Senate Proceeding on May 4th, 2009 :: 0:40:50 to 1:00:45
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0:40:46 to 0:41:07( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: quorum call: a the presiding officer: the senator from massachusetts. mr. kerry: mr. president, i ask that further proceedings of the quorum call be dispensed with. objection. mr. kerry: i thank the president. mr. president, i rise today to join my colleague, ranking

0:40:50 to 1:00:45( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: John Kerry

0:41:08 to 0:41:29( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: member of the consider to be an important piece of legislation from our committee and an important initiative for the administration and for the congress and the american people. we are joining together today to introduce the enhanced partnership with pakistan act. now, i believe that legislation

0:41:30 to 0:41:52( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: has already been placed at the desk. this is legislation that will fundamentally change america's policy towar pakistan. and i hope that over time it will fundamentally change america's relationship with the people of pakistan as well. now, i especially want to thank senator lugar for his partnership in crafting this

0:41:53 to 0:42:14( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: legislation and for his ongoing leadership on this issue. mr. president, it's hard to overstate the importance to our national security of pakistan. and, in fact, the newspapers every day now are full of events that are transpiring there and of the challenges that we face.

0:42:15 to 0:42:37( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: pakistan is a nation which could either serve as a forcer stability and progress in a volatile region or an epicenter for radical and violence -- radicalism and violence on a cataclysmic scale.

0:42:38 to 0:42:58( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: this is a nation of strikin on one hand we know that pakistan is a nation bin the past seven years. a haven where they and their confederates plotted and carried out attacks on their host country, on neighboring countries an sites around the globe.

0:42:59 to 0:43:20( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: a nation that has seen the taliban advance to within 60 miles of its capital and a nation with a full nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles capable of delivering them anywhere in a 1,000-kilometer range.

0:43:21 to 0:43:41( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: pakistan is nation whose 170 million people are overwhelmingly moderate and committed to democracy and rule of law. a major nonnato ally that has sacrificed the lives of 1,500 of ss soldiers and police in the fight against terrorism and a nation that lost more of its

0:43:42 to 0:44:04( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: citizens to the scourge of terrorism than all but a tiny handful of countries throughout the world. in short pakistan has the potential to be either crippled by the taliban or to serve as a bulwark against everything that the taliban represents. that why the obama administration and many of us in congress see the need for a

0:44:05 to 0:44:27( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: bold, n strategy for pakistan. the status quo has not brought success. the stakes could not be higher and we have little choice but to think differently. in fact, to think bigger about wh tse challenges are. the enhanced partnership with pakistan act is the centerpiece of this new approach, which is why president obama has called

0:44:28 to 0:44:49( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: on congress to pass it. an earlier version of this bill was reported out of the foreign relations committee in july with overwhelming bipartisan support. this version builds upon its predecessor in a number of important ways. first, this directs 100 -- $100 million

0:44:50 to 0:45:10( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: toward an urgent reform and equipping. second, it mandates strict accountability from the administra dollar spent, using bench max and metrics to measure and adapt our performance. third in light of the acute security challenge on the

0:45:11 to 0:45:31( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: ground, this bill gives our ambassador the flexibility to respon unfold. mr. president, we believe this bill is urntlely needed. for decades the united has sought the cooperation of pakistani decision makers through military aid. almost exclusively military aid. while paying scant attention to

0:45:32 to 0:45:53( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: the needs of the population itself. this arrangement is, rapidly disintegrating. we feel we're paying too much for one thing and gettingoo little for a broad number of things that we really need. need. and when i say we, i emphasize

0:45:54 to 0:46:14( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: the pakistani people's the desires and aspirations of the pakistani people have never been adequately focused on or attended to sufficiently in these policies. most pakistanis understand that they have been frankly left out of the policy

0:46:15 to 0:46:37( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: as a result, an alarming percentage of the pakistani population now sees america as a greater threat than al qaeda. until we change that perception, there is, frankly, very little chance of ending toleranceor terrorist groups or persuading any pakistani government to devote the political capital

0:46:38 to 0:46:58( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: necessary to deny such groups and to deny them the sanctuary that they have been able to receive, particularly in the western part of the country, as well as to deny them the covert materiel support which they have also been able to get from a number of different the dangers of inaction arising

0:46:59 to 0:47:19( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: almost every day. so when people measure this legislation, that's really what they have to consider. what happens if you do nothing? well, if clear that the march of terror th is taking hold in a number of different places clearly

0:47:20 to 0:47:40( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: threatens nuclear weapons that might then potentially hands that are completely unpredictable. in fact, to whatever degree they might be predi only see danger in that kind of eventuality. the dangers of inaction are

0:47:41 to 0:48:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: real. and almost any scenario that you play out plays agast the broader interests of the pakistani people and of the democratic government which struggles today to provide services and to govern them. in the months since president obama called on congress to pass the bill that we are now

0:48:02 to 0:48:27( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: introducing, the situation on the ground in pakistan has deteriorated significantly. the government struck what many of us believed and said at the time was an ill-advised deal at effectively ve effectively surre swat valley to the taliban.

