Despite losing Osama Bin Laden, harboring A.Q. Khan, and participating in illegal nuclear deals, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was told by the U.S. on Friday that they will reward him with a long-sought-after sale of F-16 fighter jets. In order to spice things up, the Bush administration simultaneously promised Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a chance to bid on similar U.S. fighters. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice explained that the sales would bring stability to the region:
“What we are trying to do is solidify and extend relations with both India and Pakistan, at a time when we have good relations with both of them — something most people didn’t think could be done — and at a time when they have improving relationships with one another,†(she said). [The Washington Post]
Unlobotomized members of both parties aren’t buying it:
Critics in Washington assailed the decision, saying the administration would effectively supply both sides in a new arms race in one of the world’s most dangerous hot spots, even as it rewards an authoritarian government in Islamabad in conflict with Bush’s stated commitment to promote democracy around the globe…Former senator Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), who sponsored the 1985 law that ultimately forced the cancellation of the original F-16 sale, called Friday’s decision “an atrocity†that goes against “everything the Bush administration has stood for.†[The Washington Post]
The administration trumpets the sale as an integral part of its revamped South Asia policy, which aims to provide both countries with better ways to annihilate each other. Economic policymakers also praised the move, saying it would offer a badly-needed boon to U.S. defense contractors, and that the resulting nuclear holocaust would effectively end corporate America’s dependence on outsourcing.
The Washington Post: Bush: U.S. to Sell F-16s to Pakistan (free registration required)
Update: “Left, Right and Center†contributor Robert Scheer decries Bush’s Pakistan folly:
The announcement Friday that the United States is authorizing the sale to Pakistan of F-16 fighter jets capable of delivering nuclear warheads — and thereby escalating the region’s nuclear arms race — is the latest example of how the most important issue on the planet is being bungled by the Bush administration. [Los Angeles Times]
Los Angeles Times: A con job by Pakistan’s pal, George Bush (free registration required)
Twenty something F-16s of an older generation are not going to do anything to India.
India knew about this, Pakistan knew, and and obviously the United States knew.
Stating only the facts… Pakistan gets the following: Financial assistance and F-16s.
India has been offered the following: 125 F-16s or manufacturing rights to the F-18. Also USA has offered to sell the Patriots, P-3 Orions, Hawkeye (which has already been rejected), and in exchange for giving up the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, modern civilian nuclear technology.
This uproar about the F-16s is quite an over reaction. Now, India has been offered the equipment, it is India’s decision to take it or not. Technology transfer is what India has been after the whole time. Strategically the US need Pakistan, economically India has the goodies to pay up. So, both have offers on the table.
The following link is the press conference/briefing regarding the USA’s South Asia policy.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/b/43853.htm
Considering India’s MIG are slowly dying and killing pilots in the process, it might be a good idea for India to get some new planes. One of my friends is in the IAF and I continually fear for his safety.
Aren’t you guys big supporters of the Bush administration? I’m sure you are thrilled about this development. Not to mention the circus around Terri Schiavo.
Of course, Bush and Rice are doing this only to promote democracy in Pakistan. I’m waiting for an article praising Rice’s efforts in promoting democracy now.
doesn’t this say it all, two adjacent headlines from the current los angeles times:
http://tinyurl.com/4d4gz
and then:
http://tinyurl.com/7ym4l
we are going to seriously regret this decision one day.
this is by far the most dangerous administration our country has ever had and i fear the repercussions of this presidency will be felt for decades.
..repercussions of this presidency will be felt for decades by India..
This is certainly a regrettable decision for India. The Americans have never shown sensitivity to India’s security concerns.
I am not sure the Kerry administration would have behaved any differently however. There is an entrenched pro Pakistan lobby in the State Dept and Pentagon, a leftover from the Cold War days.
According to military experts, the multi role Sukhois are far superior to the F-16.They are also much cheaper and are being produced both in Russia and India via technology transfer. The likelihood of India buying F-16s is very very low. Almost the entire IAF is based on Russian and French technology, and well established repair facilities are in place. It will be very expensive for India to put in place an infrastructure to support US technology.
India should continue to source its critical defence supplies from reliable allies namely Russia and France (the only countries that supported us after the 1998 nuclear tests).
We should take up the US on the civilian nuclear energy offer and especially the missile and radar technology offers. Missiles are going to be the key in any nuclear war between India and Pakistan. The F-18 technology transfer may not be a bad idea but again I do not see the Indian military brass opting for US technology.
karthik r:
new much?
if not that, deluded much? where did sepia mutiny ever declare its undying love for the shrub? think, then post.
even though this group of bloggers spans a political spectrum, i don’t recall any overt ass-kissing of the current administration.
