US senators have strongly opposed the use of taxpayers' money for military aid to Pakistan in $700 million sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to the country as they questioned Islamabad's commitment to fight terrorist organisations.
US senators have strongly opposed the use of taxpayers' money for military aid to Pakistan in $700 million sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to the country as they questioned Islamabad's commitment to fight terrorist organisations.
However, for their own political reasons the senators did not approve tabling of a resolution suggesting blocking of sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. Even though considered to be procedural in nature, the Senate by a vote of 71-24 disapproved the move to bypass the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in deciding against sale of F-16 jets to Pakistan.
Congressional sources said that the voting of some two-dozen influential senators reflects the strong anti-Pak sentiment prevailing at the Hill. None of the senators, even though they voted for the motion to disallow tabling of the resolution seeking preventing sale of F-16 to Pakistan, spoke in support of Islamabad.
In fact, cutting across the party line the senators were quick to point towards the "duplicity" behaviour of Pakistan and said in unanimous voice that they would not let Obama Administration to use tax payers' money for the sale of F-16 jets to Pakistan.
In fact, Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has jurisdiction over foreign military sale said that he would not lift the "hold" on the American subsidy for giving fighter jets to Pakistan.
"I continue to oppose any taxpayer dollars being used at this time to support this sale given that Pakistan is providing safe haven to terrorist groups and refusing to target the Haqqani network, which attacks US troops and threatens the future of Afghanistan," Corker said on the Senate floor.
"Prohibiting a taxpayer subsidy sends a much-needed message to Pakistan that it needs to change its behaviour, but preventing the purchase of US aircraft would do more harm than good by paving the way for countries like Russia and China to sell to Pakistan while also inhibiting greater cooperation on counterterrorism," Corker said.
Senator Rand Paul, the former Republican presidential candidate, who has moved a resolution against sale of F-16 jets and sought voting invoking the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, alleged Pakistan at best is a frenemy, part friend and a lot enemy.
"If Pakistan truly wants to be our ally, if Pakistan truly wants to help in the war on radical Islam, it should not require a bribe. It should not require the American taxpayer to subsidise arms sales. They already have 70 F-16s. They've got an air force of F-16s," he said. "What what would happen if we didn't send them eight more that we're being asked to pay for? Maybe they'd listen. Maybe they would help us. Maybe they would be an honest broker in the fight against terrorism," he said.
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