The Biden administration has approved the potential sale of F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment and related equipment to Pakistan in a deal valued at US$ 450 million. This decision comes after former President Donald Trump stopped all defense and security assistance to Pakistan.<\/p>\n
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on September 7 of the State Department\u2019s decision to approve the possible Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan of F-16 Case for sustainment and related equipment for an estimated cost of US$450 million.<\/p>\n
The proposed sale does not include any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions and will not alter the military balance in the region.<\/p>\n
According to the State Department, the proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by allowing Pakistan to retain interoperability with US and partner forces in ongoing counterterrorism efforts and preparation for future contingency operations.<\/p>\n
\u200bThis is the first major security assistance to Pakistan after the Trump administration suspended most security assistance to Pakistan in January 2018, alleging that Islamabad was not a partner in America\u2019s fight against terrorism.<\/p>\n
The view is that the US decision on F-16 to Pakistan is an “extraordinary failure of political judgment”.\u00a0 \u00a0According to an article in the Economic Times<\/a>, \u00a0“the F-16 package should be seen as a geopolitical reward to the Pakistani army, and not as a force multiplier in its counter-terrorism campaign. AP The US President Joe Biden rightly described Pakistan as \u201cone of the most dangerous nations\u201d in the world in possession of \u201cnuclear weapons without any cohesion.\u201d It is another matter that diplomatic protest from Pakistan forced US State Department to contradict Biden when it dubiously clarified that Washington is \u201cconfident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets\u201d.<\/p>\n This episode comes shortly after his administration decided to approve a US $ 450 million F-16 fighter jet fleet sustainment program to Pakistan. The explanation offered by the US is that the decision would help the Pakistan army to boost its counterterrorism capabilities against al-Qaeda and ISIS. But this is an extremely ridiculous and inept excuse for a geopolitical miscalculation that has nothing to do with counterterrorism.’<\/p>\n Here are some netizens exploding:<\/p>\n \u201cThe United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit,\u201d former US President Trump said in his first tweet of 2018. \u201cThey give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan\u2026No more!\u201d<\/p>\n Aditya Nayak ”\u00a0 #USABetrayedIndia.\u00a0 I am not at all surprised by USA sending F16 fighter jets to Pakistan.USA has never been a trustworthy country. Recently there is Rajiv Malhotra’s book which talks about how Harvard University is contaminating Bharat through AFRO DALIT and Critical race theory.”<\/p>\n #USABetrayedIndia<\/a> — Aditya Nayak (@adityavnayak) November 1, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n
I am not at all surprised by USA sending F16 fighter jets to Pakistan.USA has never been a trustworthy country.Recently there is Rajiv Malhotra's book which talks about how Harvard University is contaminating Bharat through AFRO DALIT and Critical race theory. pic.twitter.com\/UKDevZxUSD<\/a><\/p>\n