Congress promptly withdrew $500 million in aid funds, then on September 1, the Pentagon canceled another $300 million in military assistance, bringing the total to $800 million. Hence his first stop, in Islamabad, to meet the onetime World Cup cricketer, who described himself in Trumpian terms. Afterwards, there was a cold dose of reality as Pompeo observed he’d enjoyed the meeting but there was “a long way to go” before military aid would start flowing again. “India supports President Trump’s South Asia policy,” Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj gushed at a press briefing after the talks. The problem, of course, is that Trump’s clear tilt toward India will hardly halt Pakistan’s continued drift toward neighbouring China and Russia.

Source: bd News24 September 11, 2018 00:00 UTC