Bush uses anti-terror funds to strengthen Pakistan air force

[Interceptor]

Ice,

You should be practical.

Will religion feed you or protect you?

Every Islamic country while professing Islam is but an ally of the US except maybe Syria and surely Iran. Both are Shia countries.

Why should Pakistan stand on religion and bring problems upon themselves and more so on its people?

Webmaster,

Technically Bush cannot transfer anti terror funds for non anti terror equipment.

But then Bush is capable of miracles!

He is the new Saviour who has come to Earth!!

It is a typical need for Pakistan and was part of the deal so it is fair that we receive what US-PAK relations have delegated. The US relays on Pakistani support, and for that matter, you must also understand that such support doesn't come for free at all!!!

In regards of receiving goodies from US, offers to India for a civilian Nuke deal that should not be allowed at all too!!! For the sake of stability in the region but what can say India is starved.... to have some rep and status at the cost of others. Technically India should not receive any such packages that would destabilize the region what are views on that?

Religion neither feeds you nor protects you it rather teaches you the morals of both. Religion is the means of humanity, and it is diverse without it there is chaos.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Interceptor,

India is not starved for recognition.

It is being recognised by its own worth.

The investments speak for themselves as far as the economy and the joint training with many foreign forces in military affairs to include land, sea and air exercises and training the US and other personnel in our CI school are adequate indicators of India's place in the sun on its own!

 

[Interceptor]

Interceptor,

India is not starved for recognition.

It is being recognised by its own worth.

The investments speak for themselves as far as the economy and the joint training with many foreign forces in military affairs to include land, sea and air exercises and training the US and other personnel in our CI school are adequate indicators of India's place in the sun on its own!

India is starved for more rep than usual I aint going to bother with debating that.

So what if India trains foreign countries the same is true for Pakistan, it is also a recognized an well established training institute, the truth that it fought the worlds second or third largest army and might is a feat on its own.

India is a destabilizing force, that continuously is lurks with its open hands and with a slogan "give us something," buying high tech arms just to destabllize, in cold war style, what is the need of India to buy a AWACS, BRAHMOS or any other high tech weapon is that for security... or for little rep that wont make you champion merely a beggar for arms.

 

[blain2]

Every Islamic country while professing Islam is but an ally of the US except maybe Syria and surely Iran. Both are Shia countries.

Syria is majority Sunni but is ruled by Alawis (who are neither Shia nor Sunni).

 

[Neo]

F 16 is an odd choice for fighting terrorism

It could be that they expect Pakistan to use it to kill Mehsud and gangs en mass!

Sir,

Don't you see whats going on here? Ofcourse we don't need F-16's to fight terrorism, AH-1, AH-64, A-10 or even the Preditor would have been a better choice but we went for the F-16's instead and not without reason..

Military aid to Pakistan is linked to her achievements in WoT and restoration of democracy, there's no other way to bypass it yet we need American funds to finance $3.1 billion F-16 deal. A brilliant move by Pakistan to change her strategy and to bring in the F-16 into the picture. Inorder to cooperate with Nato upgrades are required for our ageing F-16 fleet to match capability so MLU3 becomes a necessity to continue our support for WoT.

Now te ball is in US' court, she's obliged to support a democratic MNNA and front line ally in WoT and to provide proper means to fight terrorism. The $220 million is only the beginning, if we play our cards right the entire upgrade and acquisition of additional F-16's could come from USA under EDA programme.

Funds raised by government to finance the $5.2 billion MDA project will now partly be diverted towards JF-17 and FC-20.

Simply brilliant!

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Syria is majority Sunni but is ruled by Alawis (who are neither Shia nor Sunni).

I am aware that it has a Sunni Majority, but Assad, who is an Allawite, is all powerful.

The Allawites were always powerful even during the rule of Amin Hafiz, who was a Sunni.

I believe the Allawites are a sect of Shias who trace their origin to the Shia Imam, Hasan al Askar.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

India is starved for more rep than usual I aint going to bother with debating that.

So what if India trains foreign countries the same is true for Pakistan, it is also a recognized an well established training institute, the truth that it fought the worlds second or third largest army and might is a feat on its own.

India is a destabilizing force, that continuously is lurks with its open hands and with a slogan "give us something," buying high tech arms just to destabllize, in cold war style, what is the need of India to buy a AWACS, BRAHMOS or any other high tech weapon is that for security... or for little rep that wont make you champion merely a beggar for arms.

Hardly an answer to what was stated.

More of frustrated lament through a huge sense of despondency!

With the coffers overflowing in Foreign Exchange, one hardly has to depend on the US to give arms and finances gratis like it does for some countries!!

