Posted on 01/06/2012 11:00:59 PM PST by MBT ARJUN
WASHINGTON: Despite all the hissing and spitting from both sides in course of a deteriorating bilateral relationship, the Obama administration has clarified that the United States is continuing to supply new F-16s to Pakistan and upgrading the existing fleet.
"Some media have reported a stoppage in the US-Pakistan F-16 program. These reports are not accurate. Neither Pakistan nor the United States has cancelled the F-16 program," a US official said on Thursday, contesting some of the virulent anti-US grievances published in the Pakistani press.
The official maintained that planned delivery of the last "new-buy" F-16 purchased by Pakistan is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan from the United States in late January, 2012. Several other F-16s purchased by Pakistan from the United States are undergoing mid-life upgrades and will arrive in Pakistan beginning in late January, he said, adding that deliveries will continue throughout this year and next.
The American assurance, mainly at the political level, came despite growing antipathy in the US military towards Pakistan for its alleged perfidy in the war on terrorism. The situation has been aggravated by the U.S hunting down and killing Osama bin Laden outside a Pakistani military cantonment in Abbottabad (which Pakistan perceived as a hostile act) and the recent border incident in which Nato troops killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, following which the Pakistani military has threatened to shoot down any US intrusion -- mainly with US supplied hardware.
This possibility -- of American military aid being used against US troops -- moved a decorated U.S marine to file a lawsuit, but the Obama administration appears unfazed by the prospect. As it is, there is a strong anti-American narrative in Pakistan where it concerns F16s (which Pakistanis see as a symbol of their military virility) because of the past history of Washington withholding supplies as part of nuclear-related sanctions. Evidently, Washington does not want to aggravate the mood just now.
This narrative of false grievance persists, with official Pakistani encouragement, despite experts pointing out that Islamabad knew full well it would be sanctioned if it crossed the nuclear threshold. The Clinton administration later reimbursed Pakistan for the stalled f-16, before its successor Bush regime agreed to resume supplies and also compensated with billions of dollars in military aid after 9/11. Arguments by US analysts and protests by New Delhi that the F-16 was not useful in the fight against terrorism and was mainly a weapon against India (besides the potential of biting the US itself) has not impressed Washington mandarins constantly striving to appease Pakistan.
Best comment by some Indian Guy:
Vishwa (UK)
05 Jan, 2012 11:08 PM
What is America’s game? Can someone explain please?. For 64 years they armed Pakistan to keep India in tenterhooks thinking India will go communist. US diplomacy is so banal (all they have is powerful weaponry but short on subtlety unlike the English). Even their secret service is no match to English cunning!!! They arm Pakistan, next minute they say ‘India is our new friend’. Not really my yankee friend, you want to use India as a lever against the rising Asian giant China. I don’t think India will be as foolish as Pakistan was in allowing you to use Pakistani soil to mount your aerial subversion against USSR(as it then was) and China. India WILL NOT BE USED BY US for the latter’s selfish needs. US only wants things for herself at any cost, doesn’t matter who suffers as long as US benefits.
Actually this problem has a simple solution. We are tankering in fuel at mucho bucks per gallon because the Pakis got ticked when we shot back at their troops. We simply set the price of F-16 parts in terms of gas and food, and the only place you can get the parts is at the Kandahar Airport. An APG-66 block 15 radar will only cost you 1.5 million gallons of jet fuel, delivered.
Whatevuh. I agree with his position but, he should be reminded we gave them the bomb to blunt China.
Urdu’s have been given plenty by us and their military position is directly owing to our foresight. otherwise their territory would have been encroched upon years ago.
Don’t want you bitingthe hand that has fed you for years. lest a good many of yer peeps would have been speaking mandarin years ago.
The Falcon is a great plane. The decision to sell it to an unofficially declared but in truth real enemy, is asinine at best. However, dangerous as a squadron of them is, that same squadron is old tech and has another name for F22s
“Prey”
Check up the Red Flag results on what a single 22 can do to them ;) Not that it makes the sale any smarter.
A simple solution is a decisive dismembering of Pakistan (deep ethnic fractures already exist) into Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh.
Balochistan has both land access to Afghanistan AND Iran, and to the ocean for supplies replenishment. Balochistan is friendly to India, and as a consequence, amenable to providing land access for the Afghan campaign. It will also be a route for accessing Central Asian resources, not to mention keeping China in check.
India achieved such a goal when Pakistan was cut in half into what is now present-day Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The fractures running about Balochistan is far deeper than what existed between Bangladesh and erstwhile Pakistan.
Seize the moment.
...continuing to supply new F-16s to Pakistan and upgrading the existing fleet... a US official said on Thursday, contesting some of the virulent anti-US grievances published in the Pakistani press.
One reason why India relies on more than one source for weaponry - Russia, Israel, Western Europe and (now) the US. A good example can be seen from the MMRCA downselect (both planes are European). The relationship of India and the US will be quite different from that of Pakistan and the US.
Because Poki-stun is our frieeeeeend.
Great thought, only problem is that money is fungible. Pakistan gets billions in US aid dollars. They are paying for the F-16’s with US taxpayer money, no matter how you slice it.
Obama is what happened to it!
The Current FReepathon Pays For The Current Quarters Expenses?
Indian also was on russias side in the cold war, and you still have an asston of muslims and commies in your country.
The next Iran should get NOTHING.
The reality is that we have a butt load of F-16 parts, but we really need our supplies in Afghanistan. I wouldn’t give Pakistan anything else until they open the supply routes again.
We gave who the bomb? India? Nope. US did not give India any bomb.
Btw “Urdus” are from Pakistan. You are right about US feeding their military. The Russian have been helping out Indian military. India doesn't owe squat to US.
I can’t be “write” all the time....
Huh?
LOL
I wuz trying to be funny.
I can’t be right all the time and I ain’t funny today.
LOL
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