Indian Americans rally to block F-16s sale to Pakistan

[Neo]

Indian Americans rally to block F-16s sale to Pakistan

IANS, Apr 6, 2010

NEW DELHI: A group of prominent Indian Americans, led by noted physician Sudhir Parikh, are lobbying hard to block Washington's sale of F-16 combat aircraft to Pakistan, drawing support from a large Congressional caucus.

"Our contention is the sals of F-16s to Pakistan will escalate the arms race in South Asia. This goes against US interests in the region and the world at large," said the New Jersey-based asthma and allergy specialist and publisher, here to receive the Padma Shri from President Pratibha Patil.

"We feel it is also not advisable to sell these aircraft to Pakistan since the US wants a peaceful transition in Afghanistan where it counts both Pakistan and India as key allies," Parikh, who runs as many as 28 clinics in the US, told IANS in an interview.

"India today is a major growing power -- a super power in the making. I am sure the US sees India as an ally and will not seek to upset the Indian people," he said, adding this was the factor that helped clinch the US-India civilian nuclear deal.

Parikh said representation has already been made to the bi-partisan India caucus, which is the largest country-specific pressure group in the US Congress with 172 members from both the US Senate and the House of Representatives.

Parikh, co-founder of the Indian American Political Forum and publisher of four Indian newspapers in the US, said the India Caucus has warned the Barack Obama administration that sale of these aircraft to Pakistan, that can deliver nuclear weapons, will send rather ominous signals.

The Caucus believes that the deliveries of F-16s, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, will send a clear message to the Government of India that the US administration has made its strategic choice in South Asia -- and that choice is Pakistan.

Co-chaired by Washington-Democrat Jim McDermott and California-Republican Ed Royce, the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, as it is formally called, is a powerful forum that advances the country's interests in the US polity.

Even though there is no official communication, a recent report in The New York Times cited administration officials as saying Pakistan was likely to get swifter deliveries of F-16s, naval frigates and remotely piloted aircraft for surveillance missions.
Similar reports from Islamabad suggest the US has cleared the supply of high-tech laser-guided bomb kits, surveillance drones and F-16 fighters to enhance Pakistan military's capability against the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the restive tribal areas along its border with Afghanistan.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/w...ow/5766357.cms

[Neo]

"Our contention is the sals of F-16s to Pakistan will escalate the arms race in South Asia. This goes against US interests in the region and the world at large," said the New Jersey-based asthma and allergy specialist and publisher, here to receive the Padma Shri from President Pratibha Patil.

18 F-16's will escalate the arms race in South Asia where India is planning to spend $200 billion on arms in next decade?
This Jersey-based asthma and allergy specialist should have her brains checked out!

[Neo]

"We feel it is also not advisable to sell these aircraft to Pakistan since the US wants a peaceful transition in Afghanistan where it counts both Pakistan and India as key allies," Parikh, who runs as many as 28 clinics in the US, told IANS in an interview.

No, not both India and Pakistan but Pakistan only is US' key ally in a peaceful transition of Afghanistan, India is a "wannabe". She's clearly been told that there's no role for her to play in this transition.

[Neo]

The Caucus believes that the deliveries of F-16s, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, will send a clear message to the Government of India that the US administration has made its strategic choice in South Asia -- and that choice is Pakistan.

Time to wake up and smell the coffee...F-16's are almost ready to be shipped to Pakistan with more deliveries in the pipeline.

[vinod2070]

Originally Posted by Neo

No, not both India and Pakistan but Pakistan only is US' key ally in a peaceful transition of Afghanistan, India is a "wannabe". She's clearly been told that there's no role for her to play in this transition.

I am sure you felt a lot better after writing this. We all know who is a wannabe. Who runs around the world demanding parity.

Hint: Its not India.

They are right in doing this. They are not demanding a halt to civilian aid and building schools that will help Pakistan stop the terrorist production factories. Why should their tax dollars go in sustaining terrorism in South Asia?

[Neo]

Originally Posted by vinod2070

I am sure you felt a lot better after writing this. We all know who is a wannabe. Who runs around the world demanding parity.

Hint: Its not India.

Did you mis the context mate? My comment is regarding Afghanistan where India has no strategic role to play, game is over. Better pack and leave.

They are right in doing this. They are not demanding a halt to civilian aid and building schools that will help Pakistan stop the terrorist production factories. Why should their tax dollars go in sustaining terrorism in South Asia?

Hypocrites, they ignore the massive Indian build up near Pakistani border and they're complaining about a handful jets that might trigger an arms race. Some Indian logic!

[vinod2070]

Originally Posted by Neo

Did you mis the context mate? My comment is regarding Afghanistan where India has no strategic role to play, game is over. Better pack and leave.

That is what you think. Not what we think.

The game is not over by any means! Keep checking for updates.

Hypocrites, they ignore the massive Indian build up near Pakistani border and they're complaining about a handful jets that might trigger an arms race. Some Indian logic!

Well, the difference is that whenever Pakistan has got such weapons, the generals have indulged in misadventure and promoting terror.

This is an unsustainable game for you. If you think about it deeply, they are only helping you come out of this useless game of keeping up militarily with India.

[Neo]

You keep pushing your neighbors into an arms race, at the same time you continue to beg the world to stop selling arms to Pakistan. If you think you can succeed, be my guest, do all you can to block any arms deals. But don't get the impression that we will accept Indian dominance or become a satellite state. You can continue to live in the past and use old rhetoric to play the victom but its not enough. No one believes you anymore. Pakistan will get new weapons and a lots of them. Check for the updates from time to time indeed.

[vinod2070]

Originally Posted by Neo

You keep pushing your neighbors into an arms race, at the same time you continue to beg the world to stop selling arms to Pakistan.

Well, we doing what we can to make you understand that it is a folly for you to get into an arms race with an economy an order of magnitude larger and growing rapidly. We hope the reality dawns on you one day.

If you think you can succeed, be my guest, do all you can to block any arms deals. But don't get the impression that we will accept Indian dominance or become a satellite state. You can continue to live in the past and use old rhetoric to play the victom but its not enough. No one believes you anymore. Pakistan will get new weapons and a lots of them. Check for the updates from time to time indeed.

You may not become an Indian satellite state. But have you not become the satellite state of USA/China/Saudis... already because of this overly militaristic mindset of a security state?

Don't just answer me, think about this for yourself.

I am not sure who is living in the past. We are looking ahead, not to a 7th century desert for inspiration. There is no victim card, just a fierce desire to move on and not be confined to the region. You will see the fruits of our efforts as you have already seen in the last two decades.

Basically Pakistan will have to get rid of the useless parity mindset and think about making its own place in the world, independent of India's shadows.

Have you ever seen any other country demand parity with any other? Heck even do you demand parity with any other neighbor (Afghanistan/Iran/China)? You need to get out of the India obsession to start with and then move from there.