.
SAS,
too true. 🙁
LoL @ the weapons nerds
;-D
This site supports the Bush administration? Uh, Karthik R, have you actually read any of Manish or Abhi’s posts? LOL.
I think this is a very poor decision and Wahsington business as usual. They think they’re going to get some kind of quid pro quo from the Pakistanis and help ‘unraveling’ the Khan information flow to No Korea and Iran? Keep dreaming. Classic ‘carrots’ only State Department approach. You’d think an administration that could take a hard line elsewhere might try it here…..
MD, Last time I checked the real State Department was gutted and re-established with Bush loyalists, deranged necons, and a rogues gallery of other operatives. Calling it a “classic” State Department approach doesn’t seem appropriate. Let’s call it a Neocon approach instead.
Ok, I’ll give you that one, stained analogy ( I guess I was thinking of North Korea and Madeline Albright, here….)
Deranged neocons, huh? LOL. I hope Kartik is reading! This is not a neocon approach – maybe it’s real politik Kissengerian approach, but the neocons are theoretically supposed to be about changing ‘business as usual’.
Whatever strained analogies, I think selling them the F-16s is darn stupid.
sorry, strained analogy. Oy. I need more coffee, and perhaps, to quit procrastinating when I’ve got all this work to do….
Regardless of who benefits more from this (which is a factor) and by how much, doesn’t anyone else find it incredibly disturbing that the only way that Bush can think of to win support of Pakistani nationlists and Islamists and placate Indians is by selling both sides weapons? I mean, given all the problems in the region, you would think that a concerted effort to say, eliminate malaria or fund literacy programs would have gone a long way towards underminging the root causes of violence.
Yes, I understand this is U.S. geopolitics as usual (arm them, then blow them up when they turn against you), but I thought we were supposed to moving away from that….Apparently freedom is not so much on the march as enslaved by Lockheed Martin.
Oh well–at least the Pakistani national elites, the Indian national elites, and U.S. defense contarctors benefit from this. That’s really all that counts, right?
I have to agree with George’s earlier comment – the Mirage and Su-30 are superior to both the multirole F-16 and F-18; moreover, France and Russia are more reliable supply partners. US Congress has legislated several “event-driven” clauses that automatically impose cessation of bilateral agreements triggered when certain events transpire.
That said, there is a great opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the US and India; and, military defense cooperation is the best catalyst. India has asked for assurances that clauses be added to any military transfer agreements that negate event-driven clauses from activating and halting the transfer. This is a longshot since the executive branch cannot whimsically nullify congressional legislation. However, technology and manufacturing rights, unlike material and preassembled parts, have no latency to transfer and are not rescindable. Rather than purchasing F-16s, obtaining manufacturing rights and sharing technology is in India’s short term interest. Sharing technology is also in the US’s long term interest since India is rumored to have the most advanced software for unmanned aerial technology and next generation smart missles in the coming decade.
The resumption of the F-16 sale to Pakistan, while worrying, will not have the same deleterious effect now in 2005 as it would have in the early 90s. Kargil is over, and any territory gained at this time is likely to be under international scrutiny and reversed. Clinching the dissolution of military-centric thinking, both Pakistan and India are realizing their economic viability in a growingly commercialized world far outstrips territorial needs.
The peasants have no bread? Let them eat cake!
How will giving Pakistan F-16’s promote regional stability ? Maybe they should now give Stealth bombers to Taiwan to promote regional stability in East Asia.
How will giving Pakistan F-16’s promote regional stability?
Like I said, I don’t think militarization promotes stability, but the argument would probably run that this would balance out the playing field a little bit and force both sides to negotiate in good faith b/c they recognize that war would be a costly prospect for both societies.
I don’t buy it, but I think that’s what the argument would be.
The resumption of the F-16 sale to Pakistan, while worrying, will not have the same deleterious effect now in 2005 as it would have in the early 90s. Kargil is over, and any territory gained at this time is likely to be under international scrutiny and reversed.
That’s not true, and not relevant. If Pakistan shows any aggression towards India, we can expect world pressure on India to desist from going to war, rather than other way around. And nobody believes Pakistan can occupy new territory formally, with or without F16s. Pakistanis have used proxy-war for close to two decades now anyway.
