WTH? U.S. to sell F-16 jets to Pakistan

[cowtown]

Does anyone remember when India was our friend, and Pakistan was the enemy, and we weren't going to sell arms to either side until they quit nuking the desert? This just seems to be throwing gasoline on a smouldering fire to me....

Changing policy, U.S. to sell F-16 jets to Pakistan

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senior U.S. officials said Friday that a deal to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan was approved and the United States will compete for contracts to provide Pakistan's nuclear rival India with the same jets.

[350HP930]

All part of bush's so called war on terrorism. On top of this we are also now giving them billions of dollars in aid too.

Our government has also whitewashed the fact that this country was supplying libya, iran and north korea with nuclear weapons technology.

When the US is in bed with pakistan and saudi arabia and tells europe, india and the rest of the world to piss off its pretty clear what road our nation is headed down.

Its no suprise that a lot of people all over the world are looking at our nation as the nazi germany of the 21st century.

I guess we will have to hope that our current regime's plan for global domination turns out better than the german's did.

[cowtown]

I wasn't really complaining about our new alliance with Pakistan (or the aid); it's a marriage of convenience for intelligence and logistical purposes. It's not comfortable, but I see the rationale.

And I think your "nazi germany" thing is wayyyy over the top. Please, come on now.

But I can't believe we're going to sell two adjacent, hostile, nuclear-armed countries high-speed tactical fighters/bombers.

[widebody911]

Actually, I secretly wish Pakistan would nuke India; maybe some programming jobs would come back...

[350HP930]

Originally posted by cowtown
IAnd I think your "nazi germany" thing is wayyyy over the top. Please, come on now.

Why would you say that?

Nazi germany wasn't up to anything worse before 1940 than our own government is today. Just like us they engaged in a few invasions and set up a few concentration camps to hold their newly declared enemies of the state.

Even though their activities pissed off most of the world, germany found a few fellow fascist countries that were willing to be their allies.

According to germany's leaders back in the 30s they were faced with terrorism and plots to destroy their civilization and way of life. Just like we are today, they were told that this conspiracy was being carried out by people of a certain non-christian religion. Propaganda like 'the protocols of zion' claimed that the jewish faith required this subversion from its believers, just like the 'the sword of the profit' tries to convince people today that the muslim faith leads people to want to be terrorists.

I don't like to think about where all these similar patterns are headed, but I can't ignore it either.

We just have to hope our leaders don't get around to incinerating millions of innocent muslims is some nuclear ovens because then then comparison would be completely accurate for all of nazi germany's activities.

[bryanthompson]

Originally posted by widebody911
Actually, I secretly wish Pakistan would nuke India; maybe some programming jobs would come back...

hmm... well, i'm doing alright Maybe you're just not a good enough programmer

totally kidding, btw.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

like the US didnt sell combat aircraft to Iraq, Iran and many other "hostile" countries?

[widebody911]

Originally posted by bryanthompson
hmm... well, i'm doing alright Maybe you're just not a good enough programmer

totally kidding, btw.

Well, FWIW, I'm still employed. The trick is to obfuscate your code enough so the Indian guys can't take over maintenance..

[widebody911]

Originally posted by Jared Fenton
like the US didnt sell combat aircraft to Iraq, Iran and many other "hostile" countries?

And I was listening to the news - they're selling an equal number of planes to India.

[350HP930]

Originally posted by widebody911
And I was listening to the news - they're selling an equal number of planes to India.

According to the logic of big business and their puppet politicians, thats a 'win, win'.

[turbocarrera]

At least he's a man of his word:

"Look, our strategy is to create chaos, to create a vacuum... We will export death and violence to the four corners of the earth in defense of our great nation." George W. Bush

[Leland Pate]

The thing is, some people in the aviation business would be screeming bloody murder if we didn't sell to other countries. Plus, we live in the imediate. When it comes to supplying/whatever you want to call it, arms to countries or regimes we do so with the intention of supporting our interests at the present and hopefully foreseeable future. Sadams Iraq in the war against Iran in the 70s/80s is a decent example. Brutal dictator who appeared to be pro-west = minimal threat... islamic fundamentalists = greater threat...
Or backing islamic fundamentalists = minimal threat Soviet Union spreading it's influence in Afghanistan = greater threat. Hindsight is 20/20.

[fintstone]

No reason not to sell them our outdated conventional technology. It is no threat to us, makes parts cheaper for our planes, and gives us the capability to blackmail them later...no parts if no cooperation.

[Aurel]

Hehe, that kills me. When the french sell Mirages to Saddam the evil dictator it`s all bad. But when the americans sell F16s to Musharraf, the good dictator, it`s all good. Makes perfect sense

Aurel

[azasadny]

This "Pakistani airplane deal" just makes me sick!!

[Aurel]

This is just in preparation for the invasion of Pakistan. You know, when the evil dictator over there will gas his own people with chemical weapons delivered by F-16s...

Aurel

[cowtown]

Originally posted by fintstone
It is no threat to us, makes parts cheaper for our planes, and gives us the capability to blackmail them later...no parts if no cooperation.

Have to disagree here. As the CNN article said, and Thom noted, we're selling each side the planes. That's my beef. Each side has nukes and is ripe for an "escalatory incident" (is escalatory a word? ) ala Bay of Pigs. I just don't get it.

[Aurel]

I get it, I get It...Oil is the problem, so the NeoCon startegy was:

#1 Seize the source; invade Iraq and Afghanistan
#2 Destroy the demand: create a war between India and Pakistan, they start nuking eachother, then China gets in the game, massive Nuclear war in the area...Few years later, all the survivors are riding donkeys...Soccer moms can keep their SUVs

Simple, aint`it ?

Aurel

[bryanthompson]

It's sad that there are actually people that believe that, Aurel

[fintstone]

Helping our ally to defend themself (by selling them our old technology)keeps us from having to defend them ourself. You guys need to decide if you are really against us being the world's policeman or not.