US budget cut to hurt efforts to defeat extremists in Af-Pak: Kerry

WASHINGTON - US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, John Kerry, has said that a four billion dollar cut in the US international affairs budget will have a negative impact on the country’s efforts to defeat extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Kerry also warned that the cut, which has been passed by the Senate Budget Committee for fiscal year 2011, would jeopardise key foreign policy and national security priorities.

“Our objectives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq and the civilian component of our national security strategy depend on a strong budget and these cuts are an enormous mistake,” the Dawn quoted Kerry, as saying.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has written to Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad to point out that the fund was needed to support the activities in the South Asian countries.

“Full funding in FY11 will allow us to continue making tangible progress in securing the hard-fought gains achieved in Iraq, and to continue supporting and deploying hundreds of civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan to help stabilise dangerous but improving situations,” Clinton wrote.

The House appropriations committee is expected to mark up its appropriations bill in May and could restore funds. (ANI)