After the F-16 saga

The sale of F-16's to Pakistan has been tied with conditions. The government is taking this development as a habit of past from Washington which is recurring again after US interests are fizzling out of the region in the backdrop of most of the troops withdrawing from Afghanistan. It has been observed that Pakistan-USA relationship has seen persona based cooperation. Musharraf and Bush administration is a glaring example. They cooperated each other because both needed each other's hand. Bush wanted an ally for its adventure in Afghanistan against Taliban. Musharraf government was low on credibility so it needed world recognition. Although US establishment believes it has helped Pak government in crucial financial stages to benefit its ally in the past. But common masses in Pakistan views this aid based cooperation with regime which were low on credibility rather benefiting common man. Pakistan has always fallen behind achieving revenue and tax targets. It directly affects pak's ablity to purchase advanced military hardware. This economic vulnerability is exposed by Washington to its advantage and blackmailing pak's feeble government to bow to its feet by raising Shakil afridi release issue. Pakistan also seems to be in a precarious situation because it is hard to think Pak government will alter plans to buy a subsidized F16's in favor of other expensive aircrafts because its exchequer is not in that sound shape. On the other hand Russia is showing interest in selling Su-35 planes to Pakistan after deal with Chinese. US had imposed sanctions after fall of soviet union on Pakistan in 1990 and held delivery of F16's after Pressler amendment, which were lifted after a decade. Golden question is will Pakistan be in a position to fulfill its requirements from its own after successful Jf-17 cooperation with Chinese. We have to wait and watch! Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1257997/after-the-f-16-saga