Trump's aid cut is justified but is unlikely to change Pak's bad behaviour

Previous presidents have punished Pakistan for its support of the Taliban, yet nothing changed

Over the holiday weekend, the Trump administration cancelled more than $300 million in aid to Pakistan as punishment for its continued unwillingness to take decisive action against the Taliban and other extremist groups. That decision is eminently justified and reasonable in light of Pakistan’s long record of double-dealing. Yet it has little chance of actually altering the Pakistanis’ bad behavior.

The break has been a long time coming. Almost since the start of the U.S. war in Afghanistan after 9/11, American officials have been frustrated with Pakistan’s tendency to demand high levels of U.S. funding and support while simultaneously sheltering,