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| India-Pakistan |
| US arms supplies to Pak under fire from Democrat Berman |
| 2008-09-15 |
| (PTI) With the US pushing through a broad array of foreign weapons deals, a leading Democrat has slammed the Bush Administration's arms sale policy arguing that military supplies to Pakistan were doing more to stoke tension with India than combat terrorism, a media report said. As part of its policy, the administration seeks to re-arm Iraq and Afghanistan, contain North Korea and Iran and solidify ties with onetime Russian allies, The New York Times reported today. Howard L Berman of California, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, who sponsored a bill passed in May to overhaul the arms export process, was quoted as saying that American military sales, while often well-intended, were sometimes misguided. He cited military sales to Pakistan, which he said he feared were doing more to stoke tension with India than combat terrorism in the region. Recently, Berman along with Nita Lowey, Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programmes Representatives, moved to suspend the release of nearly USD 230 million in counter-terrorism funds by the Bush Administration for upgrades to Pakistan's ageing F-16 fighter-jet fleet. They reportedly asked the Bush administration not to shift USD 226.5 million in anti-terrorism aid to the Pakistan military as they feared the plan would impede efforts to stop terrorism and that they needed more time to study it. Berman was quoted as saying by the Times today that he supported many of the individual weapons sales, like helping Iraq build the capacity to defend itself, but he worried that the sales blitz could have some negative effects. "This could turn into a spiralling arms race that in the end could decrease stability," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 There's no F-16 subs in his district? Somebody in AF procurement is headed for Iraq. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-09-15 15:38 |
| #2 I do too, YS. Unfortunately, you and I don't have much say. Personally, I would tell Pakistan that we're suddenly out of money, and we're going to have to "delay" any further military sales until we can control the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. In the meantime, sell India anything it wants, cash on the barrelhead. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-09-15 15:36 |
| #1 I actually agree with Berman on this. |
| Posted by: Yosemite Sam 2008-09-15 11:19 |