Does any one see a problem with this?

[cardcounter0]

Administration to sell F-16s to Pakistan.

"The sale of F-16s will not change the overall balance of power" between Pakistan and India, a senior administration official said of the decision. India's prime minister expressed "great disappointment," a spokesman in New Delhi said.

Washington blocked sales of F-16s to Pakistan in 1990 as a sanction against its nuclear program.

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Does any one see a problem with selling advanced weapon systems to a country with nuclear capabilities that has tense relations with another country with nuclear capabilities? Wouldn't F16s be an ideal launching platform to deliver nukes to a neighboring country?

Didn't Pakistan have problems with supplying nuclear technology to terrorists a while back?

Some how this move doesn't make me feel "safer".
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[sam h]

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Wouldn't F16s be an ideal launching platform to deliver nukes to a neighboring country?

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No.

[cardcounter0]

Okay. I thought they had sophisticated radar evasion systems, capable of long flights, ability to outrun and outshoot just about any other plane in the sky, and could deliver thousand pound payloads to targets. Must have the F16 confused with some other fighter/bomber aircraft.
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[tek]

I see lot of dead software pirates, call center operators and stray cows in the near future...

[parttimepro]

Both India and Pakistan have missiles capable of reaching the other's capital. There's not much reason to put a nuke on an F-16 in this situation because an F-16 can be shot down or otherwise intercepted, but a missile cannot.

I don't think terrorists are too interested in building F-16's, but what do I know?

[sam h]

[ QUOTE ]
Okay. I thought they had sophisticated radar evasion systems, capable of long flights, ability to outrun and outshoot just about any other plane in the sky, and could deliver thousand pound payloads to targets. Must have the F16 confused with some other fighter/bomber aircraft.

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That still doesn't make them an ideal launching platform. Intermediate range missiles are better and they already have those. Plus they have other F16s and Mirages anyway. Basically, Pakistan is already capable of conducting a large nuclear strike against India and selling them a few more F16s won't change anything.

[dr_venkman]

Perhaps the original poster was making an ethical point about the sale of weapons of mass destruction and their counterpart delivery systems to Pakistan whose leader is only in power due to a bloody military coup d'état.

Compounding this ethical question might be that it could be seen as hypocritical to be selling these aircraft to Pakistan while America is itself engaged in a war against terrorism and especially to rid that particular region of WMD's. Also Musharref has numerous Islamic friends in the western Pakistani region where Osama bin laden is said to have made a save haven at least once. Or that Musharref granted A.Q. Khan amnesty after having willingly and knowingfully distributed nuclear technology to...


Probably doesn't matter. Who wants prozac?

[Felix_Nietsche]

...and yes you are confused.

[MelchyBeau]

Vulturerow would be a better source than me, but I'd like to throw some info out for you.

F-16s are not exactly new. I believe they were being flown in the 70s.

The F-16s main role is not air to ground, yeah they can do it, but it is more suited towards air to air.

They already have jets that can carry these weapons. The A-5.

They also have Mirages as fighter craft.

I doubt they are getting these with fully up to date AF specs. I wouldn't be suprised if they don't even come with a radar.

As Much as I like to harp on Bush's administration, this doesn't really bother me. Now if he starts promising Pakistan F/A-22s yea then I'll b*tch

Melch

[andyfox]

Just yesterday Rumsfeld objected to Venezuela buying assault rifles from Russia. Kettle, black and all that, no?