Republican Congressmen threaten Pakistan that they will cut off aid if diplomat not set free.

[beachmom]

http://english.aljazeera.net//news/asia/2011/02/20112971538456329.html

US threatens to cut aid to Pakistan

Visiting congressmen increase pressure to release US citizen detained for shooting dead two Pakistani men.

US congress members have threatened to stop aid to Pakistan unless it releases an American detained over shooting deaths of two Pakistani men.

As the US increased pressure on Pakistan on Tuesday, it had already warned about the risk to high-level dialogue unless Pakistan released Raymond Davis, a US government employee.

Davis was arrested on January 27 after shooting two Pakistanis. He said he acted in self-defence fearing they would rob him.

A third Pakistani was run over and killed by a US consulate vehicle that had come to assist Davis, according to police.

The incident set off protests in Pakistan, where anti-US sentiment has long run high.

Hmmm. GOP playing bad cop here or are they going rogue? Has Sen. Kerry said anything about this diplomat, who apparently was walking around with a Glock?

[Mass]

1. Here is another version of this story by ABC

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/ray-davis-shooting-pakistan/story?id=12869411

Frankly, these congressmen are reckless. It is a job for the State Department. Let them do their job without complicating it. The story has enough potential of being dangerous without these people to intervene.

[karynnj]

2. The ABC article is very good showing this is not an easy case to know the

truth. It concerns me that we would could have allowed spying out of an embassy - something we have often been accused of. If true, this really jeopardizes genuine diplomats. This really sounds like a political mess - where the government really could be further weakened if they give in to America - especially if they can prove their claims.

I agree that the Congressmen are being reckless, though they are pushing in the same direction as the administration.

[beachmom]

3. I had to re-type my post so I forgot to say that the Al Jazeera article

is important because it shows how this looks outside the West. Not very good, actually. Even from that first article, it sounded complicated.

[elleng]

4. Congressmembers should keep their mouths shut.

[karynnj]

5. As John Kerry said, it is a responsibility as well as a right to dissent

when the policy is wrong. I agreed 100% with Kerry saying that in 2006 - as I think most Democrats - did. It is hypocritical to argue that Republicans should not question Obama's positions. Here, what I think was reckless is that they were saying this in Pakistan at a very delicate time. In addition, it really seems as though more needs to come out as to what the facts are - as they are clearly in question.

To me, this gets very tricky. Congress is a co-equal branch of government and they have an oversight role, but careless things said could cause enormous damage that the administration will need to work hard to fix.

(By the way, welcome to DU JK.

[beachmom]

6. More developments:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/obama-advisor-delivered-presidential-threat-pakistan-detained-american/story?id=12885558

Pakistani officials say President Obama's national security advisor summoned Pakistan's ambassador to the White House Monday evening to deliver a threat from the president: Release Raymond Davis, an American being held in Lahore for killing two Pakistanis, or face the consequences.

National Security Advisor Tom Donilon told Ambassador Husain Haqqani, according to two Pakistani officials involved in negotiations about Davis, that the U.S. will kick Haqqani out of the U.S., close U.S. consulates in Pakistan, and cancel an upcoming visit by Pakistan's president to Washington, if Davis, a U.S. embassy employee, is not released from custody by Friday.

Ah, the President sounds pissed off here. Looks like the GOP Congressmen were on the same page as the administration in this case. Kudos to ABC News for excellent reporting.

[karynnj]

7. He is really signaling that they are a client state and we can do what ever we want

It is stunning that he would essentially threaten our relations with Pakistan over a man, who seems very likely to have been an American spy - who may be named Ray Davis or not. (People there were already unhappy with our drones. - Given where he was going - could he have been finding and photographing landmarks for drone attacks? )

This really is a dilemma for Pakistan - it seems that the fragile government could be weakened by releasing this man, but if they don't the US will likely retaliate. This completely trashes any Afghanistan/Pakistan policy we have.

[karynnj]

8. Pakistan did not free Davis today - he is in jail for 14 days

Looking to find anything about the politics, this is from the Times of India -

Defying reported U.S threat to cut off diplomatic relations if its embassy official Raymond Davis was not freed by Friday, Pakistan accused the operative with diplomatic status of cold-blooded murder of two locals and remanded him to a 14-day judicial custody as ties between the two countries continued to head south.

The American warning, subsequently denied by both sides, was purportedly delivered by U.S National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, who, ABC News reported, told Pakistani ambassador Hussain Haqqani earlier this week that Washington will ''kick him'' out of the country, close US consulates in Pakistan, and cancel an upcoming visit by President Zardari to Washington if Davis is not released from custody.
<snip>
In Washington, US officials reeled back from the threat to punish Pakistan, even as Haqqani frantically engaged lawmakers on the Hill on Thursday after being shunned by the administration. The Pakistani envoy met Senator John Kerry, Speaker John Boehner, and lawmakers Howard McKeon, Mike Rogers, and Ileana Ross-Lehtinen among others to plead Pakistan's case after a reported White House dressing down.
<snip>
But Haqqani challenged the report in a tweet, his favored mode of communication, saying, no ''US official, incl the NSA, has conveyed any personal threats 2 me or spoken of extreme measures.'' The U.S embassy in Islamabad meanwhile said that ''although we are unable to discuss the substance of a private diplomatic meeting, US embassy Islamabad can state categorically that the description of the conversation in this report is simply inaccurate.'' In a subsequent tweet, Haqqani said ''Both WH & I denied rumor...but aspiring fiction writers insist on being reporters.''

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pak-defies-US-and-jails-Davis/articleshow/7477508.cms


Another thing in the article is disturbing as well - Foreign Miniser Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was close to us and to India left the cabinet as his portfolio was changed. (His son was the one who was a Kerry intern a few years back. )

[karynnj]

9. More today both on Queshi and on HCR pressuring him to give Davis diplomatic immunity - after the

killings. (Seriously NOT good news - and I see no reason to doubt it.)

Pakistan's former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had pressurised him to verify the diplomatic immunity to Raymond Davis arrested for gunning down two men in Lahore.

'Hillary Clinton called me and wanted me to publicly confirm diplomatic immunity of Davis. However, I refused to do so because it was against the factual position in the case,' Qureshi was quoted as saying by Dunya News Saturday night.
<snip>
' Munter threatened that Hillary Clinton would not meet me at the Munich security conference Feb 6, if the request was not granted,' Qureshi recalled.

<snip>
Qureshi's name was in the list of ministers supposed to take oath Friday after the cabinet was dissolved earlier this week to prune it. However, he refused to take oath at the last minute when he was offered water and power ministry instead of foreign affairs, the report said.

http://www.sify.com/news/clinton-forced-qureshi-to-grant-immunity-to-davis-news-international-lcnhuddbhbi.html

Here is a second article:

Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the former foreign minister dropped in the truncated cabinet, has confirmed Raymond Davis is not a diplomat and cannot be extended diplomatic immunity, reports a private TV channel.
On his farewell visit to the Foreign Office, Qureshi said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had asked him to endorse diplomatic immunity for Davis, but he had refused to entertain the demand. The ex-foreign minister said later US Ambassador Cameron Munter called him and threatened the cancellation of meeting with Hillary on the sidelines of the Munich conference if Davis wasn’t freed.
Qureshi said the Foreign Office had checked its record thoroughly. He said the prime minister wanted him to be silent on the Davis issue, as he (the PM) wanted the Interior Ministry to make all statements. Qureshi said he respects the party’s decision of dropping him in the slimline cabinet in the first phase.

http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/13-Feb-2011/Davis-no-diplomat

So, it looks like this really is some Blackwater like contractor/CIA action - and the result is that the Pakistani government is weakened by it and a person, who we have worked well with is no longer in the government, maybe because he is an honest man.

In addition,

The US has postponed the tri-lateral dialogue with Afghanistan and Pakistan mainly because of the strained relationship between Washington and Islamabad over the arrest of an American accused of murder.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/us-postpones-meet-with-afghanistan-and-pak/143166-2.html

[karynnj]

10. Kerry joins those requesting he be able to leave because he has diplomatic immunity

The article suggests that Kerry's advise is that not doing this will hurt the relationship between Pakistan and the US - which given the WH and Republican positions is accurate. Still, there is something really wrong with this - it seems pretty clear that he was a spy and likely killed two ISI (?) men who caught him doing so. At minimum, the US should have to admit that his actions were wrong - but it is obvious from the drone attacks that we are not acting in a way that any of would have expected from our civics books.

The article also contradicts the earlier source on Qureshi's role.

