WASHINGTON (CNN) – The United States is sending $100 million in aid to Pakistan to help alleviate the plight of an estimated 2 million people displaced by recent fighting against Taliban extremists, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Tuesday.
The money comes on top of $60 million in assistance already provided by the United States to Pakistan since last August.
The assistance is "essential to the global security and security of the United States," Clinton said in a White House briefing. Much of the aid will be directed toward the purchase of Pakistani grain as part of a larger "investment in the people and economy in Pakistan."
The Pakistani government is helping to lead the fight against extremists threatening "our collective security" and therefore deserves to be supported, she argued.
Clinton called on individual Americans to support the relief effort in the form of $5 donations by texting the word "SWAT" to the number 20222.
Much of the recent fighting has been centered in and around Pakistan's Swat Valley.
The aid could begin arriving in Pakistan this week if Islamabad grants permission for the C-17 flights, U.S. defense officials said earlier Tuesday.
The aircraft will carry food, water, water trucks and air-conditioned tents, the officials said.
Planning has been under way for several days, but Pakistani officials are sensitive to U.S. military presence in their country, the officials added.
Pakistan's military has waged a massive operation against Taliban militants in the country's northwest region. Pakistanis are fleeing the ongoing fighting in "the biggest and fastest exodus that we have seen in recent years," United Nations refugee agency spokesman Ron Redmond said.
Nearly 1.5 million Pakistanis have registered as displaced since May 2 - a rate of about 85,000 people fleeing a day - Redmond said. The total number is equivalent to the population of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
-CNN's Barbara Starr contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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It took CIA and ISI ten years and billions of dollars to raise an army of mujahedeen against Soviet Union in Afghanistan in 1980s. I think it would take more in eliminating the scourge that was created at that time. Pakistan is in a very weak position and it needs help from the world to fight those brutal taliban animals. This is is the best chance to eliminate Taliban once and for all. Otherwise , there is no safer heaven for the terrorists than those rugged tribal areas. 100 million dollars is a long term investement in US security. I think its not a big price to pay compared to paying billions to Wall Street and irresponsible banks.
Dumb move on our part. How many homes could we have bought or built for those who are homeless or evicted because of foreclosures. The FAA always says to put your mask on first and then help others. Why not use this same principal to guide foreign policy.
President Obama and Cabinet Members, The American people need help in all areas of our life, especially JOBS, Medical, Housing, Food, & Education. As fast as these countries ask for financially help when will the American people who have lost their jobs return to work to support their families, pay their bills, etc. ?
Dimwitted right wingers in the house!
Once again, you missed it. The previous administration got us all distracted in Iraq and now we have to pay the price for that. If Pakistan is not defended, it will fall and the threat of nuclear weapons being on the loose should scare all of you.
When will you get it? Obama has to clean up the mess because that is what the adults do.
Way to go Hillary! Texting donations to Pakistan relief fund!
What's a $100 million to our Celeb-in-Chief? He'll just tax the wealthy some more. You know, everyone except Congress (who don't pay taxes), and Wall St Bigshots (who are given our taxes), and bankers, and car companies, and Insurance Companies, and arrow manufacturers, and.... and..... and.....
You know thats really nice. But when are they going to help the middle class here in America.
please, what about the displaced AMERICANS? Can we see a few bucks?
Wow, 2 dollars per person. That sounds like the US working man's tax rebate. Thaks a lot, LOLOLOL!
Money that we don't have.
So, who do you give this money to? You sure it's gonna make it to the "displaced" refugees? I'm just saying...
Pay now or pay later. Remember Charlie Wilson
Wow she is as good spending money as Sec of State as she was as a Senator....................must have put that $100MM on the govt credit card..............priceless.
Well, why not send the taxpayers money over there. After all we sure don't need it......................NOT!
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"A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which dept he proposes to pay off with your money."
------G. Gordon Liddy--------
Obama... Why dude?
And BiLLary Clinton makes me want to "THROW UP!!"
Can we please send 100 million to displaced Katrina survivors
Oh, I'd say something here, but you are all more into bashing other people than actually looking at the problem, so it wouldn't do any good.
Have a nice day!
Why don't we let Pakistanis handle their own crisis. They seem to have billions of dollars (also donated by us) for new nuclear reactors that aren't even pretended to be used for peaceful purposes. They could easily have used that money for their own people instead. I'm tired of paying my taxdollars backing up corrupt, militaristic regimes!
Wonder whos pocket, thats coming out of? Let me guess the middle class taxpayers.
Why are we sending more of US taxpayer $$$ (borrowed from China) to a proven terrorist state where everyone knows the 'aid' is going to end up in the bank accounts of the Pak elites (notorious army and corrupt govt). Can't we use these funds at home to help fellow Americans or pay it back to the Chinese to lessen our debt?
How about giving us here in Phoenix some money to shore up our border and keep these cartel people from raking havoc on this city. Killings, raping, carjackings, molestations, home invasions all from Illegals too. Money to help our border countries before its too late. Why doesn't Obama tend to this country first, then help others. Huh!
IF we want to WIN over the terrorists and Al-Quaeda, the ONLY solution that will apply to PAKISTAN is WAR!!
I hate it BUT that is the realistic and pragmatic approach .. we have DRAINED BILLIONS of hard earned money there now and maybe the real way to be waged was here and never in Iraq but that a wrong choice made by "us" (through Bush) should not be an excuse to do the right thing!!!
Obama – get smarter and stop wasting our money in Pakistan
@Jimmy the Greek
When you re-elected Bush, the Talibans work was done.
Why give them our money to buy Pakistani grain? Shouldn't we give U.S. Farmers the money and send U.S. grain to Pakistan?
I just want to hope that the money was given directly to needy people rather than to the corrupt PAK officials that will not hesitate to do anything to robb people's money.