With President Bush preparing to visit Pakistan, the US troops, who have provided humanitarian aid in the aftermath of the October 2005 earthquake are planning to depart the country by March 31. But, US officials promise they would continue assisting Pakistan for years to come, says Vince Crawley, staff writer of Washington File.
"Even though the US military presence will be ending, the US support will never cease and will never dwindle," Rear Admiral Michael LeFever told Pakistani reporters in early February.
LeFever has commanded the Disaster Assistance Center that has helped co-ordinate international emergency assistance after the October 8, earthquake, which killed more than 73,000 people.
President Bush is on his first visit to India and Pakistan nowadays.
In addition to meeting with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Bush is scheduled to participate in a meeting on US earthquake relief and reconstruction efforts, National Security Adviser Steve Hadley told White House reporters. At the request of Pakistan government, US troops rushed to the disaster zone within 48 hours of the earthquake, which injured tens of thousands and left up to three million people homeless.
At the peak of the emergency effort, 1,200 American troops and 25 American helicopters joined thousands of international assistance personnel. The United States delivered 13,500 tonnes of humanitarian aid, evacuated 18,600 earthquake survivors and treated nearly 35,000 medical patients.
However, the report adds, presence of US and Nato personnel, as well as other foreign militaries, raised concerns among some political and religious groups in Pakistan. International troops have agreed to depart as quickly as feasible as emergency efforts evolved into long-term reconstruction missions. Nato announced its formal departure February 1, and the US military has announced a March 31 departure date.
The United States has pledged $510 million to support long-term relief and reconstruction, and the US military is transferring $6 million worth of medical equipment and construction vehicles to the Pakistan government.
On February 16, the US military transferred its historic 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) to the Pakistan Army.
The US Navy's Mobile Construction Battalion, known as Seabees, transferred three bulldozers, 10 heavy dump trucks and seven 100-kilowatt power generators to Pakistan.
The last US military assets to depart in late March will be 12 CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopters that have flown more than 4,000 relief missions, many to remote mountain sites inaccessible by road. The US military is leaving behind two rapid aviation refuelling systems that will allow Pakistani helicopters to conduct longer-range relief missions over the country's forbidding high-altitude terrain.
By March 31, the government of Pakistan, supported by the United Nations and non-governmental organisations, is expected to be capable of continuing ongoing relief efforts. In addition to relief efforts, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has a five-year, $1.5 billion commitment to Pakistan to support education, health, economic growth and governance programmes throughout the country.
"The United States is committed to working with the government of Pakistan and its people to help them build back better," Lisa Chiles, USAID's mission director in Pakistan, told reporters during a February 4 news conference at Chaklala Air Base. US corporations also have pledged $108.9 million in cash and in-kind donations to help Pakistan recover from the earthquake, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on February 26.