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"Lend-lease" for Pakistan Army

Indrani Bagchi,  19 August 2009, 07:58 PM IST

How much will the US give out to keep Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari at his job? Zardari is hoping some big ticket military equipment might do the trick. This will keep the army happy and supportive and his opponents at bay.


India has alerted the US to a move by Zardari’s business cronies and some lobbyists to ask the Pentagon to sanction a unique "lend-lease" facility for military equipment for Pakistan army. This would be quite apart from the counter-insurgency equipment that the US already gives to Pakistan, which includes helicopters, night vision goggles etc.


For a US willing to "reward" Pakistan for a good job done, this could be tempting. Unlike an outright sale, it could be part of the US administration’s discretion, without going through stringent Congressional oversight and reporting requirements, which has coloured Washington’s aid package to Pakistan.


If the US agrees -- though there are no signs yet that it might -- it would be unprecedented, said diplomatic sources, monitoring developments between US and Pakistan.


The reason for the new arms wishlist from the US is rooted in the grime of Pakistani domestic politics. For the past few months, there appears to have been a campaign to cut out Zardari from the Pakistani political scene. PPP politicians have gone on record to express fears of a "minus-one" policy being worked out -- to remove Zardari from office by focusing on his corrupt ways and and endemjic corruption in the government.


Fauzia Wahab, Zardari’s aide and PPP spokesperson was quoted as saying, "The objective behind the campaign, launched by different elements, political and others, is to target and malign one man to get him dislodged… It was after our in-house, in-depth discussions, participated in by the President, that we reached a consensus that a premeditated move was underway to manage the exit of Zardari," she said.


While the political party has officially rallied around the president, and prime minister Gilani too appears to have resisted temptation, the move has prompted zardari to look at options to make himself more attractive to the army.


And presumably the best way of feeding the beast is by being a facilitator for arms supplies from Pakistan’s most willing supplier, the US. Helped by his lobbyists and business cronies in the US, Zardari, said sources in Washington, is planning to ask Washington to “lend” sophisticated military equipment. The only intended target is India.


India has asked the US to monitor military aid to Pakistan, particularly since Pakistan has used US counter-terror aid to buy conventional military equipment against India.


Between 2002 and 2008, these  include P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft; about 5,250 TOW anti-armor missiles; six AN/TPS-77 surveillance radars;  six C-130E transport aircraft and  20 AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters; as well as F-16 armaments including AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; 2,000-pound bombs; Harpoon anti-ship missiles and Sidewinder air-to-air missiles among other things.

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Azharuddin Masood says:

August 19,2009 at 08:22 PM IST

“Pakistan has tried all its possible means and imageries to scathe India and their guilt breaks out in the form of dearth that, even if a tribal from Jharkhand farts in India, the bubbling sound echoes in Pakistan and they will scream “India has again tested one more Intercontinental Ballistic Missile””.

 

Guptan Veemboor says:

August 19,2009 at 09:28 PM IST

If feels like helping Zardari of Pak army or anyone India can do nothing. Whatever protests India makes US will do whatever it feels is good for it. When any military hardware is supplied to Pakistan even without telling US must be well aware what Pakistan is going to do. For the sake of record India can send its apprehension for which there will be a ready made explanation also. These protests also will be just like the protests India sends to Pakistan about the border violation. Wastage of stationery.

 

sam the man from pakistan says:

August 19,2009 at 10:06 PM IST

Nice article,but india has to understand one thing.usa,rusia,england,europeon union,all these peoples dont want peace between india and pakistan.they are not friends of india and pakistan.they are enemys of india.they want use pakistan to distroy india by nukes.usa will make lots of fus and at the end they will give what ever pakistan want.its better for pakistan and india to set and fix their problems and live in peace,open borders and let the peoples meet each other

 

Ali Khan says:

August 20,2009 at 12:11 AM IST

This Marriage between US and pakistan will last only till Taliban is routed back or defeated in the tribal regions. Americans know that this way of Arming pakistan will create tensions with india and yet another double standard when they say India and Pakistan should Resume Talk.

US is at Business around the world, Now who are friends could turn out Enemy if they become useless or come in between their Agenda. Pakistan certainly has fallen into this trap and only time will show how much pakistan gain or lose from this whole episode. Ofcource there should be some kind of worry in the Indian Defence Department!!!

 

Hassan says:

August 20,2009 at 02:20 AM IST

It seems to me that you guys are obsessed with Pakistan. What have we done to you? Why dont you stop whining and focus on ixing problems in your country and making your country secure. murderers are everywhere so if you want to blame pakistan for every murder that happens in india then you need some mental help. Go find out who killed Mr. Kekare and stop making a circus out of kasab trial. He is a murderer and deserves punishment.

