27.3.05

US Sells F-16s to Pakistan

Now this has really got me wondering. There must be something behind this to all of a sudden encourage the government to allow this sale to Pakistan. Are they trying to destabilise the region? Pakistan and India have gone to war before, and this is obviously going to piss off India... also, this is a big boost for Lockheed Martin, a major weapons manufacturer in the US.

Lockheed Martin designed and builds the F-22... they're not exactly hurting for cash, but they were talking of shutting down the plant that manufactures the F-16. They also won the competition to build the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF / F-35). But corporations never do stop hungering for that next deal, do they? So, perhaps this is just about money... This deal is giving me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I'm not sure why.

Just looking at it... the Indian Air Force flies all Russian and European-built aircraft. Now, the Americans F-15s were recently beaten solidly by the Indian Air Force when the Americans didn't have AWACS to help them out... both countries have nuclear capability... maybe this is a way for them to start up something (bad) between the two countries. If India and Pakistan were to start warring again, I don't doubt that China would take more than a passing interest in it. That puts all three countries, which are the fastest growing economic segment of the world into a distracted position... especially if nuclear weapons become involved. F-16s are capable of dropping nuclear bombs. Pakistan wouldn't stand a chance against India's air force, I'll tell you that.... but a nuclear war is good for nobody. Though, it might make a US use of nuclear weapons a bit less taboo, wouldn't it?

from here:
India, however, insists that by selling F-16s to Pakistan, the United States was disturbing the current military balance in the Subcontinent.Washington has rejected the charge.
Maybe this is enough provocation for India to make a pre-emptive strike on Pakistan? They are still working on a fragile peace in the Kashmir region... I don't like it.

Lots of questions here... gonna have to do some more research.

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