Clinton Announces $100 Million in U.S. Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan

The U.S. plans to provide $100 million of  humanitarian aid to Pakistan as part of the Obama administration's new strategy for countering the appeal of Taliban militants in the nuclear-armed American ally, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Tuesday.

At a news conference at the White House, Clinton said the Obama administration is determined to help approximately 2 million Pakistani refugees who have fled fighting in the country's Swat Valley and are living in squalid tent cities.

"I'm confident that Pakistan's institutions and citizens will succeed in confronting this humanitarian challenge if the the international community steps up and provides the support that is needed," she said.

Pakistan's army is engaged in major combat in Swat, in response to attempts by armed Islamic militants to solidify their hold on the region. Pakistan reluctantly undertook the offensive under pressure from the United States after Taliban fighters had taken positions within 60 miles of the capital, Islamabad. The military says more than 1,000 insurgents have been killed in the fighting, which has forced nearly 1.5 million people to flee from the area.

Obama has spoken of the need to improve the lives of people in both Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of the administration's new plan for linking the U.S. fight against the resurgent Taliban in the two countries.

The Taliban has provided sanctuary to Usama bin Laden and his top Al Qaeda leadership along the lawless and mountainous border shared by Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Providing this assistance is not only the right thing to do but we believe it's essential to global security and the security of the United States," Clinton said. "And we are prepared to do more as the situation demands."

Of the $100 million in aid pledged to Pakistan:

• $20 million will provide family relief kits, tents, FM radios and generators that will provide light and water
• $26 million will purchase wheat, other food and related items from local sources
• $17 million for 50,000 tons of wheat arriving this month and next month
• $10 million to respond to forthcoming emergency appeals by the United Nations
• $15 million for shipments of food items such as lentils, dried peas, and other basic foodstuffs
• $12 million for an emergency response center for direct humanitarian needs.

In addition to the $100 million from the State Department, the Defense Department has pledged $10 million for used water trucks, halal food and large tents with environmental units, such as air conditioning, for hot weather.