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PAKPAC ACTION REQUEST: BACKGROUND: As the US Administration is moving towards
a plan to move with the proposed F-16 sales to Pakistan, there
has been yet another very coordinated action initiated by the
Hindu Lobby in the US. One may or may not agree with Pakistan’s resources that are being used on more military and less on education and infra-structure, BUT it is critical that the members of Congress MUST HEAR that there are Pakistani Americans who are present and are aware of the situation and do have an opinion. ACTION REQUEST: Go the following Link: Identify your member of Congress and send the letter below or a similar one to the member do Congress: Honorable Member of Congress, As an active member in your district and state, I would like to congratulate you on taking up the legislative responsibilities of the 109th Congress. One of the issues that the Congress has
to evaluate is the support of Sale of F-16s to Pakistan. 1) Regional Balance of Power As you are well aware that there is a
significant imbalance of power in South Asia. India for the
past many decades has taken an offensive posture in the region.
The defense partnership of India includes the significant gain
of Russian arms. India’s current weapons shopping lists
include the anti-missile systems, hi-tech radars, from sky drones
to night-vision equipment. Indian Army's plan to bolster its
lethal firepower, anti-IED (improvised explosive devise), and
communication capabilities continue. India is the process of
upgrading the Indian Air Force's Mig-27 strike aircraft, the
avionics upgrade of the Indian Navy's Ka-25 anti-submarine helicopters
and maritime patrol aircrafts. Similarly India is planning the
purchase of Bison aircraft and T-72 tanks, particularly increasing
the capability to attack at night time. India is the process
of purchasing Israeli Harpy missile, used for silencing enemy
radars, which would be a significant force multiplier for the
Indian army. This is just a glimpse of what is happening ion
the conventional and strategic balance growth in India. Pakistan and India have had many low and large scale conflicts in the region because of the unsettled issue of Kashmir. India has had an edge over Pakistan in its conventional weapons. It is because of this unsettled issue and the imbalance and India’s initiating the Nuclear arms race that Pakistan had to follow suit. It is well known that had there been a balance in the conventional weapons, Pakistan would not have gone nuclear. Moreover, most if not all analysts in the US also agree that if there was to be a conflict, Pakistan’s conventional weapons balance would determine the probability of a nuclear war. This is the time to improve the conventional balance. 3) We MUST Focus on conflict as well. While we work towards the sale of defensive conventional weapons to Pakistan, we must not lose track of the fact that the main and only reason for the conflict in the region is the disputed area of Kashmir. I am sure you are well aware of the fact that Pakistan has offered some very workable potential solutions regarding the conflict and have made enormous strides in their previously stated position. India has not followed suit, placing the region yet again in a high risk situation. The only way to a sustained positive growth in South Asia is by the resolution of this conflict. The history and the present states show us that we MUST have to become mediators’ in this situation. The stakes are too high for us to be passive at this time. 4) Re-affirming Alliance As you must be aware that Pakistan has been a strong active US ally for over 5 decades. Pakistan has not only in words but in action. Whether this is SEATO, CENTO, The Soviet War, or the current war on terror. Which country and worked with us and in the process suffered heavy costs of life and economic turmoil. This is the chance we as Americans have to re-affirm our commitments to our friends especially when we are losing true friends in the Muslim world. 5) Message to Progressive, Moderate Islamic States. All Muslim Countries looks at Pakistan as a model of US-Muslims Nation alliance at this time. This is a country which has taken strong, effective and moral stand on the war on terror at a huge human and economic cost. Our actions or positions which would suggest lack of support to Pakistan would send a strong message to all other Muslim countries that what the extremists have been saying about America is correct, that we are only there as friends for our own short term gains, and not true friends to any nation. I think that the extremists are wrong and we are friends to all who work with us. Finally, If I ever have to make a choice between supporting one country over the other, I would prefer to choose the one which has shed it blood, economy and resources to help American interests and values as opposed to another Country which has taken away jobs from the American people and has hurt the lives of an average American. Sincerely, Name: |
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© 2005 PAKPAC |