John Kerry belongs to the Democratic Party. He graduated in law from the Boston College and is married twice. He first married in 1970 and has two children. In 1988, he gave divorce to his first wife and married the wife of Senator John Haynes, who was killed in an aircraft accident, after mutual agreement. He is one of the leading members of the Democratic Party, and was first elected as a senator from Massachusetts in 1984. He is popular in the party for his beliefs and thinking about the world peace, particularly regarding the solution of South Asian and Middle Eastern conflicts. He was the Democratic Party candidate for 2004 presidential elections, but was defeated by Bush Jr. He played an instrumental role in getting Barack Obama to the presidency. The faith the US Administration, Senate, and Congress have in Kerry can be gauged by the way, in which the recent Kerry-Lugar Bill was unanimously passed in the legislative houses.
The other name with John Kerry is that of Richard Lugar who is also a senator. He graduated in economics and philosophy from the Oxford University in 1954. He served the US Army between 1957 and 1960. He was first elected as a senator in 1976 and he belongs to the Republican Party. He is still a senator and was elected in 2007 from Indiana. He is also going to contest the senate elections in 2012. If John Kerry is a central figure in the Democratic Party, Richard Lugar also enjoys the same status in his party. He is also member of numerous senate committees that include the foreign policy, African affairs, and subcommittees for West Asia, Pacific, Energy, Science and Technology, European Affairs, International Assistance, and Human Rights. He has worked in close association with Senator Kerry in drafting the bill.
Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act 2009
The real name of the Kerry-Lugar Bill is "Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act 2009". The founder of this bill is another senator Joe Biden, who is currently the US vice president. He was closely assisted by Hillary Clinton, who is now the secretary of state. Prior to becoming the president, Obama in the capacity of a senator also played a role in drafting the bill. Initially this was called the Kerry-Biden Bill as Joe Biden had presented this bill in the Senate on 15 July 2008. According to the US law, this initially came under discussion in the Foreign Policy committee. The committee was headed by Joe Biden. After discussion and deliberation, the bill was approved on 29 July 2008. After the approval, the new presidential elections campaign began in the United States. According to the US law, if a bill is not presented for discussion and voting in a congressional term, that bill is barred, the Kerry-Biden Bill also met with the same fate.
After the presidential elections, Obama became President, Biden became the vice president, and Hillary Clinton became the secretary of state. The Kerry-Biden Bill took the shape of a Kerry-Lugar Bill, which then had to be passed again through the Congress constitutional process. The debate began on 6 January and as usual it passed through foreign policy committee to the Congress to the Senate and then to the US President and the Pakistani people. Then, the debate on the language and text of the Kerry-Lugar took such a shape in Pakistan that the government, which was initially terming it a big success were forced to go in the defensive and were coaxed to present the bill in parliament.
Agreements and Financial Assistance Packages
If one goes through the history of the last six decades of agreements and financial assistance packages between the United States and Pakistan, one can easily say that one of these have been without any conditions attached to it. The fire of the US presidential debates has always been directed toward Pakistan. From the South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO ) and the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) to the current Kerry-Lugar Bill, the Pakistani rulers have openly selling the independence and sovereignty of our country. The ruling class in Pakistan has always been fearful of popular groups as to them stability of the country is not dear and they prefer the stability of a particular class. In addition to the national wealth and resources, foreign assistance also goes to the coffers of the rulers, politicians, and corrupt government officials. The rulers have always flown with the tide, destroyed institutions, and have made personal decisions at the expense of the dignity and respect of the country. The parliament, senate, and other institutions exist, but everyone is aware where the decisions are being made.
Prior to the Kerry-Lugar Bill, whether it was General Ayub Khan, Gen Ziaul Haque or Gen Pervez Musharraf or the different democratic governments the United States has always been their source of help and guidance. During the Cold War era, the financial assistance received from the West and its leader the United States in the form of Pressler Amendment or other forms was not for the development of Pakistan instead it was given so that Pakistan could prevent access to the hot waters to the Soviet Union. Because of the close proximity of Pakistan to China and Russia, the geographical location kept Pakistan in the eyes of the United States. Previous military and economic assistance also had conditions attached to it such as restricting military arms usage against India or to stop the continuation of the nuclear program. Although until the US interest remained in the Soviet Union, the financial assistance certificates were being given to Pakistan. Hence, Pakistan continued with its nuclear program. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan achieved its nuclear objectives, which were practically displayed in the atomic tests 10 years later.
It is the habit of the United States that it carries numerous projects simultaneously. After the failure of the first, it starts the second project and, then the third, but it does not forget its objective. The objective to remove Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan from the scene was made during the first tenure of Benazir Bhutto. Although it failed then, it was continued by following democratic governments. This was finally achieved during the General Musharraf era when all blame of nuclear proliferation was thrown on him. The United States has always supported dictatorship as it is easier to achieve its objectives by dealing through an individual. Whenever patriotic spirit is aroused in a dictator he is removed from the scene. The example of General Ziaul Haque and General Ayub Khan is before us. Whenever democratic governments come after dictatorial rule, the United States starts projecting individuals. During the rule of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, when there is an opposition-government dispute or election of president or chief of Army staff, such confusions were raised through their agents in people who had the right to decide that they invariably made the wrong choice. As whoever they preferred instead of someone else, they were then responsible for dethroning them. General Zia removed Bhutto, while General Musharraf did the same with Nawaz Sharif.
War Against Terror
The United States has always been a similar feature in democratic or dictatorial governments. The present democratic tenure is also continuity in this trend. In the case of the Kerry-Lugar Bill, we could neither see the parliament, the political powers and the individual made all the decisions. In its conditions some is the language of the United States, while other language in the text is ours. The US target is the same nuclear facilities, which it tried to freeze during the Benazir government and later military eras.
Initially it used to keep its objectives hidden, but now it has openly stated it. After engaging the Pakistan Army in the war against terror and by giving the civilian government nonmilitary aid in the form of the Kerry-Lugar Bill, the United States wants to make sure that the Pakistan Army cannot use the military aid given to them in other resources. So, the Army becomes weak and they can move towards achieving their nuclear facilities objective. After the "9/11" incident, every day for the Pakistani people in this war against terrorism has become similar to "9/11". The US benefits are dear to Kerry and Lugar, why not?
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