CAT1, From what I’m told, Iran is tightly in control of its border region with Afghanistan and less so in its own Baluchistan province where it has faced several insurgencies and which is aslo extremely sparsely populated. The US wants coastal access as well, so only Pakistan can do. Secondly, the US already has a significant number of assets inside Pakistani bases and wants the use of airstrips for intel types of work.

Anyway, you are perfectly fine to be skeptical about what I said, but what you cannot be skeptical about is that the US doesn’t reverse a 15 year old policy and offer major rewards for nothing.

Yahoo/H-177, I think you should stick to discussing with your level 😉

Wolffy, Do you think it was a coincidence that Pakistan just sent its centrifuges to IAEA after years of refusal just as the F-16s were announced? There’s no free lunch. Just wait a few months. We’ll know 😉

BTW here’s an editorial from Pakistan’s Daily Times:

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_27-3-2005_pg3_1

Meanwhile, one important issue relates to what quid pro quo Pakistan might possibly have offered the US to get the coveted F-16s. Just days ahead of the visit to Pakistan of Ms Rice, the federal information minister, Sheikh Rashid, said that Dr AQ Khan had sold centrifuges to Iran. The statement came out of the blue. Later the government tried to downplay it by saying that Mr Rashid had merely stated what was already known. It was a lame explanation at best because Mr Rashid ended up officially confirming for the first time the extent of Dr Khan’s help to Iran. Neither does it seem like a coincidence that an official statement about Pakistan planning to hand over some “obsolete” centrifuges to the International Atomic Energy Agency has synced with news of the Bush administration agreeing to sell F-16s to Pakistan. Mr Rashid’s statement that centrifuges have no connection with F-16s is welcome but unfortunately isn’t too credible. Perhaps that formed part of discussions between Ms Rice and President Musharraf. Similarly, the official spokesperson’s clarification that handing over centrifuges to the IAEA will have no impact on Pakistan’s nuclear programme may be correct but fudges the fact that Pakistan has been steadily forced on the back-foot since February 2004 when the Dr Khan affair reached its highpoint. The red lines that Pakistan had placed on the issue after Dr Khan’s apology have long been crossed.

The question that was asked then, and remains relevant to wit, is whether Pakistan is part of the dragnet that the US is planning to throw around Iran. If so, it is worth asking whether getting 24 F-16s is such a good deal. Equally, we should not underestimate the intrinsic value of the US-Pakistan relationship since 9/11 to both countries in which Pakistan has arguably got a good deal that has enabled it to pull itself out of a serious economic and political trough.

CAT1,

There are thousands of F-16s in operation today, almost all of them manufactured in LM plants in the US.

It may be that PAF plans to order 24+40 or whatever the initial number is. But the US has made it clear that it is up to PAF to order more and if they do, they will get it.

Let me put it this way – you have $700 million in US aid going to Pakistan every year plus around a billion in recoup. It is not intended to subsidize Pakistan’s purchases from elsewhere.

Pakistan will surely buy the FC-1 but J-10 we will see.

Hey, atleast we have the ability to make them, unlike your painters 😉

Excellent. No bases to US for attack on Iran. And F-16’s coming soon. Congratulations to all fellow Pakistanis and thumbs up to the Americans for the goodwill gesture.

Pakistan Zindabad.

No bases? Says who? 😀 Just wait till Natantz gets bombed from the east.

And goodwill gesture? 😀 😀 😀 😀

That must be some strong koolaid man.

Sure BM, if that makes you happy. 🙂

The MNNA thing makes it simpler and what I descrobed IS the simpler process for MDE/SME. MNNA makes it ultra easy for smaller items like radios, ammo etc which don’t need any approval. But MNNA doesn’t mean Musharraf can call Bush and ask him to FedEx some F-16s overnight 😉

But rules are rules for big ticket items.

Golden Arrow care to post a news source for the engine difficulties a ‘Pak spokesman’ stated?

It was in a panel discussion with Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed and 2 others on Voice of America. Mr. Rasheed was on the phone and the interviewer asked him to explain his statement that the F-16s were critical for Pakistan to fill an urgent gap. He asked him why he said that when Pakistan will likely get the JF-17 from China earlier than any F-16 delivery could commence. Mr. Rasheed replied saying that the F-16s were a sure thing and “we are facing some engine issues with the JF-17 that is causing severe concern to us.” He added that the Americans have offered unlimited F-16s and because of that Pakistan need not worry about JF-17 problems. He added that PAF chief will make a decision on the exact number to order.

Block 52s for sure. Pak spokesman said today that the FC-1 program was in trouble because of “engine troubles” so this F-16s will be a godsend.

I’m told it will be 24 to 28 to start with and an option of 48 more. The offer essentially is open ended with no number limits.