At this book event, Dr. Hussain Nadim, a former Wilson Center fellow, discussed his new study of aid, politics, and the war of narratives in U.S.-Pakistan relations. It uses as a case study the Kerry-Lugar Berman Act, a bill signed into law by President Obama in 2009 that tripled U.S. civilian assistance to Pakistan. 

Based on interviews and data analysis of U.S. foreign aid datasets, Nadim’s book argues that U.S. aid to Pakistan is deeply securitized and encourages power struggles between Washington and Islamabad, and also between civilian and military actors in Pakistan. Additionally, Nadim discussed the implications of his findings for U.S.-Pakistan relations, and possible ways forward for the relationship. Nadia Naviwala, a Wilson Center global fellow and former staffer on Capitol Hill and at USAID, provided commentary after Nadim’s opening remarks.