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From: Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 7:41 AM To: Beowulf Subject: PLAYING MORE POLITICS WITH PAKI F-16s--KNOCK IT OFF! Once again, both the mediots and their pals in the Democratic Party show their outstanding ignorance. First of all, they don't even mention the deal for delivery of F-16C/D Block 52 aircraft slated for 2009-2010, as I have shown below. Ignorance. Second, the media failed to do ANY research and are just regurgitating old news about embargoed aircraft. It took me only long enough to type in Pakistan F-16 on Google and find the info I needed to show that they have been supplied with Operational Capability Upgrades (OCUs), other partial mods, and even the ability to carry advanced European targeting pods. The Democrats are idiots, as well. They think that dictating where the money is spent is the right way to go, and yet they blame Bush for all of the foreign policy disasters. Look at the highlighted text. On the one hand, they tell you that they doing this because they don't want the money spent on F-16s not being using to go after border-crossing Taliban, yet they turn right around and say that they are going to give other money to Pakistan in food aid and other benefits--and that this all allows Pakistan to set its own priorities. HUH???? Did the editors of this piece actually read what was written here?? Pakistan has something of a valid point about not going after gomers on the ground with F-16s and creating incidents that only turn people against them and for the Taliban. Even we often have trouble with this, and the Pakistanis do not have our level of experience and the technology to check multiple sources before pursuing an attack. What is not mentioned because the politicians don't want it known and the mediots are too stupid to figure out on their own, is that these planes are considered vital by Pakistan to fend off Indian jets in any potential fight. If Pakistan finds itself overwhelmed by Indian jets in any such fight, they are much more likely to trigger the nuclear option. It is a deterrent and, for them, a very big issue. Don't agree to sell them planes, if you are not going to support them and make them worth the effort. You can't have it both ways, and trying to do so only makes us look like fools who can't hold to an agreement. Keep doing this thing of reneging on promises and other allies will lose confidence in us. We tried to sell India F-16s, to wean them off of the Russians and to make them on par with the Pakistanis, and they were wise enough to tell us to keep our jets. They know that they will be used as political footballs and tools of blackmail. Who would want that? If we don't provide the money, Pakistan will find another way. The planes are that important to their national defense and they will find a way to fund them--or they will replace them with something else, where we not only lose all influence and control, but also lose sales of aircraft and support equipment. Try selling the F-35 and distributing the costs if you continue to do this with the F-16. How arrogant of Biden (which is his middle name) to assert that this is a big favor to the Pakistanis. "This legislation represents a bold new strategy for Pakistan," said committee chairman Democratic Senator Joseph Biden. Who are we to dictate their national strategy, and why does this clown think that this is something that he can speak to? Then we have the other fools, saying this: "This will help Pakistan set its own spending priorities while preserving US military aid for its intended purpose -- counterterrorism activities against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Just how does dictating what a country can spend its money on help them set their own spending priorities? These people are so clueless that it isn't even close to being funny. Besides, if memory serves me correctly, we have used few F-16s up in the border mountain region of Afghanistan because the planes do not carry that much ordnance at those altitudes. The F-15E, the B-1 and the B-52, along with the A-10, F/a-18, and USMC AV-8B/RAF GR.9 Harriers are usually the delivery platforms that I read about in reports of air-to-ground actions in Afghanistan. They are much better at lower levels and used in other parts of the country, and mostly in Iraq. The only place that Pakistan would be able to use the F-16s against ground troops and still have an impact in this fight, is if they did it up in the same mountains on their side of the border. Most of what the Pakistani F-16s are meant to do is serve as interceptors against intruding Indian jets. We know that. That's what we sell them to them for. Now, if some pinhead Democrat who doesn't even know which end of the F-16 to point down a runway wants to come in and play politics, fine, but don't expect me to have any respect for them. They are idiots and they are meddling fools who only undermine nuclear security in the region. If Pakistan doesn't have reliable interceptors, they are much more likely to disperse their nuclear missile launchers. That not only makes the more tempting to "use or lose" but it gets them out of secure facilities where Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives have a much better chance of hijacking them. Ron http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article3.html Block 15OCU Belgian Air Force block 20 MLU. The block 20 can be distinguished by the birdslicers. These are part of the indiginous IFF system. (Luis Rosa photo) 214 aircraft from Block 15Y onwards received upgraded systems starting late-1987. Designated Block 15OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade), these aircraft are powered by the more reliable F100-PW-220 turbofan. These aircraft also have structural strengthening and are provided with the enlarged HUD that was first introduced on the F-16C/D. Also incorporated are the capability to fire the Norwegian Penguin Mk.3 anti-shipping missile (built by Kongsberg, US designation AGM-119) and the AGM-65, provisions for the AIM-120 AMRAAM, radar altimeter, expanded computer capacity, data transfer unit, wide-angle HUD, AN/APX-101 IFF, Tracor AN/ALE-40 chaff/flare dispenser and provisions for the AN/ALQ-131 ECM pod. These modifications increased the max. TO weight to 37,500lbs (17,010kg). The first Block 15OCU was delivered in January 1988, and from 1988 onwards, all Block 15's were built to OCU specifications. ============================================= http://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article14.html 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. Finally, after long series of negotiations, on September 30th, 2006 the contract was signed between the Pakistani and US government for the acquisition of 18 new F-16C/D block 52 aircraft and an option for another 18 more. In the deal the re-delivery of the 26 remaining Peace Gate III/IV aircraft was also agreed and the upgrade of those aircraft - and the remaining F-16A/B fleet - to MLU standards. PAF Inventory Program Model Block Qty. Serials Delivered Peace Gate I F-16A Block 15 (2) 82701/82702 1983 F-16B Block 15 (4) 82601/82604 1983 Peace Gate II F-16A Block 15 (26) 83703, 84704/84719, 85720/85728 1983-1987 F-16B Block 15 (8) 82605, 84606/84608, 85609/85612 1983-1987 Peace Gate III F-16A block 15OCU (6) 91729, 92730/92734 embargoed F-16B Block 15OCU (5) 91613, 92614/92617 embargoed Peace Gate IV F-16A Block 15OCU (7) 92735/92739, 93740/93741 embargoed F-16B Block 15OCU (10) 92618, 93619/93621, 94622/94624, 95625/95627 embargoed F-16A Block 15OCU (4) 1 9_742/9_782 stop-work F-16B Block 15OCU (2) 9_628/9_629 stop-work New Order F-16C Block 52 (12 ?) 2009-2010 F-16D Block 52 (6 ?) 2009-2010 Option F-16C/D Block 52 (18 ?) 2009-2010 Modifications The Pakistan Air Force currently has the Block 15 F-16A/B model in operation, which has an upgraded APG-66 radar that brings it close to the MLU (Mid-life Update) radar technology. The main advantage is the ability to use the AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles if they were ever to be released to the PAF. Furthermore, the radar is capable of sorting out tight formations of aircraft and has a 15%-20% range increase over previous models. All the earlier F-16s were brought up to OCU standards and have received the Falcon UP structural modification package. ================================ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080730/pl_afp/uspakistanmilitaryattacks_080730 024156;_ylt=AhFfx7HXDvweEDrDseDJGHqsOrgF US Congress acts to suspend bid to upgrade Pakistan fighter fleet Tue Jul 29, 10:41 PM ET WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US Congress moved to suspend a bid by President George W. Bush's administration to shift millions of dollars in aid to Pakistan from counter-terrorism programs to upgrading Islamabad's F-16 fighter jets. "We have requested a hold on the administration's planned reprogramming pending additional information," a joint statement by Democratic lawmakers Howard Berman and Nita Lowey, who head key panels in the House of Representatives said Tuesday. "We are concerned that the administration's proposal to use military assistance to pay for the F-16 upgrades will divert funds from more effective counterterrorism tools like helicopters, TOW missiles, and night-vision goggles," said Berman, chairman of the House foreign affairs committee, and Lowey, chairwoman of the appropriations subcommittee on foreign programs. The White House said last week that it wanted to shift 230 million dollars in aid to Pakistan from counter-terrorism programs to upgrading Pakistan's aging F-16 fighter jets. The move, it said, was aimed at easing fiscal pressures faced by the Pakistani government stemming partly from soaring food and energy costs. US lawmakers were reportedly angered by the move. They felt that Pakistan did not use its F-16s in support of the campaign against fighters in its remote tribal areas out of a fear that civilian casualties could fuel support for extremists. US President George W. Bush held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday focused on cooperation to fight Taliban and Al-Qaeda extremists and easing Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions. Gilani, whose new government has been facing intense US pressure to crack down on Pakistan-based militants, told reporters after the meeting that Pakistan was committed to fighting extremists. The package for the F-16 fighters would run about two-thirds of the 300 million dollars that Pakistan will get this year in US aid for military equipment and training, the Times said. The 2008 fiscal year state and foreign operations bill that passed Congress last December specifically required that military aid to Pakistan be used for counter-terrorism and law enforcement activities directed against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, according to lawmakers Berman and Lowey. The hold requested by the legislature would "provide time for Congress to make a more considered judgment in consultation with the administration and the government of Pakistan," their statement said. Requests for a hold by lawmakers are usually abided by the administration, congressional aides said. Berman and Lowey also said that they were proposing that Congress provide 200 million dollars in economic assistance to Islamabad to relieve some of Pakistan's budgetary constraints. "This will help Pakistan set its own spending priorities while preserving US military aid for its intended purpose -- counterterrorism activities against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban." "We are committed to helping Pakistan's new democratic government address the current economic crisis, brought on by rising food and fuel prices, which has impacted its ability to fund its F-16 upgrades," the lawmakers said. Meanwhile, a key US Senate panel unanimously passed a bill Tuesday tripling non-military aid to Pakistan and sustaining it over at least five years. The legislation, which cleared the Senate foreign relations committee, authorizes 7.5 billion dollars over five years in aid that can be used for development purposes, such as building schools, roads and clinics. "This legislation represents a bold new strategy for Pakistan," said committee chairman Democratic Senator Joseph Biden. The bill also imposes greater accountability on security assistance to improve Pakistani counterterrorism capabilities. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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