US pilots fly Pakistan flood aid to win hearts and minds
GHAZI — For US combat pilots in Afghanistan, there are two reasons to visit Pakistan: To help provide aid to the millions affected by devastating floods, and to improve America’s image. Torrential monsoon rains have lashed Pakistan for two weeks, triggering catastrophic flooding that the UN says has affected 13.8 million people, in a disaster eclipsing the 2004 tsunami that killed 220,000 across Asia. Entire villages have been washed away. Parts of the country, such as the northwest Swat valley which for years was paralyzed by Taliban insurgency, are cut off from the outside world. An estimated 1,600 persons have died. The government says the international community has promised $92 million, but it is the presence of US military helicopters that may incite the most controversy in Pakistan, where anti-Americanism is endemic. The White House said that US helicopters have helped to save more than 1,000 lives in Pakistan. Washington has provided $35 million in aid, including 436,000 halal meals and 12 pre-fabricated bridges..... MORE Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100811com5.html |
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