Nile Gardiner: It’s ‘Absolutely the Right Move’ by the Trump Admin to Freeze Military Aid to Pakistan

‘Pakistan has been playing a very dangerous double game here with regard to the war on terror’

EXCERPT:

MCSHANE: "In the meantime the U.S. is taking action against Pakistan freezing some $300 million of military aid as it accuses that country of just not doing enough to battle terrorist groups on its own soil. Joined now by Neil Gardiner. He's the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. Nile, let's start simple on this. Right move, freezing the three hundred of military aid?"
GARDINER: "Absolutely the right move. I think it sends the right message to -- to Pakistan. And for many, many years, decades even Pakistan has been playing a very dangerous sort of double game here, with regard to the war on terror. On the one hand it has provided some assistance to the United States with the war in Afghanistan allowing the supplies to move forward to NATO forces in Afghanistan. On the other hand, Pakistan has continued to provide a safe haven to a number of Islamist terrorist organizations operating in the north of the country in the federally administered tribal regions. And in particular an organization known as the Haqqani network which is tied to the Taliban has been given aid and support by elements of the Pakistani government, in particular the security services. And so Washington is saying enough is enough. Pakistan has to decide whose side it's on in this war against Islamist terrorism."

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