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The U.S. Department of Defense is attempting to sell eight F-16s to Pakistan in a deal disputed by U.S. lawmakers as well as India:
On Friday evening, the United States decided to push ahead with the sale and delivery of eight U.S.-made F-16 Block-52 fighters to Pakistan in a deal valued at $699 million. The U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified U.S. lawmakers about the deal. The DSCA's approval comes days after Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed concern to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that the Obama administration should withhold such a deal due to concerns that Pakistan was insufficiently targeting militant groups hostile to the United States, specifically the Haqqani Network*. U.S. legislators have a 30 day period to review and potentially block the sale. Corker's hold on the funding could end the deal unless Pakistan manages to find an alternate way to finance the purchase.
"We support the proposed sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan, which we view as the right platform to in support of Pakistan's counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations," a DSCA official told Defense News . In addition to eight F-16 Block 52 fighters, the deal will include increased performance engines, advanced radars, electronic warfare equipment, and spare and repair parts. In its official notice, the DSCA noted that the "proposed sale contributes to U.S. foreign policy objectives and national security goals by helping to improve the security of a strategic partner in South Asia." Between 2002 and 2014, the United States sold $5.4 billion in defense equipment to Pakistan.
[...] Progress on this deal has thrust the U.S.-Pakistan relationship back into the limelight, highlighting concerns of Pakistan's complicated status as a U.S. ally. Additionally, the deal has drawn concern and criticism from the Indian government, which is increasingly partnering with the United States itself on defense cooperation. [...] New Delhi's concern is that the F-16 aircraft will be diverted away from counter-terrorism purposes and toward striking India in any future skirmish between the two countries. The DSCA, in its notification to Congress, assess that "The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region."
*The Haqqani network were the militants holding Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl captive. The group has close ties to Pakistan's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI).
(Score: 5, Insightful) by frojack on Tuesday February 16 2016, @02:37AM
Personally, I think we should be selling to India rather than Pakistan.
We've been played for fools by Pakistan, and as soon as we crashed a helicopter taking out Bin Laden they spirited the parts off to China.
They certainly don't need Block 52 aircraft with improved performance engines, advanced radars, electronic warfare equipment to defend themselves against war lords hiding in the hills.
Afghanistan is a land locked country, and that is ALL you need to know when asking why we are selling advanced jets to Pakistan.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @02:49AM
the better option is to sell to neither, but if one really has to choose between either of them I'd still say PK is more acceptable, the majority of Indians are filthy bastards who shit in the streets.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 16 2016, @02:49AM
That's an angle I hadn't thought of - how likely is it that China will end up with at least one of those aircraft? For the right price, the Pakistanis will stage a crash right on the border, so that the benevolent Chinese can "rescue" the heroic Pakistani crew. But, most likely, China probably already has everything they could want from those aircraft. They wander through our "secure" networks freely, it seems.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @03:53AM
Cheap smartphones, toys and next warplanes ;).
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @08:04AM
They are going to need those F16s in a few years, when the US figures out that Osama bin you-know-who was not the only terrorist in Pakistan.
They just hope that war can wait until every F16 and A10 has been replaced with F35s. By then, 8 F16s are going to be a huge advantage.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday February 16 2016, @11:59AM
It's well known and well tolerated. Just don't talk about Afghanistan/Pakistan!
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @09:02AM
Selling to both would avoid the appearance of favoritism. Another thing to consider is that it would be more profitable.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Tuesday February 16 2016, @02:55PM
Afghanistan is a land locked country, and that is ALL you need to know when asking why we are selling advanced jets to Pakistan.
Um...no. Apparently you need to connect the dots for this slow puppy.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday February 16 2016, @10:55PM
Um...no. Apparently you need to connect the dots for this slow puppy.
Guess what country (map) [google.com] you need overflight permission to fly to Afghanistan.
Guess what their demands might be to look the other way and not shoot down our military planes flying into or out of Afghanistan.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.