Obama signs $618 billion defence bill; boosts security co-op with India
US President Barack Obama has signed into law the $618 billion defence budget
for 2017, which enhances security cooperation with India and conditions nearly
half of the funding to Pakistan on a certification that it is taking demonstrable
steps against the Haqqani Network.
Currently vacationing in Hawaii, Obama on Friday signed the National Defence
Authorisation Act (NDAA) 2017, which asks Defence Secretary and Secretary
of State to take steps necessary to recognise India as America's "major defence partner".
A summary of the bill released by Chairman of the Senate Armed Services
Committee Senator John McCain said NDAA-2017 "enhances security cooperation"
between the US and India.
It also asks the administration to designate an individual within the executive
branch who has experience in defence acquisition and technology to reinforce
and ensure, through inter-agency policy coordination, the success of the Framework
for the US-India Defence Relationship; and to help resolve remaining issues
impeding US-India defence trade, security cooperation, and co-production and
co-development opportunities.
The NDAA, which among other things creates a $1.2 billion Counter-ISIL Fund,
imposes four conditions on Pakistan to be eligible for $400 million of the $900
million of the coalition support fund (CSF).
The US Defence Secretary needs to certify to the Congress that Pakistan continues
to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the
safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan and that
Islamabad has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani
Network from using any of its territory as a safe haven.
Early this year, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter refused to give a similar
certification to Pakistan due to which it was not given $300 million under
coalition support fund.
In his signing statement, Obama did not mention to any of these provisions
of the bill, but he did express disappointment over certain other provisions in
NDAA-2017.
He said, "I remain deeply concerned about the Congress's use of the
National Defence Authorisation Act to impose extensive organisational
changes on the Department of Defence, disregarding the advice of the
Department's senior civilian and uniformed leaders.
"The extensive changes in the bill are rushed, the consequences poorly understood,
and they come at a particularly inappropriate time as we undertake a transition
between administrations. These changes not only impose additional administrative
burdens on the Department of Defence and make it less agile, but they also create
additional bureaucracies and operational restrictions that generate inefficiencies
at a time when we need to be more efficient."
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