US Congress may block further F16 jet sales to Pakistan

[CougarKing]

The US shouldn't be selling more F16s to Pakistan, a "marginal" ally where they not only burn US and other western nations' flags every other day in a protest, but where they have closer ties to the radical Wahabbis in Saudi Arabia than with western nations.

Diplomat

Will US Congress Stonewall F-16 Sale to Pakistan?

According to Pakistani media, Indian lobbying efforts among U.S. lawmakers are delaying a planned sale of eight F-16s.

By Franz-Stefan Gady
January 14, 2016


The United States Congress is stalling efforts by the Government of Pakistan and the Obama White House to conclude the sale of eight F-16 jets to the Pakistan Air Force, the Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper reports.

According to the newspaper, “[t]he hold reflects the growing anti-Pakistan sentiments on Capitol Hill where it is now a routine to see strong attacks on Pakistan and its policies during congressional hearings.”

Dawn attributes the anti-Pakistan sentiment in Congress to the growing influence of a pro-India lobby, which the newspaper claims “has grown gradually in size and influence and is now the second most effective lobby after Israel’s.”

The Obama administration issued a formal notification of “Foreign Military Financing” in December 2015, which needs to be followed by a formal approval of a possible “Foreign Military Sale” to Pakistan by the U.S. State Department. However, even at that stage, U.S. Congress can still block the sale.

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[CougarKing]

It seems the F16s that some in the US Congress wanted to keep away from Pakistan are headed there after all:

Defense News

DSCA Approves F-16 Block-52 Sales to Pakistan
Staff Reports 4:21 p.m. EST February 12, 2016


WASHINGTON — The US State Department has approved the sales of eight F-16 Block-52 aircraft and other equipment to Pakistan worth $699 million, the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced Friday.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the possible sale and is awaiting approval to execute.

“We support the proposed sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan, which we view as the right platform to in support of Pakistan’s counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations,” said a US government official said.

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[jollyjacktar]

Too bad.  They need to be cut off by the west, the two faced SOBs.

 

[CougarKing]

Pakistan closer to getting their F16s:

Defense News

Pakistan F-16 Sale Survives US Senate Dogfight
Joe Gould, Defense News 4:43 p.m. EST March 10, 2016

WASHINGTON — A measure to block the $700 million sale of eight US F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan was scuttled in the US Senate on Thursday, though US financing for the deal was on hold.

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, whose committee has jurisdiction over foreign arms sales, said he will maintain a hold on the US subsidy for the jets over Pakistan’s “duplicity” in the US-backed war against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican and one-time presidential candidate, mounted an effort to halt the jet sales, citing its human rights record and intelligence community’s support of the Afghan Taliban.

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[CougarKing]

Unfortunately, the need to keep F16 production active at Forth Worth might be another incentive for the US to push forward with this sale:

Defense News

Additional F-16s for Pakistan May Hit Hurdles
Usman Ansari, Defense News 3:27 p.m. EDT March 16, 2016

ISLAMABAD — Additional F-16s from the US remain central to Pakistan’s modernization efforts, but analysts say since there could be hurdles ahead, surplus fighters may be a credible alternative.

News reports here citing senior officials have stated that the air force requires some 190 new aircraft to replace its legacy Mirage III/5 and Chengdu F-7 fighter fleets by 2020. Some of this figure will be made up of JF-17 Thunder Block III aircraft which air force officials have stated will feature a leap in capabilities over the current aircraft in service.

However, there is no expectation that current JF-17 production will be ramped up in either Pakistan or China — or perhaps both — to meet this need, and further F-16s are being sought, hence the recent deal for eight F-16 Block 52 fighters.

This deal is almost finalized, and Pakistan appears to be placing faith in Lockheed Martin’s need to keep the F-16 line running with new orders to help it acquire another ten F-16s that it had initially hoped to acquire with the recently cleared aircraft.

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[CBH99]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, or take it off topic too badly, but...

1.  A Pakistani official openly admitted they had provided assistance to the Taliban since 2001.

Q - Weren't the Taliban causing all kinds of problems in western Pakistan also, and not just Afghanistan?  Wasn't the Pakistani army fighting for control of large areas in/around their western border?  If so, why would they be offering the Taliban support? 


2.  If the US has to fund the deal, what is the point?  Why not just buy the aircraft themselves, and replace some older airframes with some newer ones?  If the US has to lend the money to Pakistan, so Pakistan can turn around and pay the US for the fighters, why doesn't the US just buy the fighters themselves?

Production line gets a boost.  Older airframes get replaced.  Pakistan can go f**k itself.  And the money ends up exactly where it would have anyway.  Everybody wins?