Pakistani F-16/FC-1 controversy:

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The Pakistani F-16/FC-1 controversy

Question:
Why would the US, and how can the US, interfere in the Sino-Pakistani FC-1 commitments (contractual commitments) when technology-wise, the FC-1 is deemed so much more inferior to anything western or to anything that flies in the part of Asia it’s intended on servicing??? (Area below in green fonts)

Story as follow:

Belgium considering Pak request for F-16s

By Zia Iqbal Shahid

BRUSSELS: Belgium officially confirmed on Monday that Pakistan has made a formal request to provide up to two squadrons of F-16 fighter planes and the Belgian defence ministry, in its initial response, seems “inclined to oblige Pakistan by providing the required number”.

Belgium Defence Minister Andre Flahaut has reportedly expressed his optimism that there would be no problem in selling F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. Belgium had bought the F-16 planes from the US and the contract stipulated that Belgium could only sell them with the approval of the US. “The dossier (F-16) has not yet been examined, therefore, we have not initiated consultation with the US as yet,” the Belgian defence minister is reported as saying.

According to a report, leaders of a Belgian political party, Flemish Greens, have expressed their reservations on the proposal of selling fighter jets to Pakistan as they believe that F-16s could be deployed carrying nuclear warheads. “In the light of the tension between Pakistan and India the sale of F-16s to Pakistan would be unacceptable,” the Flemish Greens party has told the Belgian government.

The Belgian government will have to consult other EU member states before seeking permission from the US administration for the F-16 sale deal with Pakistan. Defence experts in Brussels have indicated that Pakistan made a formal request to the Belgian government to provide F-16 jets after informally consulting some important members of the US administration.

“It is unlikely that the Americans would have a problem with Belgium selling its F-16s to Pakistan. Americans are very pleased with President Pervez Musharraf and they always applaud his role in the fight against al-Qaeda,” the defence specialist of the coalition SPA (Flemish Socialists), Dirk der Maelen reported as telling the Belgian government.

Maelen, however, insists that before taking the decision to sell F-16s to Pakistan, the Belgian government will have to carefully examine the situation in South Asia, simultaneously agreeing to the notion that the threat of a war in South Asia had decreased enormously since last year.

“Defence experts in Brussels see no problem in getting American permission for selling Belgian F-16s to Pakistan, as such a deal would prevent Pakistan from buying, “Thunder”, a possible alternate from China, which the US administration had already been opposing during her contacts with Pakistan. “The US administration does not want Pakistan to think of buying Thunder from China,therefore Washington would facilitate Islamabad’s F-16 deal with Brussels,” a defence expert in Brussels added.

(Credit due: tigershark; CMF site.)

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