JINSA Urges Swift Provision of Aid to Pakistan, Calls Security of Country`s Nuclear Arsenal and Support for Its Democracy Critical

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
Ensuring the continued security of Pakistan`s nuclear weapons program and
providing critical support for the country`s fledgling democracy requires the
swift provision of U.S. aid to Pakistan, the Jewish Institute for National
Security Affairs (JINSA) said today.

"America is at critical juncture. If the Taliban or allied groups are able to
further weaken the security situation inside Pakistan or, worst of all, if these
forces threaten the government`s control over its nuclear weapons program, the
entire region will be irreversibly destabilized. We must not turn our back on
Pakistan," said JINSA Executive Director Tom Neumann.

Neumann noted that India already watches the events unfolding in Pakistan`s Swat
Valley with a mix of apprehension and dread, and anything less than effective
action taken against the Taliban could cause India to increase its nuclear
posture. Such actions and their expected reactions could draw China into the
already volatile mix.

"At this moment, Pakistani forces are battling Taliban and Taliban-affiliated
forces in the Swat Valley some 85 miles northwest of Pakistan`s capital city,
Islamabad. The survival of democracy in Pakistan also hangs in the balance,"
Neumann said.

There are a number of Congressional initiatives pending which deserve widespread
support, Neumann noted.

"America must do better to support Pakistan," he said. "If we falter, they will
fall and then the problems facing us and our regional friends and allies would
increase exponentially."

For further information or to arrange an interview with Tom Neumann, JINSA
Executive Director, contact Jim Colbert at 202-667-3900.

The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs is an independent,
non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian educational organization established in
1976 to educate the public on national and international security issues,
including the importance of an effective U.S. defense capability and the key
role of strategic allies, including Israel, to promote democratic values in the
Middle East.

JINSA
Jim Colbert, 202-667-3900
jcolbert@jinsa.org

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