White House Chief of Staff William Daley on Sunday said the United States will withhold $800 million in military aid to Pakistan, further evidence of the strained ties between the two countries.
Mr. Daley, speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” said the two countries have a “complicated” relationship that the United States is committed to improving.
“They have taken some steps that have given us reason to pause on some of the aid which we were giving to their military, and we’re trying to work through that,” Mr. Daley said.
“The Pakistani relationship is difficult, but it must be made to work over time. But until we get through these difficulties, we will hold back some of the money the American taxpayers have committed to giving to them,” he said.
Mr. Daley lauded the Pakistanis’ anti-terrorism efforts, but the ties between the two countries have soured since U.S. forces captured and killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan two months ago.
• Sean Lengell can be reached at slengell@washingtontimes.com.
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