US embassy official hints at minor changes in KLB: Obama's mid-term loss discussed

The results of US mid-term elections 2010 would possibly have implications on US administration's priorities for the region, including Pakistan. Deputy Political Counsellor, US Embassy in Islamabad, Theodore J. Craig, said this during a panel discussion on "US mid term elections: implications for the region", which was arranged by Institute of Strategic Studies here on Friday.
Craig hinted that the setback Democrats in mid-term election might put some pressure on Obama administration for effecting some minor changes in Kerry-Lugar Bill and other legislations for Pakistan and other countries in the region. He said the US administration had been facing tough fiscal constraints since President Barack Obama won the general election in 2008. The present fiscal deficit might affect Washington's foreign assistance priorities.
However, Craig said, both Republican and Democratic parties had shown consensus on government's policies towards Pakistan and Afghanistan. "Both parties agree that stability to be restored in Afghanistan, besides uplifting the lives of Pakistani people through social development," he said. The US Deputy political counsellor further said that ongoing or any new significant piece of legislation would get a tough time in its passage in the next two years.
"I am pretty sure that this mid-term election will not cast any shadow on the 2012 general election in the US," he said. Presenting his point of view on US mid-term election, former Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan said this election was a referendum on Obama's policies. Defeat in election was a reflection of frustration of voters towards deep economic recession, which Obama's administration failed to address, he said. According to him, one could also smell a racial under-tone in this election.
Riaz further commented that Asian region was not much important for US election. US citizens were more interested in their domestic issues such as employment and healthcare sectors than administration's aid programme for developing countries.
He further said that Obama's administration was looking for a political solution of Afghanistan as any extension in the period of stay of their troops would be an additional burden on the US economy. The US has learnt from the experiences of military aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan that militarization also had its limitations, he said.
Journalist Zahid Hussain urged that the results of mid-term election would have little impact on the US foreign policy. He said the President Obama still possessed the executive power. Chairman ISSI, Tanvir Ahmed Khan said the loss of Democrats might result in introducing some additional conditionalities in Kerry-Luger Bill and a possible cut in the recently approved $2 billion aid package for security. Another speaker, Salina Adam Khan, said under US legislations, Kerry-Lugar Bill required rectification from Congress every year.