By: Shaiq Hussain | Published: February 12, 2011
Senator John Kerry steps in to save Davis By: Shaiq Hussain | Published: February 12, 2011
ISLAMABAD: US Senator John Kerry and the US House of Representatives’ Speaker John Boehner have stepped in to secure the release of American national Raymond Davis, currently detained in Lahore for killing two Pakistanis, as the diplomatic row between Islamabad and Washington intensified on Friday after the Lahore Police declared the incident a “cold-blooded murder”, not an act of self-defence.
The US authorities increased pressure on the Pakistani government to provide diplomatic immunity to Davis, as they believe it is now the only chance to get him released after the Pakistani police held him responsible for clear and intentional murder.
Sensing the gravity of situation, US Senator John Kerry, who not only enjoys immense clout in the American ruling circles, but also has close ties with top authorities in Islamabad, on Thursday met the Pakistani Ambassador in Washington Hussain Haqqani and asked for Davis’ release. This demand was repeated by American speaker, John Boehner, who also had a meeting with Haqqani.
A diplomatic source said that the piece of advice from Senator Kerry and American speaker was that the row over Davis could lead to deep negative impact on the ties between Islamabad and Washington and as Davis enjoyed diplomatic immunity, he must be set free without any further delay. The source said the fate of Davis now hinged upon the diplomatic immunity that was supposed to be declared by the Foreign Office, now headed by Hina Rabbani Khar who replaced Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday. “A very tough situation for Khar, who is seemingly novice in the arena of foreign affairs and Qureshi, despite all his anger and anguish for being shown the door, must be somewhat relieved as he fully realises the serious fallout of supervising the whole process of granting immunity to an American who is disdained and hated across the country,” the diplomat said. He said the buzz in the ruling circles was that the Makhdoom from Multan was asked to relinquish the portfolio of foreign minister after he was blamed for assuring the Americans that Davis would be set free only in a matter of hours after he was arrested in Lahore on January 27.

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/pakistan-news/National/12-Feb-2011/Senator-John-Kerry-steps-in-to-save-Davis

It is interesting to see the only comment (I am copying only 2 paragraphs - because I already used two)

Senator Jhone Karry is one of those American senators who have always played their role to support Pakistan in American corridors of power. Being Pakistani I am thankful to him for what he did for Pakistan and Pakistani people.

<snip>

The matter should be resolved politically. America compensate financially to the victim's family and hand Dr. Afia over to Pakistan in return for Davis release.

I don't remember who Dr Afia is, but what the writer is asking for is the type of swap that the US and other countries have done before. It may be that they will do something like this soon - from the tenacity of the US, it does appear that what he was doing (though not the killings) were things our government told him to do and that the US is clearly having people break Pakistani law.
Here is an article that summarizes a lot of what is thought to be known in Pakistan - http://www.todaysviews.com/?p=1199 The question is whether the anger has built up to a level where exchanging him is impossible. (I know it would be if you turned it around to a Pakistani spy shooting 2 US FBI/CIA people pursuing him. )

[karynnj]

11. Time article - "U.S. Diplomat Could Bring Down Pakistan Gov't "

Though they call him a "diplomat", the article itself has a lot of insight. (Midway through the article, it makes it clear that he is not a diplomat. ) It does a nice job explaining the incredible problem this is for Pakistan's government.


http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2047149,00.html#ixzz1DnA9L8oW

[Mass]

12. Kerry headed to Pakistan

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/02/sen-john-kerry-heads-to-pakistan-to-calm-diplomatic-relations.html

Sen. John Kerry has left for a trip to Pakistan today, according to his spokesperson on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Details of when he will arrive were not given, due to security reasons.

“Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry left tonight for Pakistan where he will meet with senior Pakistan government officials to reaffirm support for the strategic relationship between the two countries,” the spokesman, Frederick Jones, said.

Boston Globe has it too

Sen. John Kerry has left for a trip to Pakistan today, according to his spokesperson on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Details of when he will arrive were not given, due to security reasons.

“Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry left tonight for Pakistan where he will meet with senior Pakistan government officials to reaffirm support for the strategic relationship between the two countries,” the spokesman, Frederick Jones, said.

assachusetts Senator John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, left Monday night for an emergency trip to Pakistan to try to repair deteriorating relations in the wake of the arrest of a US embassy worker who shot two Pakistani motorcyclists dead, according to committee staff.

