U.S. cuts training for Pak. military

U.S. cuts training for Pak. military

News:

1. US has cut Pakistani officers from coveted International Military Education and Training programme (IMET)

Important facts

2. Coveted training and educational programmes that have been a hallmark of bilateral military relations for more than a decade

3. Pakistan has also been removed from programmes at the U.S. Naval War College, Naval Staff College and courses including cyber security studies.

4. Earlier this year US suspended security assistance to Pakistan to compel it to crack down on Islamic militants.

5. The Pentagon and the Pakistani military did not comment directly on the decision, but officials from both countries privately criticised the move

6. U.S. officialssaid they were worried the decision could undermine a key trust-building measure.

7. Pakistani officials warned it could push their military to further look to China or Russia for leadership training.

8. The U.S. military has traditionally sought to shield such educational programmes from political tensions, arguing that the ties built by bringing foreign military officers to the U.S pay long-term dividends.

9. For example, the U.S. Army’s War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, which would normally have two Pakistani military officers per year, boasts graduates including Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar, the current director-general of Pakistan’ powerful spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI)