<p>"The fact remains that Pakistani and US strategic interests diverge on certain issues -- especially those concerning Islamist terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, which the Pakistani ISI continues to view as a strategic asset vis-a-vis India," said Congressman Steve Chabot.<br /><br />Chabot, the Chairman of the Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, had convened a hearing on US foreign policy in South Asia.<br /><br />"Years of Pakistani mistrust of the US has resulted in a relationship in which cooperation on certain issues is often accompanied by obstruction on others," he said.</p>.<p>Chabot said despite improved cooperation with certain elements of the Pakistani government, the positive benefits of Kerry-Lugar-Berman have not yet spilled over into other arenas such as security in any meaningful way.<br /><br />Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill triples non-military US aid to Pakistan to USD 7.5 billion over the next five years</p>.<p>"How then does the administration plan to address these critical issues that continue to wrap our entire policy in the region? I would hope that as a strategic partner, Pakistan would not merely cooperate with us when it suits their immediate interests," Chabot asked.<br /><br />Another top democrat on the panel, Gary Ackerman, also doubted ISI's intentions and said, "The ISI is cooperating with us; the ISI is cooperating with them. The Afghan national security forces are always being trained and always melting away," he said.<br /><br />"I doubt the ISI will ever stop working with us during the day and going to see their not-so-secret friends in the Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e Mohammed and other terrorist groups at night," he added. </p>
<p>"The fact remains that Pakistani and US strategic interests diverge on certain issues -- especially those concerning Islamist terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, which the Pakistani ISI continues to view as a strategic asset vis-a-vis India," said Congressman Steve Chabot.<br /><br />Chabot, the Chairman of the Middle East and South Asia Subcommittee of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, had convened a hearing on US foreign policy in South Asia.<br /><br />"Years of Pakistani mistrust of the US has resulted in a relationship in which cooperation on certain issues is often accompanied by obstruction on others," he said.</p>.<p>Chabot said despite improved cooperation with certain elements of the Pakistani government, the positive benefits of Kerry-Lugar-Berman have not yet spilled over into other arenas such as security in any meaningful way.<br /><br />Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill triples non-military US aid to Pakistan to USD 7.5 billion over the next five years</p>.<p>"How then does the administration plan to address these critical issues that continue to wrap our entire policy in the region? I would hope that as a strategic partner, Pakistan would not merely cooperate with us when it suits their immediate interests," Chabot asked.<br /><br />Another top democrat on the panel, Gary Ackerman, also doubted ISI's intentions and said, "The ISI is cooperating with us; the ISI is cooperating with them. The Afghan national security forces are always being trained and always melting away," he said.<br /><br />"I doubt the ISI will ever stop working with us during the day and going to see their not-so-secret friends in the Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e Mohammed and other terrorist groups at night," he added. </p>