US Republicans hit aid to Israel neighbours, Pakistan

WASHINGTON: US Republicans moved Wednesday to cut aid to several of Israel's neighbours and to tighten control of assistance to Pakistan, vowing to get tough on militants and tame US spending.

The Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee pushed a range of issues in a spending bill for the fiscal year starting in October, including cutting US contributions to the United Nations and restricting funds for abortion.

But to come into force, Republican lawmakers will need to reach a compromise with the Senate where President Barack Obama's Democratic Party retains control and is mostly supportive of the administration's international engagements.

The House spending bill would end decades of US security aid to Egypt, where protests swept out President Hosni Mubarak in February, unless the new leaders fully implement a peace treaty with Israel and exclude the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Republicans would also cut off security assistance to Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority and Yemen if Islamic militant movements such as Hezbollah and Hamas hold any position in government.

"Our goal is to promote democratic governments in these countries and ensure that US taxpayers are not subsidizing groups that seek to undermine US policies, interests and allies," said Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the Republican chairwoman of the House committee.

She said the Republican bill on foreign affairs would cut $6.4 billion from Obama's requests, in a step toward controlling the ballooning US debt.

The bill would impose tighter controls on assistance to Pakistan in light of the US raid that killed Osama bin Laden and persistent questions about the country's military and intelligence.

The Obama administration recently suspended about one-third of its $2.7 billion annual defense aid to Pakistan. But it has assured Pakistan it is committed to a five-year, $7.5 billion civilian package approved in 2009 that aims to build schools, infrastructure and democratic institutions.

The Republican bill would also make the civilian aid contingent on measurable progress by Pakistan in fighting militants.

"The language in this bill puts that government on notice that it is no longer business as usual and that they will be held to account if they continue to refuse to cooperate," Ros-Lehtinen said.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011