 

MUBARAKK PATEL says:

August 20,2009 at 04:53 AM IST

Pakistan is accumulating all sorts of financial
help and military hardwares from US. India Beware.

 

kdpgrahi says:

August 20,2009 at 07:04 AM IST

The sooner Zardari ousted the better. First of all how he managed to become President I wonder. The civil society in Pakistan is becoming self assertive day by day and no amount of US aid in whatever manner can protect Zardari I hope.

 

Sucheta says:

August 20,2009 at 02:20 PM IST

US is known to play double game but what pakistan misses is that they are getting all the military equipment as an Aid for killing their own citizens by Drone attacks for the US benefit. Or else in this life time they can't even dream of buying such equipments on their own! They forget India has a capacity to buy its own military equipment & in fact all western countries are in queu to sell their products to India. Indian Defense establishment can buy and pakistani military establishment live virtually on alms... still they think they can defeat us poor chaps..god save them!

 

S C Vaid says:

August 21,2009 at 07:26 PM IST

Whatever actions emanate from the US, are based on the principle of safety and security of their country. This policy can not be changed. Zardari will be helped so long it suits US.

 

Raza Hassan says:

August 22,2009 at 10:49 PM IST

i m not here for fight ijust want to comment against miss.sucheta. so miss. sucheta u think that ur country can beat pakistan easily.hahahaha. well take it like this,, if ur country will defeat us We can migrate to other muslim countries but if we Pakistani come to defeat u dont have any other hindu country in the whole world to go.. so be aware this .. we want peace and offer u a friendship hand so avoid this type of comments everyone loves his country . anybody has rights to love his country but no body have any rights to say anything about other people homeland. you are indian u should love ur country iam pakistani i am also having lots of love for my country , but just think that if our countries will fight what will happen.. both are nueclear powers. if if u remove pakistan from the map u will also not able to survive in the worls .. so from both part who will gone a lose ..... Pakistan ? India .. no we Indo- Pak will gona lose... try to spread love between the peoples of both the countries .. take gud care ..AllAH bless both of the countries till the end of the world... BYe

 

Dr. Jamil Hashmi from Kuwait says:

August 28,2009 at 03:49 PM IST

I wish the dream of Jinnah and Gandhi to come true; A FEDERAL INDIA. This way May Be we have a good check and balance in present Pakistan, May Be we may not have World Fame Mr.10% & his adminstration in Ruling the states. May be there will a cost of Human life & soul. May be we have prosperity in the region. May be we have peace & tranquality, May be we have better governence, May Be we have No more Military junta in the Administration. May be we have equal opportunity rights. May be we have Hindu, Muslim Sikh , Essaaie Bhai Bhai. May be we will not spend 70 to 80% on Defence. May be we spend that money on health, education & basic necessities. May be we start building Taj Mahal and Lal Qilla again not Jhoper Patties. May be we live in peace again, no boundries , no divided families, May be we have no more HARAMI JUMHOORIA PAKISTAN.

 

Sucheta says:

August 29,2009 at 09:26 PM IST

Oh the pakistanis like Raza hassan think that India can never defeat them in War, their memory is so short that they forget they already have lost 2 wars with and yet we gave them back the conquered land and still people living in Alms think that they can defeat us?? I can feel only pity for such poor unknowledgable people who think after the war they can migrate to a muslim country, oh goodness no one like pakistanis and excuse me you have to be alive to migrate and for his comment that there is no other Hindu state than I may say so we have money to create a new Hindu state--but where do pakistanis stand.Your Nuclear technology is also stollen, and constantly are begging to US and china. And let me remind RAZA if not us, china will swallow them up soon:) And we don't need any friendship from pakistan.Why are you also reading our papers..

 

umer says:

August 31,2009 at 12:21 AM IST

i feel sad and amazed at the same time over the interest the indian media shows at pakistan and issues related to it. i wonder why in this world india is so much pre-occupied with pakistan ? till this date i have not read an article in a pakistani paper which talks about indian affairs though leaving aside the relations between both countries. but indian media is hell bent in targeting pakistan with anything real or self made. sadly this attitude will one day destroy both nations!

 

JAKE says:

September 07,2009 at 10:18 AM IST

@ RAZA HASSAN

Madam, What Miss Sucheta has said is perfectly right? Yes, its fact that India can beat Pak easily. The only factor is that both have nuclear weapons and that is deterring both. But there is a difference, our armed forces are a far superior force to yours, professional and disciplined, they are among the best in the world. Unlike yours that is the opposite and what’s more whereas our nuclear weapons are indigenous thr our own efforts, yours has been gifted by China and North Korea. That shows the caliber of your armed forces.

Who said we don’t have any Hindu nation to migrate to? We have many nations around (Non-Muslim ones) who are ready to provide sanctuary to us unlike yours (which may succeed to fellow Muslim nations) will be denied by Non-Muslim nations coz its reputation as a terrorist nation.

What peace u talking abt and friendship hand u offering? Who wants to take it when your countrymen indulge in terrorist attacks on our soil? No nation will take it. We in India are not keen on being friends with a terrorist nation like Pak. We don’t care for we don’t see any benefit by being friends with such a nation. Are u aware of Pak’s reputation in the world? Are u aware that your nation is a failed state (among top 10 in the world)? Is called the most dangerous nation in the world and the hub of terrorism? Are u aware that Pakis when abroad refrain from saying that I am from Pakistan (they say I am from India)? Why – because Pak’s reputation is so bad that no nation wants to have its national on its soil (everywhere they are being deported back).

Don’t worry, if at all Pakistan will disappear, it will do so from the world map on its own thanks due to the mess it is now. It is predicted that in a few years time there wont be a nation called Pakistan on the world map. So, before trying to think of spreading love, do so among your countrymen first and revolt against the menace of terror groups on your soil.

Ok, take care, May Allah bless you in your efforts………….

 

Sucheta says:

September 11,2009 at 08:04 PM IST

Thanks Jake,
Pakis are trying to corner us even on Blogs.They are involved in a proxy war with us in J&K where our Jawans & officers are getting martyred and still the pakis think we should be friends with them? are they crazy....The War with Indian Army by pakistani forces are War with India, we cannot deviate from that,Indian soldiers are fighting this proxy,cowerd war for our security and safety.

And in this senario we can't think of any wisdom with them. They live in illusion that their forces can compete with us, poor chaps, they will perish in their fool's paradise...

 

A. SINGH says:

September 14,2009 at 05:15 PM IST

I WOULD REQUEST ALL THE WRITERS IN THIS BLOG TO PUT IN THEIR MIND ONE THING I.E IN PAKISTAN ALSO LIVES HUMAN BEINGS. PAKISTANI SOCIETY , LIKE OUR'S, ALSO CONSISTS OF FATHERS, MOTHERS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, GRAND PARENTS ETC. WHAT WRONG WE SEE IN PAKISTAN IS NOT CREATED BY THESE CIVILIANS. IF MR. JINNAH WAS ALIVE AT LEAST 10 YEARS AFTER THE PAK CREATION, WE WOULD HAVE SEEN A DIFFERENT PAKISTAN TO DAY I.E A SECULAR AND A DEMOCRATIC PAKISTAN. UNFORTUNATELY AFTER HIS EARLY DEATH, PAKISTAN SLIPPED INTO WRONG HANDS AND AN OPPOSITE ,TO MR JINNAH'S VISSION, A DIFFERENT PAKISTAN TOOK SHAPE, WHAT WEE SEE TO DAY. AS I LIVE IN MIDDLE EAST I KNOW MANY PAKISTANIS FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE ( BANKERS, MANAGERS, DIRECTORS, DRIVERS, LABOURERS ETC ETC.) BELIEVE ME THEY ARE LIKE US. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE. LET'S PRAY THE LEADERSHIP IN PAKISTAN COMES TO THEIR SCENES AND BECOME INDIA FRIENDLY. IT WILL BENEFIT THEM IN BIG WAYS. THEY CAN PRODUCE EXTRA POWER AND EXPORT TO INDIA, THEIR INDUSTRIES CAN EXPORT THEIR GOODS TO INDIA, INDIAN TOURISTS ( THIRD LARGEST SPENDERS IN THE WORLD )CAN VISIT PAKISTAN ETC. THEREFORE WE SEE PAKISTAN WILL GAIN FROM EVERY ANGLE BY COMING CLOSE TO INDIA. LET'S PRAY TAHT TO HAPPEN.

 

Sucheta says:

September 27,2009 at 08:21 PM IST

Mr Singh I understand your sentiment but do keep in mind that its pakistan which send in infiltrators and every day our Jawans & officers are martyred. So realize Indian Army is fighting this proxy war for our security and safety, its our battle and not only their's, so if you wish to give message of peace go and give it in pakistan where there are innumerous camps where terrorist are trained to kill Inidan Army?? so pls do visit those areas and preach peace..
Peace is not one way, infiltrators are with AK 47 So no one can talk peace with them....

 

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ABOUT INDRANI BAGCHI More
Indrani Bagchi is The Times of India's diplomatic editor. She calls this blog a wide canvas through which she looks at the world and how India responds to it.
 
The views expressed in Globespotting are the author´s own.
 
 
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