The trip, which a senior US official said Kerry took at the request of the Obama administration, is the latest twist in the saga of Raymond Davis, who shot two men dead in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on January 27. Davis told Pakistani police he believed they were trying to carjack him, but a Pakistani court has held him on suspicion of murder near term.

The senior US official who spoke on background because of the sensitivity of the case, said that Kerry is not trying to secure the release of Davis, whom Pakistani officials have indicated will remain in custody for the term. Instead, Kerry's mission will be to "help tone down the rhetoric and reaffirm the US partnership with Pakistan."
...
Kerry has developed closed relations with Pakistan leaders over the years, and pushed through a $7.5 billion, five-year aid package for the country. He has traveled to Pakistan four times since he became chairman of the powerful committee in early 2009.

[karynnj]

13. I hope he stays safe and that the administration has given him a

tenable carrot to use here. They really need to admit that this man was doing stuff he shouldn't have. Reading the accounts, it is clear that he continued shooting the men even after they were wounded and not a threat to them. I know that all countries have used diplomatic immunity to pull out people from situations where they really have broken the law - but this is extreme and if the government gets nothing, it really has to make them look incredibly weak and a puppet to the US.

I am glad that they are saying that the main reason is the relationship between the two companies.

It sure seems that they are willing to use his credibility. Not to mention the Senate is in session. It does seem kind of telling that they have never been able to send the Secretary of State into any controversy.

[Inuca]

14. I just saw this and came here

to see if it was already posted (of course it was :-)). My first thoughts upon reading were also "how interesting, especially with the Senate in session". Hope he will be back soon and successful in whatever he is trying to achieve.

[karynnj]

15. Here is the most recent article

It seems that the Pakistani government will soften its position on immunity and that Kerry will bring a statement of regret. http://www.newsday.com/news/world/pakistan-softens-on-issue-of-american-s-immunity-1.2687031

The timing on Kerry's visit is interesting. He had two nice constituent events yesterday. Hillary Clinton was in India yesterday. That she was not sent likely confirms what could have been seen from the press each had on their trips to Pakistan. As Hollbrooke has yet to be replaced, it might be that the administration did not see anyone else with the relationships and skill to bring this about. (Marc Grossman will be nominated - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/14/AR2011021406411.html - Wisner was actually one of those on the short list - though I suspect that was pre last week!)

Hillary's trip to Pakistan was not completely postive. She followed Kerry, who went after Kerry/Lugar/Berman was passed. It seemed like Kerry's purpose was to calm down the anger - which Wikileaks shows was generated by Army Chief Gen Kayani. Hillary went with the ability to announce 10 major infrastructure projects, but ended up calling out the Pakistanis in a town hall.

[Inuca]

17. She was in India yesterday?

I had no idea. Intersting squared.

Here is some more from NBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41594034/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/, including a short description if Aafia Siddiqui's case (never heard of her until this morning...)

[karynnj]

21. I was wrong -

Here is another Kerry article - he is on a two day day visit. http://www.pakistantimes.net/pt/detail.php?newsId=19043

[Mass]

18. Are you sure she was in India?

According to this, she is meeting the Indian Foreign minister in DC.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=india8217s-foreign-secretary-to-meet-with-clinton-2011-02-15

[karynnj]

20. My mistake - I misread an article and thought she was there

[karynnj]

16. Kerry in Lahore - regrets incident and says that if freed, Davis will be tried in the US

(though it seems hard to figure how all the witnesses etc give their input, this is apparently the norm in cases where a person has diplomatic immunity.)

U.S. Sen. John Kerry says Pakistan and the United States need to focus on their "many mutual interests" rather than letting the dispute over a jailed U.S. embassy worker derail relations.

American Raymond Davis has been detained since Jan. 27, when he fatally shot two Pakistani men who he says were trying to rob him. A chorus of American officials have called for his release on the grounds of diplomatic immunity, including President Barack Obama.

Kerry reiterated the U.S. stance Tuesday. He also said he regretted the deaths of the two Pakistani men and pledged Davis will be tried in an American court. Kerry spoke in the eastern city of Lahore while on a last-minute trip arranged amid tense relations between Washington and Islamabad over the Davis case.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7428268.html

Interesting that there is international coverage - here's one from Thailand.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/221797/kerry-seeks-release-of-us-gunman-in-pakistan

[karynnj]

19. Slightly updated article

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7428355.html