US Senate panel attaches strings to Pak aid

Reflecting the economic pressure, the bill is $6.2 billion less than President Barack Obama requested, with cuts and limits on funds Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.In the overall bill, the committee provided $1 billion for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund, $100 million below Obamas request. It conditioned aid on Pakistans cooperation against the Haqqani network, al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations, with some waivers. The panel also took the unusual step of not specifying other assistance to Pakistan.The bill would provide $5.2 billion for State Department and USAID operations and assistance in Iraq, $960 million less than Obamas request.Afghanistan would get $1.6 billion for assistance and $1.1 billion for State and USAID, with a cut of $74 million from the administration request.The committee initially approved the bill on a 29-1 vote, with Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican, the lone opponent. Later in the debate, Republican Sen. Jerry Moran said he wanted to change his vote to no, for a final tally of 28-2.