0:48:28 to 0:48:49( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: the deal imoald emboldened the taliban to use the same tax particulars that they -- tactics that they used in afte afghanistan and pack stan and extend their reach. now, i senator lugar will join me in emphasizing this -- ultimately it is n the united states or united states policy that is going to decide what happens in pakistan.

0:48:50 to 0:49:11( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: ultimately it will be pakistanis, not americans, who must determine their nation's future. but we can change the nature of our relationship and we can empower those pakistanis who are fighting to steer the world's second largest musli country on to a path of stability and regional cooperation.

0:49:12 to 0:49:34( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: that's the foundation of the bill that senator lugar and i are introducing. and, frankly, i have seen firsthand how this approach works. following the 2005 kashmir earthquake, the united states spent nearly a billion dollars on relief efforts. and having visited places as i

0:49:35 to 0:49:55( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: did mousaffarabad in the earthquake's aftermath, i can personally attest to the awesome power of the operation that we launched. i will never forget, mr. president, flying up in a helicopter to the northwest part of pakistan, not far fromhe big himalayas

0:49:56 to 0:50:18( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: which one could see off in the distance, and landing in a small spot by the river and kids in a tent city because this was the first time those kids had ever come out of t mountains. and, in fact, the first time that any of those kids had ever gone to school. it was extraordinary to see the sight of american servicemen and

0:50:19 to 0:50:40( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: women s pakistani citizens. and, frankly, it was invaluable in changing the perceptions of america in pakistan at that period of time, while we provided that assistance and while we were in saving lives -- not in taking them -- the fact is th the

0:50:41 to 0:51:03( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: united states reputation in the country as -- as was measured by polls at th increased, very dramatically increased. in the wake of that natural disaster, we weren't the only ones to recognize the need for public diplomacy based in deeds rather than words. the front group for the

0:51:04 to 0:51:24( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: terrorist organization, lashkar itabia, set up a string of professional relief camps throughout the region trying to but our effort was far more effective. and the permanent gift of the united states army's last mobile army surgical hospital m.a.s.h., had a profound impact onhe perceptions of people in

0:51:25 to 0:51:48( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: the region. for a brief period, america was going toe-to-toe with extremists in a true battle of hearts and minds and we were winning. it's up to us to re-create this kind of success on a scale without waiting for a natural or even a manmade disaster. the question is: how can w most

0:51:49 to 0:52:09( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: effectively demonstrate our true friendship of the american people for the pakistani people? this bill we believe is an important first step it's a prime example of what we call smart per, because it uses both economic and military aid to achieve an overall effect that is greater than the sum of its parts.

0:52:10 to 0:52:31( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: on the economic triples nonmilitary aid to $1.5 billion annually for five years and five years of funding. these funds will be used to build schools, roads, and clinics. in other words, ty aim to do on a regular basis what we briefly achieved with our

0:52:32 to 0:52:54( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: earthquake relief and what the pakistani government, because o the economic crisis as well as political crisis in the country, has been unable to date to do. but this money will do a great deal more than just good deeds, mr. president. it will empower the fledgling civilian government to show that it can deliver the citizens of pakistan a better life.

0:52:55 to 0:53:16( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: it will empower the moderates, who will have something concrete to put forward as evidence that friendship with america actually brings rewards, not just perils. and it will empower the vast majority of pakistanis who reject the terrifying vision al qaeda and taliban but who have been angered and frustrated

0:53:17 to 0:53:38( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: by the per stheaption their own leaders -- perception that their own leaders and america's leaders don't care about their daily struggle. to do this right, we must make a long-term commitment. most pakistanis feel that america has used and abandoned their country in the past. most notably, after the jihad against the soviets in afghanistan. they fear that we're going to

0:53:39 to 0:54:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: just dessert them again the moment the threat from al qaeda subsides. it is this htory and this fear that causes pakistan to hedge if we ever expect pakistan to break decisively with the taliban and other extremist groups, then we need to provide a firm assurance that we're not just foul-weather friends.

