'US provoking arms race in South Asia’(says BJP)

NEW DELHI, MARCH 29: The US is provoking an arms race in South Asia with the F-16 aircraft deal with Pakistan and at the same time offering F-16 and F-18 aircraft to India, alleged BJP.

The party also expressed “great disappointment” at the PMO and the MEA talking in different voices on the US-Pak F-16 deal.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh said, “The US is provoking an arms race in South Asia so that the commercial interests of that country’s ‘military-industrial complex’ are fulfilled.” He warned that India and other nations in South Asia should not “fall into this spiral”.

Saying that the deal had great implications for Indo-Pak relations, he also said that Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf’s “one-statement-a-day” on issues such as Kargil, Siachen and so on will create many obstacles. Mr Musharraf is expected to arrive in India on April 17 for the one-day cricket match between India and Pakistan.

Reacting to US secretary of state Condeleezza Rice’s remarks that it was alright to supply F-16s to Pakistan as Indo-Pak ties were improving, Mr Singh said that this was a “strange proposition”.

“Why should the US supply F-16s to Pakistan if ties are improving” he asked, adding that the US has been very “patronising” in its attitude towards India.

Further, as successive US administrations had held the deal in abeyance since the eighties on grounds of ‘WMD proliferation’ and ‘terrorism promotion’ by Pakistan, he said that US has to clarify on what progress Pakistan had made on these two fronts. He pointed out the AQ Khan issue, Iran, North Korea and other such matters where Pakistan’s involvement in nuclear proliferation was public knowledge, and asked how F-16s would help Pakistan in checking WMD proliferation or in fighting terrorism.

Mr Singh said that defence minister Pranab Mukerjee has to clarify on the security implications of the supply of F-16s to Pakistan and also on the decision to “consider” F-18s. On the necessity of India purchasing F-16 and F-18 aircraft, Mr Singh said that the the IAF’s current and future aircraft profile and needs are important security issues and of grave complexity, impinging upon the nation’s global needs.

Govt views on F-16s discordant, says Jaswant

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

Posted online: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 at 0239 hours IST

NEW DELHI, MACRH 29: The BJP today came out strongly against the US decision to supply F-16 fighters to Pakistan with former External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh saying the offer to sell similar planes to India would promote an arms race in the region. He accused the government of airing ‘‘discordant’’ views on the issue.

‘‘The government’s handling of the issue has much to be desired. The government is speaking in discordant voices and does not have a well considered approach,’’ said the senior BJP leader.

While the Prime Minister had expressed ‘‘great disappointment’’ on the F-16 deal to Pakistan, he said, the MEA had conveyed a different message. Even yesterday, he added, the PM said he ‘‘did not know what is being offered to India’’.

Singh termed as ‘‘illogical’’ and a ‘‘strange proposition’’ the argument of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that the supply of fighters was being resumed as relations between India and Pakistan were improving.

Singh said there was nothing to stop Washington and Islamabad from developing a military relationship, but he wanted the US to first tell the world what had changed to make it resume supplies of F-16s to Pakistan. The delivery of F-16s, he added, had been withheld by the US mainly on the grounds of proliferation of WMDs and ‘‘terrorism-promotion’’ by Pakistan. ‘‘The US State Department, therefore, needs to now let the world, particularly India, know about the improvement that has been demonstrated by Pakistan, notwithstanding A.Q. Khan, Iran, North Korea and such other matters being public knowledge.’’

Singh objected to utterances by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf ahead of his visit to India, adding that the BJP had ‘‘apprehensions’’ over the tour. ‘‘Only 20 days are left for Musharraf’s visit and he is repeatedly making certain statements which include remarks on Kargil and using F-16 issue as a symbol of power.’’

http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=67401

"Further, as successive US administrations had held the deal in abeyance since the eighties on grounds of ‘WMD proliferation’ and ‘terrorism promotion’ by Pakistan, he said that US has to clarify on what progress Pakistan had made on these two fronts."

Actually, if there is such an information gap and there's no reason to keep the information confined to narrow defense cooperation channels, that seems to be a reasonable enough demand on the part of Mr. Singh. ...that, and under the same condition, information on what F-16s can be good for under Musharraf.

The mention of “patronising,” though, appears to be a public political utterance intended to recall former times and another nation.

It sounds like war profiteering to me. Even if there is no war being fought. It is creating areas increased possibility of conflict. More weapons in a dangerous neighborhood isn't going to make the neighborhood more peaceful, especially between such intractable enemies.

What scare me the most is where these arms races are taking place. They are taking place in some of the smallest geographic area. The speed of a missile or plane can easily traverse these distance and strike an enemy without warning. Decision time is cut down to just minutes, perhaps even seconds. An example, a cruise missile launch from either side of the Taiwan strait or one launch from either side of the Indian/Pakistan border. How long could a Indian or Pakistani pilot fly into an enemies territory before being noticed? T

The Soviets and the US had to some degree strict protocols on giving one another notice on missile tests or any accidents, and the chains of command were clear. In these situations, in the next hour they could be at war, no chain of events which would give time to step down. Just bamm, you are at war.

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