U.S. tells Pakistan it will have to fund F-16s itself

[GhostZ06]

The United States has told Pakistan it will have to finance the purchase of American F-16 fighter jets itself after members of the U.S. Congress objected to using government funds to pay for them.

The U.S. government said in February it had approved the sale to Pakistan of up to eight F-16 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), as well as radar and other equipment in a deal valued at $699 million.

However, Republican Senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar use of any U.S. funds for the deal to send a message to Pakistan that it needed to do more in the war against militants.

Corker's stance reflected deep unhappiness among both Democrats and Republicans in Congress about what they see as Islamabad’s policy of supporting elements of the Taliban and the Haqqani network blamed for attacks in Afghanistan.

Members of Congress also raised the possibility of the fighter jets being used against Pakistan's neighbor India, with whom it has fought three wars. India objected to the deal.

Pakistan's military says the F-16s it already owns have been integral in fighting the Pakistani Taliban and its allies in the country's tribal areas, particularly due to the aircraft's precision strike and night-flying capability.

U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said congressional opposition meant funds from the U.S. government's Foreign Military Financing allocation could not be used to buy the aircraft.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-planes-idUSKCN0XT1U6

 

[Rex Kwon Do]

Good. Pakistan's populace is one of the most anti-American ones in the Muslim world. Plus they're thoroughly in the Sinosphere. Time to admit we've lost the battle for Pakistan's soul. Not saying we need to cut ties completely, but we don't need to be lavishing them with gifts, either.

 

[ironwolf]

Good. Pakistan's populace is one of the most anti-American ones in the Muslim world. Plus they're thoroughly in the Sinosphere. Time to admit we've lost the battle for Pakistan's soul. Not saying we need to cut ties completely, but we don't need to be lavishing them with gifts, either.

Agreed. Fuck Pakistan.

 

[LucasWithLidOff]

Good. We shouldn't be funding weapons for Pakistan.

 

[ehtheist]

For the America of today that's pretty bold.

 

[RockstarChris]

go fund yourself

 

[Orgasmo]

Now Murica just has to tell the rest of leeching "allies" in the Middle East to pay for their own shit.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Pakistan needs a lot of things other than fighter jets right now

 

[ironwolf]

Pakistan needs a lot of things other than fighter jets right now

Like a nuke dropped on them...

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Will this mean no more uncontested drone-strikes within Pakistan's borders?

 

[Orgasmo]

Will this mean no more uncontested drone-strikes within Pakistan's borders?

The problem is that elements within the Pakistani political and military establishment are actively assisting the Taliban as a bargaining chip. The stronger Taliban becomes, the more assistance US would provide them. On top of that, Pakistan pumps out thousands of radical Islamists each year from Saudi funded Mosques. They want modern weapons and money from US, but at the same time they also don't want to give up free Saudi money and radical Islam as a pawn.