan to wage a war on the Taliban in the Swat valley.  Apparently the US gave little thought to the consequences and now they have one of the worst refugee crises in world history on their hands.  All that mattered to the US was the attack on the Taliban.

Then when the crisis hit, the United States did not respond, putting pressure on the Pakistan government to pursue the war diligently and expeditiously.  When the US finally achieved some of its goals, the American policy makers promised a lousy, little stipend (with Congress potentially veto-ing it) to go to Pakistan.  And then, astoundingly, the US lets it be known that it expects other countries to pay for the crisis that the US policy created.  The US response has been anything but timely, and the only thing high-profile about it is the public appeal to other nations to pay.

The most amazing part of all this is the US saying their response will impress the Pakistani public. Yeah, right.  Three million people have had to abandon homes and livelihoods to move to small tents in sweltering camps under the ferocious sun where there is no food and little water and plenty of dust storms.  And every one of these refugees knows that it was the United States that got them into this mess. Not a few of them must be thinking or saying, 'Certainly living under the Taliban couldn't be any worse than this.'

And now the US policy makers think they will win these people over by a visit from Mr. Holbrooke to the camps, and by the promise of a few measly bucks.  Dream on, Washington. This is unbelievable. 

And oh BTW, will the Vatican every get around to saying (let alone doing) something about three million innocent people who are experiencing unwanted and drastic suffering?  Now that the US media is talking about the refugees, maybe the Vatican can realize it is okay to be interested and can throw something together for the public.