Kerry in Pakistan

[karynnj]

This Pakistani article is written saying that he will be there today.

{div class = "excerpt"]
Former American presidential candidate and Chairman Foreign Affairs Committee of American senate, Senator John Kerry will arrive in Pakistan today (Wednesday) to visit the flood-hit areas.

Senator John Kerry during his visit of Pakistan will take aerial view of flood-affected areas and will also hold meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to exchange views on floods devastations and matters of bilateral interest.

Well-placed sources also said that Senator John Kerry will also visit the flood-hit areas by taking aerial view of devastation caused by the massive floods in Pakistan.
<snip>
“My visit is really also geared to try to raise the understanding that this is not just about floods, not just about displaced people and the misery that comes with this, which is critical, but it is really about Pakistan’s ability to move forward (economically) and to survive the difficult situation,” he elaborated, citing the challenges the country was already confronting because of its “stressed economy.

[karynnj]

1. CSM - Kerry saying the US is committing another $150 M, that SoS Clinton will announce today

We have already committed $90 Million

Amid United Nations reports of lagging aid for the Pakistan floods, the United States is set to increase aid to Pakistan to $150 million following the worst disaster in the country’s history, Sen. John Kerry (D) of Massachusetts announced on Thursday.
Skip to next paragraph

Speaking from the Ghazi airforce base where American military aircraft are making deployments into flood-affected territory in the north-west, such as the Swat Valley, he stressed that the US did not wish to see extremists profiting from the disaster. “We don't want additional jihadists, extremists coming out of a crisis,” he said.

<snip>
Senator Kerry, who co-authored a $7.5 billion civilian aid bill to Pakistan and heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, arrived in Pakistan late Wednesday and is set to meet the country’s Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and beleaguered President Asif Ali Zardari, today. He is the first high-ranking US politician to visit the region after the disaster struck.

His visit serves the dual purpose of demonstrating US commitment to a country that it views as vital to its regional strategic interests, and cajoling other nations into increasing their levels of aid as the UN holds an emergency meeting in New York to call for more international aid. So far, the UN says it has raised half of the $460 million requested.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0819/Pakistan-floods-As-international-aid-lags-US-announces-increase

[karynnj]

2. International Herald Tribune article

GHAZI AIR BASE: US Foreign Relations Committee head Senator John Kerry has said that millions of dollars from the Kerry-Lugar Bill will be diverted for flood aid, which will have no strings attached to it.

Addressing soldiers at the Ghazi air base, Kerry has said the US feels it is extremely crucial to invest in Pakistan and wants it to quickly deal with the flood situation.

Kerry, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and co-authored a record $7.5 billion aid bill for Pakistan, is the first senior US policymaker to visit since the disaster struck, affecting 20 million people.
<snip>
Pakistan is a top US foreign policy priority due to concerns over extremism as Washington tries to bring a swift end to the nine-year war against the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/40767/kerry-visits-pakistan-2/

[wisteria]

3. He is a link to his press conferance today.

http://cnewsworld.com/videos-2/sen-john-kerry-and-president-zardari-press-conference-pt-1/

[Luftmensch067]

4. Thank you!

This is wonderful!

[karynnj]

5. Thanks - this is great

I especially loved Kerry's answer at the end. A wonderful job - especially as to how it praised the work that the Zardari government did prior to the flood.

[Luftmensch067]

I agree!

His statement was truly excellent! What did you think of Zardari?

[karynnj]

7. No real opinion

From the debates of 2004, it is hard to evaluate anyone standing next to John Kerry. (One of the left pundits (I think Eric Alter), in 2004 spoke of why Kerry always won in MA - he commented that in a debate, Kerry made any opponent look like he should be managing a 7/11.

But, I did think he emphasized some of the right things - especially that ultimately Pakistan is responsible to care for its people.

[Luftmensch067]

9. I suppose

In a debate, sure, but this was not that. I think he (Zardari) said a lot of positive things, but I thought he sounded like someone in definite fear for his government. JK handled the whole thing with gracious, poised diplomacy, no surprise there. I guess I hadn't seen Zardari speak at length before and I was kind of shocked. Of course, one of the press questions ("Are you the problem, Mr. President?") was one no one could easily answer!

[karynnj]

10. That is understandable

Zadari recently lost some of the powers that his predecessor had - but this was intentional - as a way to move from the dictator status that Musharraf had. In addition, the government has been somewhat shaky and weak relative to the military, which has always been powerful.

Pakistan's National Assembly has unanimously passed a set of constitutional reforms curbing the powers of Asif Ali Zardari, the president, and transferring them to the prime minister and parliament.

Zardari backed the amendments on Thursday, which still need the approval of the Senate.

< cutting a line that said the vote was unanimous.

Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Pakistani prime minister, said the move had made the parliament sovereign.

"You have made parliament supreme today. We did politics of reconciliation," Gilani told the chamber amid applause. "Today the entire nation is united."

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/04/20104815523247104.html

The article suggests that it makes Zardari's position as President ceremonial - though he has additional power as the head of the majority party.

[karynnj]

6. That is great!

Kerry did a wonderful job in a non cloying way of praising the work done by the Pakistani government before the flood. Nice summary of the international effort - and great positioning of Hillary/the US responding first.

[ProSense]

8. Fascinating. Thanks for the link. n/t

[karynnj]

11. NYT article on Kerry's Pakistan trip

The article is very good.

Closer to the scene, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts broke up a visit to Afghanistan Thursday to visit the flood damage in neighboring Pakistan, flying over a vast expanse of flooded villages in Punjab province with Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari.

The United States would increase its flood aid to $150 million, he said, and would redirect some $200 million of money earmarked under the Kerry-Lugar Bill for assistance for Pakistan to flood recovery projects. He spoke at Ghazi Aviation Base, where United States Marines and members of the Pakistani Army were flying joint missions to ferry food into the northern mountain valley of Swat and rescue stranded villagers.

The Swat Valley has been the focus of an Islamist militant insurgency for the last two years and remains violent despite an extended Pakistan military campaign there. Mr. Kerry acknowledged a double concern in helping the mountainous region.
<snip>
Trying to put a positive light on the calamity, Mr. Kerry suggested that the humanitarian crisis would force the civilian government to step up to the challenge and improve its own performance. “There is a real willingness to build capacity and that can strengthen the government,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/world/asia/20pstan.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

[ProSense]

12. Here is an NBC

clip with a glimpse of Kerry flying over the area.

Devastating tragedy.

[wisteria]

13. I am devastated just watching it. I hope and pray food and aid reaches these people very soon. n/t

[karynnj]

14. Here is NECN's coverage

http://www.necn.com/08/20/10/John-Kerry-announces-additional-money-fo/landing_weather.html?blockID=294316&feedID=4211