Posted on 08/02/2013 5:16:01 PM PDT by Jyotishi
New Delhi: With the United States all set to withdraw from Afghanistan, alarm bells have begun to ring in New Delhi as reports indicate that a lot of arms being used by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) could end up with the Pakistani military.
The last time Pakistan received advanced weapons from the Americans in the 1980s, it led to the eruption of a terrorism movement in Kashmir. It is understood that New Delhi’s concerns have been communicated to US vice president Joe Biden who was on a state visit here last month.
India’s security establishment has been receiving steady reports that a large consignment of advanced arms is being claimed by Pakistan. On the cards are large consignments of night vision devices, sniper rifles, laser target designators for the Pakistan Air Force and counter-IED equipment. But what has alarmed New Delhi is a move by Pakistan to get weapon systems that don’t have anything to do with counter-terrorism.
Reports indicate that the United States is considering handing over AMRAAM air-to-air and sidewinder missiles as well as M-270 multiple launch rocket systems. It is believed that since these could come under strict export controls, the weapon systems will be first handed over to a friendly third country, which, in turn, will hand them over to Pakistan. While India has expressed its concern over transfer of such weapon systems, the United States has been non-committal to New Delhi on the issue.
Indian analysts believe that this is a worrying development but needs to be handled with maturity and not alarm. Washington is committed to resuming military aid to Pakistan under the Pakistan Counter Terrorism Fund (PCF) and the Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Capability Fund (PCCF). “Some of this equipment in Afghanistan could fall under either category setting it off against the committed value of aid already authorised by US Congress,” says Rana Banerji, former special secretary with R&AW and a noted Pakistan expert. “Both the Pakistan Army and the US want to repair the relationship which went sharply downhill after the Raymond Davis Affair in January 2011.” According to him, the visit by US secretary of state John Kerry could be a major resumption of a strategic dialogue between the United States and Pakistan.
Former ambassador to Afghanistan Vivek Katju is also circumspect about the developments. “Things have changed significantly since the 1980s and our conventional superiority against Pakistan is quite impressive. So if they get some weapons, it is worrying but we should not react without getting to understand the mechanics of any deal to transfer weapons.” According to Katju, the United States needs Pakistan desperately to ensure a peaceful withdrawal from Afghanistan next year. “The role of Pakistan is critical and in Pakistan the military is critical. So Washington needs to engage the military and keep them happy. This could be one such move,” he told dna.
The residual equipment needs to go to India. Through Kashmir. By force.
Oh dear God!! Obama is arming the entire Islamist world!! This is utter madness if true. Our country should be developing closer ties to India..not Pakistan!! Been saying it for years!
21st Century weapons in the hands of 7th Century savages. I don’t see any problems with this policy, do you? I mean they’ll take good care of them and only use them for defense, right?
Obama is arming the Muslim Brotherhood. The Libya route didn’t work as expected. This is the new one.
The U. S. has decent relations with India. In fact we moderated Pakistan for the better part of ten years. India benefited markedly for that.
Having good relations with both, helps us to be able to moderate between them more effectively. I think India understands that.
We’ve not taken bad actions against India. We’ve done a lot of outsourcing over there. I don’t see us as favoring Pakistan at all.
... or Syria.
“Obama is the Muslim Brotherhood. “
Fixed it for ya.
Anyone wanting on or off this ping list, please advise.
WE don’t, but obama does. And just like with Israel, he doesn’t care what WE think.
Dayummm...! Whatchyu worried about, bro..? Chill out...!
Thanks for your post. Big problem with your analysis though....Obama is in charge. He appears to be arming Islamists all over the ME. Why??
I feel as though I’ve been kicked in the stomach.
WHY won’t any Rs say/do anything about this? It must be stopped!
The plan my friend, the plan.
0bastard has dissed India, in contrast to Bush, for one thing. And Pakistan is a loathesome country stuffed with very radical Moslems. The very last thing the US gov should do is give OUR weaponry to Pakistan. Better to drop it into the Marianna trench! Well, better to sell it to decent countries or use it ourselves. But better to destroy it than give it to a hellhole like Paki.
Pakistan has a TV cleric giving away baby girls (read: brides)
Have you noticed him slighting India? He may have, but I’m not remembering it for now. Remember, in northwest India there is an Islamic presence.
Perhaps you’re remembering something I don’t concerning Kashmir.
Yeah -- that'll fix it...
Pakistan is a hellhole. I didn’t that detail. Pakistan should get nothing from the US but the pointy end of a stick.
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