US sells F-16s to Pakistan

[drewshin]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050325/pl_nm/southasia_fighters_dc

Wow at this point, Iran must really want those nuclear weapons in their hands, then they'd be able to buy all sorts of weapons from us in a few years. let bygones be bygones. what do you think these F16s are for? to counter any indian air superiority in a battle or war, yes our supposed friends in india.

why do you think our government is so against the EU lifting weapons sanctions against the chinese? because we already sold to taiwan! we can't look like a bad guy by selling to both sides, but i'm sure they'll come up with some type of way in soon, china is too big of a market to not be part of the action.

 

[Darkhawk28]

Funny how Bush and Co. claim to want to spread freedom and democracy, blah, blah...

But yet spit in the face of the world's largest democracy (India) by selling weaponry to its greatest military threat, Pakistan.

Way to go, Chimp!

 

[dahunan]

Nice ... we are fighting IslamoFascists and now we also sell them advanced weaponry...

Every gun that is made, every warship launched,
every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense
a theft from those who are hungry and are not fed,
those who are cold and not clothed.
? Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

[dahunan]

BTW, where are all of the Bush supporters on this issue.. just curious to know how they feel about this?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: dahunan
BTW, where are all of the Bush supporters on this issue.. just curious to know how they feel about this?

They're happy as a lark, this puts a lot of money in their friend's pockets.

 

[raildogg]

Absolutely terrible news. This is a slap in the face for India, the worlds largest democracy. We are arming a Islamic terrorist country which has nuclear weapons. What credibility do we have left for denying Iran nukes? None.

Shame on Bush, shame on the defense department and shame on Congress. This is the same Pakistan which funded and supported the Taliban all these years. This is the same Pakistan that let thousands of Taliban and al-qaeda to flee into it's territory. This is the same Pakistan that airlifted thousands of Pakistani members of the Taliban and al-qaeda to safety in Pakistan. And this is the same Pakistan that Bush calls an ally? :disgust:

We have even given Pakistan a major non-NATO ally status. Without Pakistan, there would be no Taliban and thus not a major al-qaeda terrorist network in Afghanistan. I partly blame 9/11 on Pakistan. Our foreign policy thinkers are destroying this country's reputation and it's strategic goals in the world.

We have removed Iran's two major enemies, one to the east and the other to it's west. We have put in pro-Iran regimes in both those countries. Great strategy.

India has warned America for a long time not to sell these weapons to Pakistan or it might damage America's relationship with India. Guess we rather ally ourselves with tin-pot dictators who run a country which is a haven for terrorists and has nuclear weapons rather than ally with a country with a billion people which has been a democracy for 50 years.

Where do you think all those al-qaeda and Taliban fled to? Where do you think they are operating out of? That's right, Pakistan, our ally.

Did we forget that Pakistan has given nuclear weapons know-how to both Iran and North Korea? I guess the current administration did. How can you be against proliferation when you're arming the WORLD'S BIGGEST NUCLEAR PROLIFERATOR?

Pakistan's dealings with rogue nations began 20 years ago when it started giving nuclear weapons technology to them. With allies like Pakistan, who needs friends?

 

[jai6638]

Originally posted by: Darkhawk28
Funny how Bush and Co. claim to want to spread freedom and democracy, blah, blah...

But yet spit in the face of the world's largest democracy (India) by selling weaponry to its greatest military threat, Pakistan.

Way to go, Chimp!

 

[Pandaren]

Yet more bullsh!t from this corrupt administration.

Why are we selling F-16s to a country that has been the most eggregious proliferator of Nuclear materials to terrorist states?
Why are we selling F-16s to a country in the grips of a military dictatorship?
Why are we selling F-16s to a country that is enemies with the world's largest Democracy?

Pakistan isn't our friend. If the current Pakistani government falls, those aircraft will come into the hands of people who are hostile to the United States and everything this country stands for.

 

[rickn]

Knowing Bush he probably did this to secure himself a spot on LM board of directors after his term is over

 

[Rhin0]

Another example of selling our tech to another country. The tech that we spent the money on to develop and perfect. Lets give away all our edge and piss off everyone in the process.

 

[tnitsuj]

And another anti-Bush circle jerk begins.

 

[maddogchen]

Oh Noes!! 24 F-16s! Its all the end for India! Pakistan will rule the skies! Relax people, its not the end of the world like India says.

Interesting this is just the completion of a deal that was made in the 1980s. Guess they finally paid off Daddy's debts? While in the meantime India is planning on purchasing 126 advanced new aircraft. Either Mirages, MIGs, Gripens or....ghasp! F-16s! I guess the US won't be winning that contract now. But how bout this India? We won't sell Pakistan the 24 F-16s and you won't buy 126 new fighters? There the balance is equal

As for the EU lifting its weapons ban on sales to China, why don't they sell arms to Taiwan too? Sell Taiwan the advanced diesel subs they've been begging for?

edited: Tried to make my post make more sense.

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj
And another anti-Bush circle jerk begins.

and the Bush sheeple to point out the obvious

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj
And another anti-Bush circle jerk begins.

come on Justin...

Justify this.. there has to be some rational reason why we are selling tehnology to a state that has no respect for us?

 

[Starbuck1975]

But yet spit in the face of the world's largest democracy (India) by selling weaponry to its greatest military threat, Pakistan.

Because India has been such a willing and prominant ally to America over the years...not that Pakistan is our greatest ally either, but they do and continue to contribute to our operations in Afghanistan.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj
And another anti-Bush circle jerk begins.

and deservedly so.


This is damn near treasonous, not to mention blatently immoral.


