White House downplays talk of imminent US-Pakistan fighter deal

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) is not expected to announce a deal on the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan when he meets this weekend with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, the White House said.


AFP/File Photo



"I don't expect any such announcements on matters like that at this time," spokesman Scott McClellan said a day before Bush was to welcome Musharraf to the White House for talks on terrorism, democratic reforms and other issues.


McClellan also denied that Bush had put his call for democratic reforms in Pakistan on the back burner as a reward for Islamabad's help in battling global terrorism including Al-Qaeda members thought to operate on Pakistan's border.


"We make our views very clear publicly and privately when it comes to our support for democracy and moving in that direction," said the spokesman. "We continue to talk to them about those issues.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1521&ncid=731&e=1&u=/afp/20041203/pl_afp/us_pakistan_whouse

hmmm, interesting...and Putin's in India today working deals/

[htuttle]

1. Yes, I'm sure he'll wait until Putin leaves India

...but it won't fool the Indians.

[Minstrel Boy]

2. One of the demands of Daniel Pearl's kidnappers

was the resumption of a halted US shipment of F-16 fighters to the Pakistani government.

An interesting request coming from alleged al Qaeda kidnappers.

Made more interesting by the fact that Omar Sheikh Saeed, who laid the trap for Pearl, was also the middle man in the $100,000 wire transfer to Mohammed Atta, which had been authorized by the chief of Pakistan's ISI (military intelligence), General Mahmood Ahmed.

al Qaeda/ISI/CIA

[Just Me]

3. Twenty-five years from now,...the neo-neo-CONs will do nation-building

in Pakistan.

Ya' think?

[Sandpiper]

4. Musharraf is our new Saddam Hussein

A stooge who is politically useful for the moment, but one that we would not hesitate to turn on.

[maddezmom]

5. Bush's agenda for talks with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf

-The unsuccessful manhunt for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), which the Pakistan army indicated last month was being downgraded.


_Pakistan's nuclear-armed, often-hostile relationship with neighboring India, the world's largest democracy.


_The illicit nuclear trafficking of A.Q. Khan, the Pakistani scientist implicated in selling his country's nuclear secrets to Libya, North Korea (news - web sites), Iran and possibly other countries.


_Musharraf's own backtracking on a pledge to relinquish his military post.


Musharraf, whose visit was to congratulate Bush on his re-election, also has unanswered wishes for the administration.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=731&e=10&u=/ap/20041204/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_pakistan

ah so now it's the Pakistani's fault OBL got away :eyes: