Under Secretary Burns – thank you for coming before this committee today to discuss Pakistan.  As we were reminded in the recently declassified National Intelligence Estimate, Pakistan is vital to our fight against Al Qaeda. 

In the few minutes I have, I would like to express my concerns about the ability of Al Qaeda to continue to thrive in Pakistan.  It has been almost 6 years since Al Qaeda attacked the United States, and I am deeply disturbed that the National Intelligence Estimate indicates that Al Qaeda has strengthened its capabilities.  Mr. Burns, as you know, Pakistan has received $3.4 billion in direct U.S. assistance between fiscal years 2002 and 2006, which includes nearly $1.5 billion in security-related aid.  Pakistan also has received nearly $5 billion in reimbursements for its support of U.S.-led counterterrorism operations since 2001 – and yet Al Qaeda has reconstituted its strength in the protected safe havens of Pakistan’s border region.  I can only ask what so many Americans are asking – why have we failed to reduce the Al Qaeda threat?  What are we doing wrong?  And what are we doing to fix it?

The latest NIE only reinforces my – and many of my colleagues’ – belief that this Administration has failed to focus on the true threats to our national security, and in particular the threat posed by al Qaeda.  If Pakistan is our ally in this fight, why have we not yet gotten at the root of this problem which so directly impacts our national security?

I understand the porous borders and weak governing structure of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a challenge to the government of Pakistan and to counterterrorism operations in general.  But, I would hope that six years and billions of dollars invested would have led to greater improvement in regional security and stability and, at the very least, a significant decrease in Al Qeada’s capacity.

Adding to my concerns about a strengthened al Qaeda is the fragile political state in which we find Pakistan right now.  As part of our efforts to combat extremism and terrorism, we should be stressing, not sacrificing, our support for strong democratic principles and I am concerned that we may have abandoned that effort long ago in Pakistan.  Promoting democracy overseas helps, not hinders, efforts to promote greater security.  While al Qaeda has strengthened in its safe haven, we have watched political and religious upheaval grow across Pakistan.  We need to support the tenets of democracy and rule of law in Pakistan just as much as we support security and counter-terrorism initiatives. If we are to truly protect our own national interests, we must commit ourselves to eliminating corruption, poor governance, endemic poverty, and the historic marginalization that has allowed terrorist and other threats to fester. 

Thank you again for your testimony today, Under Secretary Burns.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts and insight on how we can best work with Pakistan to effectively address al Qaeda while encouraging efforts to make it a fully functioning democracy.