Administration notifies Congress of five billion-dollar arms deal

[deminks]

http://www.whbf.com/Global/story.asp?S=5098566&nav=0zGo

WASHINGTON The Bush administration has quietly notified Congress that it's approved the sale of 18 new F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. The planes are part of a five (b) billion-dollar weapons deal.

The package includes an option to purchase another 18 F-16 fighter jets, an offer to modernize 26 used aircraft already in Pakistan's arsenal, as well as logistical and other support.

It coincides with an administration drive in Congress for endorsement of nuclear cooperation with India, a historic rival of Pakistan. But a State Department spokeswoman says the action is unrelated.

[sweetheart]

1. Arms proliferation to known terrorist states

Wow, the "morals" of the republicans are lower than snakes assholes.

[Grey]

2. Lord of War..... n/t

[serryjw]

3. Which campaign donor makes these F-16's??

Boeing or Lockheed Martin?

[54anickel]

9. Lockheed Martin. n/t

[serryjw]

10. RFLOL!!!! Why am I surprised

It's election time!

[54anickel]

11. Here's how the Pakistani press is reporting it

http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/29/top9.htm

WASHINGTON, June 28: The US administration plans to officially notify the Congress within 24 hours of its intention to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, according to official sources.

They told Dawn once the notification was issued, the Congress would have 30 days to reject the offer but if it failed to do so, the deal would be considered endorsed.

snip>

The US administration, however, has also been fostering better relations with India since President Bush’s first term. In March, President Bush signed an agreement to sell civilian nuclear technology to India but turned down a similar request by Pakistan.

On Tuesday, while US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Islamabad, a key panel of the US Congress endorsed the proposed nuclear deal, clearing the way for its final approval by the full house.

The move to send an official notification to the Congress for the proposed F-16 deal seems aimed at placating Pakistan’s concerns stirred up by the initial congressional endorsement for the Indo-US nuclear agreement.

Pakistan could have received the aircraft earlier but after last year’s devastating earthquake, Islamabad delayed the plan to buy the F-16s, saying that it wanted to focus its resources on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas destroyed in the calamity.

more...

How many you ask? As many as they want.

[bigluckyfeet]

15. Is This One Of Those Deal

Where the US taxpayers pay for the planes?

[54anickel]

16. Heh-heh, could be. The last time we sold them F-16s, there was an

embargo, of course they were already built and ready to go, so after paying for storage and maintenance, the US taxpayers bought them instead.

http://www.f-16.net/news_article1197.html

Pakistan's last order for 71 F-16's was stopped at a production total of 28 which were embargoed and stored. Only recently was that money returned to Pakistan and the 28 aircraft were sent to the USAF and USN. Before the aircraft were embargoed, 40 F-16's were built and delivered to Pakistan. Of these only about 30 are still in service.


Interesting saga of Pakistan's embargoed F-16 linked on that page as well. Funny, on that page it states we agreed to sell them F-16 last March:

On March 25th, 2005, the US Government announced that it had agreed to Pakistan's request to sell new F-16s. Initially, Pakistan has requested an additional 24 new Block 50/52 F-16C/Ds (with option for as much as 55 aircraft). Not much details are known at this moment about a possible sale of the aircraft to Pakistan. The deal is expected to be concluded by September or October of 2005. As part of the package, it was also agreed that the current fleet of older A/B models would get the MLU update.

As a sign of good gesture, the US agreed to supply Pakistan with a number of F-16s who where build under the Peace Gate III/IV programs. Up to now 2 have already been delivered.

[MissWaverly]

4. I hope they act like they have oversight

He's hypnotized them into believing that they're dancing chickens or something. I hope they
snap out of it and do their job before he gets us all blown up.

Article II

1. SECTION. 2...
He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur;

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/constitution/details_explanation.php?link=069&const=02_art_02

[MadMaddie]

5. So is this Treason yet?

What will it take....

[jazzjunkysue]

6. I've heard cocaine addicts will do anything for money.

I'm just sayin'.

[spag68]

7. F-16

is a great plane, but we might as well sell them.The new updated latest greatest billion dollar plane is in the wings. Supposedly able to dogfight 6 or 8 "enemy" at a time. Someday the world might wake and try peace or maybe we all go BOOM. At the very least the US should adopt peace as the best option as opposed to war. I thought when the dna proved we were all basically the some it would happen. Always the optimist.

[54anickel]

8. WTF is he thinking, er scratch that...wtf is he doing? Oh and Congress

has 30 days to to accept or reject the sale. Right, how much you wanna be the notification was done quietly cuz it's already a done deal. :argh:

[soothsayer]

12. Oh good, OBL can get one, since he's hiding out there and they

won't tell us where, last I heard

[jimshoes]

13. Can bushco make deals like this

without the OK of Congress? Is the USA just chimpy's own privately run business?

[BrotherBuzz]

14. Once notified, Congress would have 30 days to reject the offer

I can already hear the 'approved' rubber stamp being pulled out of the drawer.

[54anickel]

17. Or they fail to come to an agreement to reject the offer - them it's still

a done deal. So it they haggle, drag their feet and never agree to reject - no big deal. I'd be willing to bet that's how it goes down.

[BrotherBuzz]

18. I think you're right...

after reflecting a bit more, I can accept that that's exactly how it will go down. I'll even speculate it will never even come to a vote, so there will be no voting record baggage to haunt anyone during the midterm elections. No harm, no foul.

[54anickel]

21. Don't cha just hate having to be so cynical. I put nothing past this

mal-administration, nothing at all anymore. Whatever is politically expedient and evokes the "proper" image.

[OneBlueSky]

19. let's spread them killing machines all over the planet . . .

yessir . . . it'll sure make us all safer, don'tcha think? . . .

[TexasLawyer]

20. We're just rewarding a successful Democracy...

a Democracy that promotes peace in the region.

Oh wait, I forgot "President" Musharraf is actually "General" Musharraf, who took over Pakistan in a military coup. And, oh wait, Pakistan gave Dr. A. Q. Khan a small slap on the wrist for spreading nuclear weapons technology to any rogue nation that could cough up the money.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Lt_General_Musharaf.jpg

[Bush_MUST_Go]

23. Didn't Condi just inform Musharaff that we expect them to hold elections?

What's bush going to say when Pakistan follows Iran's lead & elects an Anti-American anti-democracy govt?

[Norquist Nemesis]

22. ummm...Isn't that selling national security secrets to a foreign

government? :shrug: