EDITORIAL: US Strategic Love for India
By the Editor

KEEPING its traditions vis-à-vis Pakistan intact, the Bush administration has approved an initial shipment of two older F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

The decision has come in just about two weeks after President Bush’s approval of development of civil nuclear power sector by India.

Key lawmakers at the Capitol Hill have, nevertheless, notified by the US Government that a larger sale of newer fighter planes to Pakistan is still in the works.

The Bush administration’s decision to dole out just two older F-16s to Pakistan after about two decades of negotiations for Falcons’ sale is really amusing as it amounts to discovering mole out of the mountain.

It’s rather discomforting for Pakistan since it amounts to teasing her and frustrating her desperate effort to refurbish its air force fleet to obviate the growing imbalance between the two countries in the context of the conventional arms.

It’s understood that the Bush administration’s decision to supply just two warplanes to Pakistan is in deference to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s wishes for the promotion of its newly discovered strategic love for New Delhi.

Washington has obviously caved in under Indian pressure. It’s the classic display of US discrimination between the two countries as is evident from President Bush’s approval of civil nuclear facilities for India.

This is perhaps the answer to Pakistan’s overenthusiastic support and cooperation to the US in its war against terrorism in Afghanistan.

Washington should understand as to why the people of Pakistan are critical of the United States’ conduct in the region and why they consider her as more friendly towards their foes to the detriment of their national interests.

And the tragedy is that while US is pushing Pakistan, it is veering forward even to the peril of its legitimate interests. It’s certainly a cause of concern for Pakistan that should leave no disillusionment about the US priorities in the region.

It will be, therefore, quite appropriate for Pakistan to further strengthen its defence cooperation with China, which is its trusted friend upon which it can depend at times of need.

Virtually, it’s a matter of satisfaction that the two countries are already collaborating in the defence sector.

Amid this scenario, we feel optimistic that this collaboration will be expanded more to their mutual benefit. Anyway, thank you Mr Bush for this magnanimous gesture of two F-16s!● 

 -  Mumtaz Hamid Rao
www.MumtazRao.net