Graphic source: Sharpshooter-maj.com photo by Stuart Freer
It is one of those mind-boggling stories that is surely designed to upset you if you have been paying attention at all to the Pakistani situation. The U.S. is transferring Pakistani counter-terrorism aid in favor of a fighter jet upgrade. What are they thinking in Washington? As Pakistan has become the latest and best haven for the Islamic insurgency, and therefore desperately need counter-terrorism funding to lock down the insurgents, and the potential of obtaining nuclear material, the Pakistanis are now going to get: a jet upgrade?
The Pakistanis play our politicians to the hilt. Using nuclear weapons as their creed, they extract more from us, make a show of attacking terrorists to demonstrate their commitment against the war on terror, and then Pakistani government officials either look the other way, or know about insurgent safe havens and possess the intelligence that would be invaluable to American efforts to root insurgents out. The Pakistanis have so far stolen $10 billion from us since 9/11. And, yet, the insurgents are in their backyard. Polls taken show that many Pakistanis support the Taliban anyway. Its mind-boggling how blind Americans can be.
Upgrading U.S.-supplied F-16 fighter planes is not going to assist the engaged troops on the ground currently across the border in Afghanistan. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani is visiting next week and he should be grilled on the insurgency. Who cares about Pakistan's aging fleet of F-16 fighter jets? Those upgraded jets will not protect America, or Americans on the ground in the region.
About $230 million in aid money has been approved by Congress for military equipment and training that had been earmarked for law enforcement and counter-terrorism purposes.
The Pakistani explanation is that the F-16s are used against the insurgents. Hows about U.S. fighters take care of that problem?
The other excuses do not make sense either. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi visited earlier this month and the administration believes the upgrade is a way to both enhance the Islamabad government's anti-terrorism capabilities, and ease its financial burden in the face of soaring energy and food prices. Huh? It may help Pakistan with its costs, but I believe Americans have problems with rising energy costs as well and the upgraded jets will not improve the security of Americans.
Senate Democrat Patrick Leahy and House Democrat Nita Lowey, both of whom chair key foreign affairs appropriations subcommittees, expressed reservations about the aid shift. They are correct.
President Bush is to meet Prime Minister Gilani at the White House next Monday for talks expected to be dominated by aid and security issues. Why doesn't Bush find out we need to know about the insurgents who are fighting, and killing Americans, and take them out?
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