The real danger for India is in the derailment of the peace process. If Pakistani establishment gets all the goodies from the US, what incentive do they have to close down the jehadi factory? (which is essential for the peace process to go on)
If you boil it all down, it’s mind-boggling: Dubya is granting a nuclear delivery vector to the strongman of an Islamic country who seized power in a coup, offered turnkey nuke programs to Iran, North Korea and Libya and harbors the U.S.’ #1 terrorist threat. It’s our history with Saddam Hussein all over again.
And then he’ll back his brother for president, claiming to be strong on terrorism.
Unbelievable.
don’t worry guys- a few f-16s to pak don’t make us pee in our pants. the decision to sell/tfr tech to india is a ruse to india away from russians. but know this- during a recent joint exercise the f-16’s were bested by our much maligned mig-21’s (the upgraded version). shook up the yanks i tell u. would,nt be surprised if this has prompted the decision. dont think we will fall for the bait and then await sanctions from some sanctimonious secy of state
If you boil it all down, it’s mind-boggling: Dubya is granting a nuclear delivery vector to the strongman of an Islamic country who seized power in a coup, offered turnkey nuke programs to Iran, North Korea and Libya and harbors the U.S.’ #1 terrorist threat. It’s our history with Saddam Hussein all over again.
It’s only mind-boggling if you give them too much credit in the first place. Which we all do. All the time. Why?
The immediate problem for India is that, with the F-16 transfusion, Musharraf has already started hinting at a repeat of Kargil. Pakistan will try something stupid, and while India will beat it back, a lot of people will die. In my opinion, India needs to quickly and decisively slap down Pakistan.
My suggested triple whammy is:
some kind of defense agreement with China, not matter how symbolic.
make some decision quickly on what to induct into the air force.
openly negotiate for a military base with the countries on Pakistan’s northern or western side.
how about the possibilty that it is more a bussiness deal being forced on india to buy f-16 (appx 100)and providing 5000 jobs in US Arms industry.!
a long shot!
Weapon Nerd Alert…
a) The Sukhoi 30MKI and f-16 are of different categories, therefore it is an apple to orange comparison. The F-15 Eagle an the Sukhoi are comparable.
b) India is evaluating the Mirage 2000, Swedish Gripen, Mig29, and F16. These are multirole fighters. THe Sukhoi and F-15 are air superiority and deep strike aircraft.
c) The Mirage 2000-5 is more advanced than the current F-16s, however it is more expensive too. Lockeed Martin has mentioned they are willing to develop a new version of the F-16. In regards to the F-18 (Boeing), it is slightly bigger and has its advantages, especially for maritime patrolling (two engines)
d) The 25 fighters Pakistan is getting are older f-16s. THis does NOTHING to India. Reacting like their panties are bunched up only shows weakness. India needs to think bigger and more global, not react to everything Pakistan does.
e) French and the Russians also sell equipment to China and Pakistan. This includes fighters, subs, and other items.
f)F-16s to Pakistan are like the sweets to shut up the annoying kid so that the adults can talk. More competition for its money is good for India. I would not be suprised if in the near future you see some big deals go down between India and the USA.
US admin argues that is sale to Pak is the reward for their cooperation on war on terror. What a joke!! Its more like a bribe to a dacoit to not come and cause murder and mayham in your village again.
Blank – State dept, Indian media and Pakistani media are reporting that (a) its not the OLD planes they are getting. And (b) the number is undetermined as yet (TOI reported today that its as many as 70 planes)
Mush is already talking “Strategic depth” – same words he used while supporting the Taliban and conducting the nuclear tests of ready-made chinese bombs.
Wah USA Wah Wah!!!
For authentic desi reaction read this – US tells India, Drop Dead
Pak buying 70 F-16s
Anon-
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the latest F-16s were of Block 60, not the 50 series.
The 70 planes is news to me. Either way, this little dance will continue until real concrete steps are taken. Only then one can tell what the real deal is. For now, its us armchair experts and our analysis.
Yee-haw
Seems the Indian cabinet listens when Blank and I bring up the Mirage in conversation 😉
I found that headline earlier today interesting. Qatar is where the US command is located.
Consipiracy alert
I wouldn’t be suprised if the US gave a green light for this transaction. Qatar may wind up getting some new US goodies in return.
i dnt think that the F-16s wld make a difference 2 india,as they fall under the range of mig-29 and mirage-2000,mig21-93 the upgraded version is 3 times better than an f-16,why to talk of the sukhoi-30mki which can shoot the f-16 down even when the f-16 dosent know of it, as the bvr misseles and the radar is vastly superior than any fighter aircraft presently in asia, u can say that the sukhoi can be in indian territory and still shoot the f-16 in pakistan, as far as nuclear delivery is concerned its the age of misseles.