EDIT: oops i forgot inconsistant, at least with what the shrub claims to profess.

 

[Aimster]

Pakistan has done everything they could do to help the U.S fight the war on terrorism.
What more could they have done?

They allowed U.S forces to enter Pakistan.
They helped caputure and hand over a handful of wanted terrorist
They even captured Daniel Pearl's killer
They have shared intelligence on Afghanistan
They have shared information about Iran

The President of Pakistan is being targeted for death because of his support for the U.S.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: Darkhawk28
Funny how Bush and Co. claim to want to spread freedom and democracy, blah, blah...

But yet spit in the face of the world's largest democracy (India) by selling weaponry to its greatest military threat, Pakistan.

Way to go, Chimp!

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Pakistan has done everything they could do to help the U.S fight the war on terrorism.
What more could they have done?

They allowed U.S forces to enter Pakistan.
They helped caputure and hand over a handful of wanted terrorist
They even captured Daniel Pearl's killer
They have shared intelligence on Afghanistan
They have shared information about Iran

The President of Pakistan is being targeted for death because of his support for the U.S.

Be democratic, like India.

 

[Aimster]

Originally posted by: Infohawk

Originally posted by: Aimster
Pakistan has done everything they could do to help the U.S fight the war on terrorism.
What more could they have done?

They allowed U.S forces to enter Pakistan.
They helped caputure and hand over a handful of wanted terrorist
They even captured Daniel Pearl's killer
They have shared intelligence on Afghanistan
They have shared information about Iran

The President of Pakistan is being targeted for death because of his support for the U.S.

Be democratic, like India.

If you want Pakistan to hold free elections then lets do it. Say good-bye President who likes the U.S.
Say hello extremist.

Pakistan is holding elections, however the military will still be in the same hands. The rest of the country will have their elections as promised shortly like Musaraf has promised. The conditions are that Musaraf will still run the military.

 

[frankie38]

I am glad that we selling our stripped down F16s to other countries. Its all about money.
Our companies get some good coin by selling planes, parts, training, etc. to everyone.

Weapons is about BIG business. We want to sell to everyone.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: Aimster
Pakistan has done everything they could do to help the U.S fight the war on terrorism.
What more could they have done?

They allowed U.S forces to enter Pakistan.
They helped caputure and hand over a handful of wanted terrorist
They even captured Daniel Pearl's killer
They have shared intelligence on Afghanistan
They have shared information about Iran

The President of Pakistan is being targeted for death because of his support for the U.S.

Most of that is not true. Pakistan harbors Taliban and al-qaeda and they cross across the Pakistani-Afghani border without any resistance from Pakistani authorities. Pakistan is not letting anyone question AQ Khan. They have turned down all requests by any outside groups to question AQ Khan about his nuclear proliferation to Iran.

Musharaff is being targeted for death because he is a corrupt military dictator and for his supposed support for the US. Remember, he is the same man who supports terrorist activity in Kashmir against India. What a great ally, huh?

Pakistan had no choice BUT to COOPERATE with America after 9/11, otherwise it would have to face consequences of not doing so. We forgave Pakistan's tens of billions of dollars worth of debt just for cutting off its diplomatic relations with the Taliban. Pakistan was one of three countries in the world that recognized the Taliban as the ruling body of Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia was the other one. Great allies, huh?

Pakistan has been one of the key players in the growing of Islamic radicalism, with its thousands of madrasas and other intitutions which preach hatred. How can we possibly call Pakistan an ally is beyond me. I see a double standard in this war on terrorism. Pakistan supporting and aiding terrorists that kill innocent Indians every day is somehow justified by Bush, yet he says this is a global war on terrorism. If it was that, Pakistan would have been on our hit list AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE GIVEN THEM F-16s.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: maddogchen
Oh Noes!! 24 F-16s! Its all the end for India! Pakistan will rule the skies! Relax people, its not the end of the world like India says.

lol

This is merely the delivery of warplanes bought by Pakistan prior to it becoming subject to an arms embargo. Not to mention Pakistan's complete cooperation with the West in terms of Afghanistan and terrorists operating within Pakistan wherever possible.

And, oddly, this military dictatorship is providing the best government that Pakistan has had in decades. A government that's free of trying to suck up to its mostly illiterate voting public by instituting harsher and harsher policy that reflects Sharia law. It's a "we the elite know better than the public what's good for them" government to be sure, though.

 

[Starbuck1975]

This is damn near treasonous, not to mention blatently immoral.

How is this treason or immoral?

 

[drewshin]

Originally posted by: Aimster

Originally posted by: Infohawk

Originally posted by: Aimster
Pakistan has done everything they could do to help the U.S fight the war on terrorism.
What more could they have done?

They allowed U.S forces to enter Pakistan.
They helped caputure and hand over a handful of wanted terrorist
They even captured Daniel Pearl's killer
They have shared intelligence on Afghanistan
They have shared information about Iran

The President of Pakistan is being targeted for death because of his support for the U.S.

Be democratic, like India.

If you want Pakistan to hold free elections then lets do it. Say good-bye President who likes the U.S.
Say hello extremist.

Pakistan is holding elections, however the military will still be in the same hands. The rest of the country will have their elections as promised shortly like Musaraf has promised. The conditions are that Musaraf will still run the military.

I understand what they've done for us, but of what use are these F16s, why not give economic aid? They say to "fight terrorism" but do you really need these to fight terrorism? You say if they held free elections extremists would get voted in. Exactly why I wouldnt want to sell these to Pakistan. Who knows, in 5-10 years Musharraf could be gone and the country will be in the hands of a extremist, who'll have his own fleet of F16s and nuclear bombs.