0:54:02 to 0:54:22( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: by authorizing funds through 2013 and hopefully longer, this bill offers the chance to clearly state america's longer-term concerns and interests. on the security side, the bill places conditions on military aid that will ensure that the money is used for the intended

0:54:23 to 0:54:43( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: purposes, which was not the case over the last eight years. in order for pakistan to receive any military assistance, it will need to meet an annual certification that its army and spy services are partners in this endeavor. in the struggle against al qaeda and other terrorist groups,

0:54:44 to 0:55:04( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: including lashkari taiba. as we all know, lashka ri taiba was the perpetrator of the mumbai massacre of last november. we also will certification of their partnership in the battle against the taliban and its affiliates who threatened our troops in afghanistan from their sanctuaries in the pakistani

0:55:05 to 0:55:26( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: tribal areas, and also in the effort to solidify democratic governance and the rule of law in pistan. these conditions we believe are eminently reasonable and they should be easy for any nation receiving american aid to meet. as important as the economic and military components of the bill are is the question of how they

0:55:27 to 0:55:50( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: fit together, mr. president. making this unequivocal commitment to the pakistani people enables us our military assistance more effectively. in any given year, we may choose to increase it or decrease it or to simply leave its level unchanged, but we'll have the flexibility which we haven't had in prior years.

0:55:51 to 0:56:11( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: for too long, the pakistani military, frankly, believed that we were bluffing when we threatened to cut funding for a particular weapons system or expensive piece of hardware because that was the only game, so to speak, it was the only game on the table. this bill will change that. and up to now, frankly, they were right about the unwillingness of the u.s. to take alternative but if our economic aid becomes

0:56:12 to 0:56:32( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: the centerpiece of our aid policy and its tripled to $1.5 billion, then we can actually guarantee that we pay more attention to how the military assistance is being spent and what is occurring. we'll finally be able to make the choice of expenditure on the

0:56:33 to 0:56:54( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: basis of both -- both of our national security interests rather than simply the institutional interests of the security forces in pakistan. let me be clear on the issue of military aid. the bill does not take any position on the level of such assistance deliberately. it's possible to envision a significant increase in military

0:56:55 to 0:57:16( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: aid just as easily as one could envision a decrease. the pakistani army needs more helicopters, it needs more night vision capability, in counterinsurgency techniques. so instead of locking in a figure for future years, what this bill does is provide us the ability to target our military aid directly to the areas that

0:57:17 to 0:57:38( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: best serve both of our national security interests, which are fighting terrorism, fighting the insurgency, and keeping the people of pakistan safe from the most dire of threats. moreover, this bill allows us to fine-tune our approach in response to the level of will and competence displayed by pakistan's military.

0:57:39 to 0:58:01( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: when we see the genuine commitment, then we can h increase capabilities. and if we se commitment is lacking, we have the ability to adjust and redirect assistance rather than permit it to be wasted. mr. president, we've spent some $10 billion on military aid and compensation over the past eight

0:58:02 to 0:58:22( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: years and still the militants got within 60 miles of the capital recently and al qaeda continues to enjoy sanctuary. so it is long past the time that we figure out how to work more effectively with the pakistanis, with the pakistan government on a more effective approach. and that is what we hope this achieves.

0:58:23 to 0:58:43( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: this bill is not a short-term fix. it aims for the medium term and especially for the long term. it won't drive the taliban out of swat valley next week or next month. its aim is once the taliban are driven from swat and from

0:58:44 to 0:59:07( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: bejarawa and from dir, it is to help keep them ou out. to put in terms of basic counterinsurgency doctrine made familiar by general petraeus, the pakistani military is already able to handle the clear phase of the struggle and the u.s. will now be assisting this mission through other vehicles. but the bill that senator lugar and i are introducing will

0:59:08 to 0:59:28( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: the build parts of the mission. nor is this bill intended to be a silver bullet. it provides powerful tools, but these tools are only as effective as the policy-makers who wield them. i'm team -- that president obama and his team will use wisely whatever policy tools are at their disposal.

0:59:29 to 0:59:49( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: we need to approach this endeavor with a l humility. truth is that our leverage is limited this bill aims to increase that leverage significantly, but we need to be realistic about what they can accomplish. americans can influence events in pakistan but we cannot and we

0:59:50 to 1:00:11( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: should ultimately the decision-makers are the people and the leaders of pakistan. ask any residence of karachi what these places used to be like and you will hear a

1:00:12 to 1:00:32( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: statement about times of a time that seem a world away. we need a nation of stability and prosperity, enjoying peace homend abroad, a nation, in short, that older pakistans, remember from their childhoods. it is this nation that most pakistanis desperately want to

1:00:33 to 1:00:45( Edit History Discussion )

John Kerry: re introduce willelp america ensure that pakistanis is the resources necessary to choose a peaceful, stable future, and it offers them a helping hand in getting there.