Friday, March 25, 2005
Selling F-16's to Pakistan
While we are on the topic of aviation, I might as well let you know that the U.S. just announced that it is going to sell two dozen F-16 fighters to Pakistan, never mind what Larry Pressler thinks. No real surprise there. Unlike several other analysts, I don't think this sale does anything to upset the conventional balance of power on the sub-continent, especially since India is on the verge of making a mega purchase of 125 advanced jet fighters. To soften the blow for India, the U.S. has offered it both F-16's and F-18's, as I understand it. The added bonus being that India can manufacture the F-16's in India, which will mean significant technology transfer.
To me, the more interesting question is what the U.S. is upto vis-a-vis stability on the sub-continent. During her visit to Asia, Condi Rice was doing her damndest to scuttle the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. As I see it, the pipeline could potentially be one of the biggest guarantors of peace on the sub-continent. Pakistan will earn substantial amounts of money from rights-of-way revenue from the pipeline. Therefore, they have strong incentive to keep the peace. Effectively, the U.S. is trying to scuttle an excellent guarantor of peace and at the same time, trying to sell the exact same weapons systems to the two parties involved.
At this point, the US's rhetoric about maintaining stability on the sub-continent rings a bit hollow. This is as good a time as any to revisit Atanu's excellent essay on dollar auctions and deadly games.
To me, the more interesting question is what the U.S. is upto vis-a-vis stability on the sub-continent. During her visit to Asia, Condi Rice was doing her damndest to scuttle the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. As I see it, the pipeline could potentially be one of the biggest guarantors of peace on the sub-continent. Pakistan will earn substantial amounts of money from rights-of-way revenue from the pipeline. Therefore, they have strong incentive to keep the peace. Effectively, the U.S. is trying to scuttle an excellent guarantor of peace and at the same time, trying to sell the exact same weapons systems to the two parties involved.
At this point, the US's rhetoric about maintaining stability on the sub-continent rings a bit hollow. This is as good a time as any to revisit Atanu's excellent essay on dollar auctions and deadly games.
