SHAHEEN QUESTIONS PANEL ON FUTURE OF RELATIONSHIP WITH PAKISTAN FOLLOWING BIN LADEN'S DEATH

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, expressed major concern during a full committee hearing today that the most wanted and identifiable terrorist in the world was found only 30 miles north of Pakistan’s capital.

Shaheen questioned the expert panel on how the Pakistani government  is reacting to Osama bin Laden’s death.

“Does bin Laden’s death in any way affects the strategic calculation of Pakistan’s military, with respect to where the real threats (are), or their internal threats?” Shaheen said. “Will they reevaluate that? Or will this have any impact on those internal threats?”

A video of the senator’s questions, and the expert panel’s response, can be viewed here.

Today’s hearing, titled, “Assessing U.S. Policy and Its Limits in Pakistan,” took testimony from a panel of experts: Dr. Samina Ahmed, South Asia Project Director, International Crisis Group; Mr. Moeed Yusuf, South Asia Adviser, Center for Conflict Management, U.S. Institute of Peace; and Mr. Michael Krepon, Co-Founder & Senior Associate, South Asia, Henry L. Stimson Center.

For more on today’s hearing, see the Senate Foreign Relations Committee website here.