Hardening the line: cutting CSF

The Trump administration plans to slash $100 million and give $800 million as reimbursement to Pakistan in the next fiscal for its military support in fighting terror, a defence department official said. The administration has proposed the $100 million cut in its annual budget proposals under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF).

Pakistan has received more than $33 billion in U.S. assistance since 2002, including more than $14 billion in so-called Coalition Support Funds (CSF), a U.S. Defense Department program to reimburse allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-insurgency operations. Pakistani officials point towards the toll militancy has taken on the country. Since 2003, almost 22,000 civilians and nearly 7,000 Pakistani security forces have been killed as a result of militancy, according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, which tracks violence.

For 2016 fiscal year, Pakistan was authorised to receive up to $900 million under CSF. But also for the first time in 2016, then Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter had declined to certify that Pakistan met the requirement, resulting in the loss of $300 million fund to it.

Coalition Support Funds (CSF) refers to money from the Defense Emergency Response Fund (DERF) that is eligible to be used to reimburse coalition partners for logistical and military support to U.S. military operations. Initially created by the Defense Appropriations Act for FY 2002, the law permitted DERF money to be available for payments to Pakistan and Jordan for logistical and military support provided to U.S. military operations related to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

These payments were authorized to be made in amounts determined as appropriate by the Secretary of Defense with documentation deemed adequate by the Secretary. Prior to any allocation of funds, the Defense Department was required to notify Congress at least 15 days in advance.

At the onset of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, President Bush also requested these funds be used to reimburse allied nations for support of operations in Iraq, authority that Congress granted in the Supplemental Appropriations Act for FY 2003.

The FY2006 NDAA authorized reimbursements for any “key” coalition country offering support for the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq was eligible for CSF. These funds have been drawn from the Defense Operations and Management account.

Finally, the law required the Secretary of Defense to consult with the Director of OMB, and receive concurrence from the Secretary of State before providing funds to allies.

The FY2017 NDAA authorizes $1.1 billion to reimburse coalition partners for their contributions to U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Of the $900 million available for Pakistan, $400 million is contingent on Pakistan taking steps against the Haqqani network and Pakistan not using its military to persecute minority groups seeking political or religious freedom.