Therefore, one wonders who is actually begging!

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Sir,

Don't you see whats going on here? Ofcourse we don't need F-16's to fight terrorism, AH-1, AH-64, A-10 or even the Preditor would have been a better choice but we went for the F-16's instead and not without reason..

Military aid to Pakistan is linked to her achievements in WoT and restoration of democracy, there's no other way to bypass it yet we need American funds to finance $3.1 billion F-16 deal. A brilliant move by Pakistan to change her strategy and to bring in the F-16 into the picture. Inorder to cooperate with Nato upgrades are required for our ageing F-16 fleet to match capability so MLU3 becomes a necessity to continue our support for WoT.

Now te ball is in US' court, she's obliged to support a democratic MNNA and front line ally in WoT and to provide proper means to fight terrorism. The $220 million is only the beginning, if we play our cards right the entire upgrade and acquisition of additional F-16's could come from USA under EDA programme.

Funds raised by government to finance the $5.2 billion MDA project will now partly be diverted towards JF-17 and FC-20.

Simply brilliant!

I am aware of what is going on.

Military aid is not for Pakistan's contribution, it is to ensure Pakistan govt and the Armed Forces stay on board and is compliant inspite of the huge public ground swell against the US violating Pakistani territory.

US aid does not come without strings!!

Have you not observed that when Musharraf was being less compliant, the clamour for democracy suddenly took birth? And Musharraf was eased out, but was allowed to hang around as a counterbalance! Both Zardari and Sharif were after Musharraf's blood, but see how things have cooled off.

What is the latest on the CJ and his Court?

Any positive or negative movements in this case?

One must never underestimate the US of A.

They have their cake and eat it too!

 

[blain2]

I am aware that it has a Sunni Majority, but Assad, who is an Allawite, is all powerful.

The Allawites were always powerful even during the rule of Amin Hafiz, who was a Sunni.

I believe the Allawites are a sect of Shias who trace their origin to the Shia Imam, Hasan al Askar.

I was just commenting on your point about Syria being a shia country. Its really not. The traditional schools of Sunni Islam are all over Syria...long history of mainstream sunni Islam and a majority following in Suriya as its known traditionally.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Have you not observed that when Musharraf was being less compliant, the clamour for democracy suddenly took birth? And Musharraf was eased out, but was allowed to hang around as a counterbalance! Both Zardari and Sharif were after Musharraf's blood, but see how things have cooled off.

Cooled off indeed - the US has little appetite for democratic governments that do not kowtow to it.

I am surprised they thought this one would be any different - any political party will only last so long as it has the support of the masses, and Pakistanis are vehemently against the US due to various reasons.

The US trend of ignoring the need to build long lasting people to people contacts ('winning the war of ideas' didn't really make it much past a sound bite) is reflected across the Muslim world.

Free and fair elections in Egypt for example - any hope of keeping the Muslim Brotherhood out of power?

Yet the US continues to support the dictator and all his shenanigans and oppression...

 

[blain2]

They have their cake and eat it too!

Not always. Even they wish they could..

 

[Vinod2070]

Operationally speaking, there is nothing holding Pakistan back from using these aircraft as and when it needs to.

May be. We have to then assume that the Assistant Secretary of State was lying to the House International Relations Committee!

If the USA really wants to, it would be easy enough to enforce that using technical means.

 

[blain2]

May be. We have to then assume that the Assistant Secretary of State was lying to the House International Relations Committee!

If the USA really wants to, it would be easy enough to enforce that using technical means.

How so? Has that ever happened to any other Pakistani F-16s in the past 25 years? The conditions apply to ensure that there is no technology transfer. Operationally nobody can turn on or off the aircraft once they are in the Pakistani possession.

And are you trying to tell me that things are not kept from various congressional committees by the USG?

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

I was just commenting on your point about Syria being a shia country. Its really not. The traditional schools of Sunni Islam are all over Syria...long history of mainstream sunni Islam and a majority following in Suriya as its known traditionally.

In Islamic states where there is no democracy per se, it is only material as to who rules.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Cooled off indeed - the US has little appetite for democratic governments that do not kowtow to it.

I am surprised they thought this one would be any different - any political party will only last so long as it has the support of the masses, and Pakistanis are vehemently against the US due to various reasons.

The US trend of ignoring the need to build long lasting people to people contacts ('winning the war of ideas' didn't really make it much past a sound bite) is reflected across the Muslim world.

Free and fair elections in Egypt for example - any hope of keeping the Muslim Brotherhood out of power?

Yet the US continues to support the dictator and all his shenanigans and oppression...

The standard merry go round, that has been the history, will go on.