Sale of U.S. Fighter Jets to Pakistan Advances

The U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee yesterday voted down a measure to stop the sale of military equipment to Pakistan — including F-16 fighters jets — unless Islamabad provides access to former top Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, under house arrest for his role in setting up an international nuclear black market, Bloomberg reported yesterday (see GSN, May 26).

Representative Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y) introduced the measure, but James Leach (R-Iowa) and Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), the two senior committee members led opposition to defeat the amendment to the State Department funding bill 28-14.

“There is a recognition that Pakistan is an important ally on the global war on terrorism,” said Lantos, who argued during the debate that the measure would undermine Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s attempts to support Washington, a position unpopular in Pakistan (Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg News, June 8).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.