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| Afghanistan-Pak-India | |
| Pakland to delay purchase of F-16s from US | |
| 2005-11-05 | |
Pakistan would postpone the purchase of F-16 fighter jets from the US to focus on quake relief and rehabilitation work, President Pervez Musharraf today said. Pakistan was planning to buy 75 F-16 fighter jets from the US at a cost of three billion US dollars. Musharraf stressed that delaying the purchase of the jets would have no bearing on the country's defence. "We should never do anything that jeopardises our security," he told reporters in quake-ravaged capital of PoK, Muzaffarabad.
Snip all pious concern for Kashmiri civilians ...Not only necessary to release desperately needed funds as well as brighten up the military’s image, it is a welcome decision for another reason. It also shows that Pakistan is confident in the improving relationship with India. It would not have happened, no matter how great the financial needs, had Islamabad felt threatened from India. It is all the more impressive given the efforts Pakistan put into surmounting US opposition to the sale; US military sanctions were only lifted last March after 15 years in place. It is as much a confidence-building measure as opening crossings on the LOC; indeed more so. India should respond in kind. | |
| Posted by:Seafarious |
| #4 It is just PR. They know it looks bad to be begging while spending 4 billion on arms. He has NOT delayed the 1 billion Eyrie AWACs order. Two Pak army brigades marched right past devastated villages without stopping to help those trapped. They were sent to reinforce the LOC. There are tens of thousands of tents and hundreds of tons of supplies sitting in Pak army warehouses in Rawalpindi. Those supplies are not for the victims. |
| Posted by: john 2005-11-05 12:43 |
| #3 At least he made the mental connection, ie., hungry people, hmmm maybe the nice-to-have stuff can wait. North Korea has never been able to make that leap. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-11-05 09:44 |
| #2 India should respond in kind. 'cept that India has bigger threats to deter (Chinese are buying Flankers by the bushel) and unlike Pakistan, does not rely on aid to purchase weapons. It pays cash. The last increase in the Indian defence budget was greater than the entire Pakistani defence budget. This is with an Indian defence budget at less than 2.5 percent of GDP. This is a clamor for it to go to 3 percent of GDP especially now with 8 percent growth rates. If Pakistan wants to maintain this fiction of muslim superiority, of parity with India then it will have to literally eat grass and blackmail the US to provide arms. It will continue to allocate the bulk of its budget to the military and then wonder why the economy is in the dumps. |
| Posted by: john 2005-11-05 08:12 |
| #1 The ClueBat was late, but it did finally show up aside PervMan's noggin. The transparency of most foreign leaders, especially those of Muslim asylums, is quite remarkable... and often convenient. |
| Posted by: Regnad Kcin 2005-11-05 01:52 |