Should Pakistan’s Status as a Major Non-NATO Ally be Terminated? (H.R. 73)

What is H.R. 73?

(Updated February 4, 2019)

This bill would terminate the status of Pakistan as major non-NATO ally of the U.S. and prohibit the president from re-designating Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally unless they certify that Pakistan has satisfied certain criteria related to counterterrorism. Those include the Pakistani military conducting operations to significantly disrupt the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani Network in Pakistan, coordinating with the government of Afghanistan to prevent the network’s movement between the two countries, and the prosecution of Haqqani Network leaders and mid-level operatives.

Countries that are considered major non-NATO ally (MNNA) status are eligible for priority delivery of defense material, an expedited arms sale process, and a U.S. loan guarantee program which backs up loans issued by private banks to finance arms exports. Such countries are also allowed to stockpile U.S. military hardware, participate in defense research & development programs, and be sold more sophisticated weaponry.

Argument in favor

Pakistan allows terror groups like the Haqqani Network to operate within its borders and destabilize Afghanistan, it shouldn’t be considered a major U.S. ally unless it takes significant steps to disrupt and neutralize the Haqqani Network.

Argument opposed

Pakistan is a vital U.S. ally in the Middle East and ending their status as a major non-NATO defense partner would undermine their military’s ability to suppress terror groups like the Haqqani Network and secure its nuclear arsenal.

Impact

Pakistan; the U.S. and Pakistani militaries; the U.S. defense industry; and the president.

Cost of H.R. 73

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) reintroduced this bill from the 115th Congress to revoke Pakistan's status as a non-NATO major ally to the U.S., in order to punish Islamabad for supporting insurgents in Afghanistan.

In the 115th Congress, sponsoring Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) introduced this bill to hold Pakistan accountable for its failure to go after a terror group known as the Haqqani Network that has fought against the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan from its territory in northern Pakistan:

“Pakistan must be held accountable for the American blood on its hands. For years, Pakistan has acted as a Benedict Arnold ally of the United States. From harboring Osama bin laden to backing the Taliban, Pakistan has stubbornly refused to go after, in any meaningful way, terrorists that actively seek to harm opposing ideologies. We must make a clean break with Pakistan, but at the very least, we should stop providing them the eligibility to obtain our own sophisticated weaponry in an expedited process granting them a privileged status reserved for our closest allies.”

Last Congress, lead cosponsor Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN) added:

“Time and time again, Pakistan has taken advantage of America’s goodwill and demonstrated that they are no friend and ally of the United States. The fact is, the billions of dollars we have sent to Pakistan over the last 15 years has done nothing to effectively fight terrorism and make us safer. It is time to wake up to the fact that Pakistan has ties to the same terrorist organizations which they claim to be fighting.”

Statfor Worldview notes that revoking Pakistan's major ally status would hamper President Trump's efforts to enlist Pakistani help in pushing the Taliban to join negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

There are no cosponsors of this bill in the current Congress. Last Congress, this legislation had the support of 10 cosponsors in the House, including seven Republicans and three Democrats.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) Press Release
  
• Dawn.com
  
• Fox News (Previous Version)