* Pakistan may already have used F-16s to counter insurgency in FATA
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: The attempt by two key congressional leaders to block the transfer of $227 million from foreign military funds (FMF) to be given to Pakistan in financial year 2008 to support Islamabads F-16 mid-life update programme has been defeated and $116 million in reprogrammed funds disbursed to Islamabad earlier this month.
According to Alan Kronstadt of the Congressional Research Service, in 2006, Pakistan vowed to use its national funds for the bulk of such upgradations. However, when Pakistan wanted to review what it had vowed to do, the request was met with anger and dismay by some in Congress who said the move would do little to enhance Pakistans counter-terrorism capabilities. Two senior House Members, Howard L Berman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Nita M Lowey, concerned that the proposal would divert funds from more effective counter-terrorism tools, requested a hold to be placed on the planned reprogramming and proposed that Congress provide $200 million in budgetary support to Pakistan.
A State Department spokesman has now asserted that Islamabad sought and was granted the consideration so as to provide much-needed financial relief to the Pakistani government. The hold request by the two congressmen was not granted by the Bush administration and $116 million in reprogrammed funds was disbursed to Pakistan in August. The spokesman said, The bottom line here is that weve shifted money to help the democratically elected government of Pakistan to fight a common foe, a common enemy that we have. We believe that these upgrades that had already been approved will help the Pakistanis
will help the Pakistanis help us fight this common foe, and that we believe that this is a positive way to help a friend. More such reprogramming of FMF funds may come in FY2009, Kronstadt predicts.
FATA:
The State Department spokesmans comments also revealed that Pakistan will be using and may already have used F-16s to deal with the insurgency in FATA. The spokesman said, Well, Ill tell you, these mid-life update enhancements are going to provide Pakistans air force with the technological capability to conduct precision close airstrikes against Al Qaeda, Taliban and associated terrorist targets who exploit the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas, as well as providing non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
In addition, these mid-life update enhancements will allow Pakistans F-16s to operate safely in all weather and to perform day and night missions. Were going to be training the Pakistani forces to develop their capabilities, effectively employing these aircraft in support of ground operations against terrorist groups that threaten the security of Pakistan and the United States.
