India-US Strategic News and Discussion

Shreeman · Post by **Shreeman** » 01 Jun 2014 13:46

SSridhar wrote:Nisha Biswal to Visit New Delhi - The Hindu
Although the State Department said Ms. Biswal would meet “a range of officials” in Narendra Modi’s administration, there was no mention of any plan to meet the Prime Minister himself.
There is no need for the PM to meet her unless and until she was carrying a personal message from Obama. We should not go back to the old ways of pampering American officials. Had enough of that. It must be strict protocol & reciprocity.

Please tweet/post on PMO/MEA facebook/twitter accounts, fwiw

Is NSA tapping Obama too that he is sending messages by pigeon?

Sorry.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 01 Jun 2014 14:46

putnanja wrote:Please tweet/post on PMO/MEA facebook/twitter accounts, fwiw

Done.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 01 Jun 2014 15:00

Barara says ;

"(It was) not the crime of the century but a serious crime nonetheless, that is why the State Department opened the case, that is why the State Department investigated it. That is why career agents in the State Department asked career prosecutors in my office to approve criminal charges. That case basically caused an international incident," he said.

end quote:

It now admitted entire matter was well planed and executed by SD and this is how the most important relationship with 1/6th of the world population is maintained by the SD?? Entire action was taken delibarately and now that there is a push back Obombar and his SD are sending some low level Scum ( I have no problem of using that word and will continue t use it) to make a deal with India. One more thing US/UK cheated Nehru by making him to go to UN on Kashmir and idiot Nehru could not even understand their game. So anti Indian actions by US are nothing new.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 01 Jun 2014 16:04

I can recall US President Kennedy meeting Nehru's special ambassador and having substantial discussions.

Very famous in India too. Everyone was so impressed. Esp. by story of how Pres. Kennedy took the Special Ambassador on a train ride (in those days there was no "AmTrak") to see the US of A.

P.K.: Whyphor there are so few pakistans in India? Ppl are forced to go to pakistan in the fields. In America no one goes to pakistan in fields. U need American Technology - I will ask CEOs of American Standard and Portoilet to schedule a vijit to Dilli, of course they will be taking their own PortaPotties to demonstrate to Indian Parliament.

Spc.Amby: No no no no saar. Even in America ppl go to pakistan in fields onlee. THERE! See one sitting in the field, with his Cadillac parked nearby?

P.K. Oh! That is the Indian Ambassador to the USA!

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 01 Jun 2014 17:44

Chandrasekhar wrote:A joint secy in MEA should tell Ms Biswal that the new government wants to deal with Uncle Sam, not Uncle Tom.

India should cultivate the diaspora in private sector, but avoid those in the government.

Really uncalled for.

TKiran · Post by **TKiran** » 01 Jun 2014 17:56

Does it mean that strip search n cavity search was also ordered by SD? What was his role in this entire episode? I thought PB is intelligent crook. He is not. He should not have opened his mouth. That undid his intelligence part. He ia still a crook. And how is difficult to tell the truth that he has secret fetish to watch the pakistan exit door of Frieda Pinto (DK look alike and hollywood actress.) to his teenage US daughter? He is guilty of sexual assault. Plead 'guilty as charged', move on.

Raja Ram · Post by **Raja Ram** » 01 Jun 2014 18:24

With regard to Preet Bahrara, as a prosecutor he failed to convince his judge that he had even the authority to indict. That does not speak well of his professional competence. As a quasi politico, he failed to read the ramifications of his act before and after the arrest, and that does not speak well of his political assessment and sense. As an aspirant of higher office and image builder, his remarks at Harvard, that include statements like "criticism of his actions are stupid" and Khobragade has committed "crime", which his own courts were disinclined to even examine, shows him to be an arrogant person. It does not speak well of him as a good image builder.

Above all, his assertion that he was not the man who called the shots but it was the nameless faceless professionals of SD and his own office proves that he does not have the courage to stand by his decision and action. That does not speak well for a person who is afraid to accept the consequence of his own decision if it goes wrong.

All in all, he is a nobody, who is gutless, brainless, inefficient, arrogant and ambitious non performer - he checks all the boxes to aspire for high constitutional offices in the USA!

anmol · Post by **anmol** » 01 Jun 2014 19:06

Ep2.9: Asst. Secretary for South Asia Nisha Biswal
http://vimeo.com/95882026

from Conversations w/Nicholas Kralev

Nisha Biswal, assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, talks about the complex U.S.-India relationship, the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka, and U.S. ties with Central Asia after the end of the Afghanistan war.

Is U.S.-India diplomatic strain over?
on MAY 20, 2014 ·

I have transcribed this podcast/interview of Nisha Biswal:

Starting from 04:00 min

Nicholas Kralev: How do you look at Indian diplomacy meaning as a democracy, as a sometimes messy democracy. In your eyes what are the pillars Indian diplomacy that the United States or any foreign power that deals with Indian should be aware of.

Nisha Desai Biswal: Well I certainly wouldn't speak for the Indians but I would say that a confident and capable India is certainly a force for prosperity and security across Asia and it is in our interest to see that emergence of confident and capable India.
Indian diplomacy over the decades has been defined by India's stand as a non-aligned country.
We deeply respect that stance but we still recognize that the world's largest democracy and the world oldest democracy can do tremendous good when we align ourselves and when we join forces and make common cause.

And increasingly across every field of human endeavor that's what you see happening is partnerships between the united states in India. From partnerships in agriculture and health the partnerships in space cooperation. We see that there's no frontier in which the United states and India can't work together and actually improve and enhance not only our own people, benefit our own people but benefit humanity.

Nicholas Kralev: India, I believe is a great example of phenomenon that I've been noticing in many countries around the world and that he is desire to be viewed as equal to the United States and we saw this certainly following the arrest of the deputy consul general in New York of India and the absolute insistence and demand that that there should be reciprocal measures.

Several of their officials said that we are equal powers.

Now for many Americans that is difficult to understand because everybody knows that the United States is the world's only superpower.
But is that because of national pride, is that because of a desire for India to play a bigger role in international affairs, why is that ?

Nisha Desai Biswal: First of all I would say that were increasingly in a world where there are many power centers on different issues in different areas and we encourage that. We encourage the emergence economic powers across Asia.

We encourage the emergence security powers across the globe because we think a world in which there are broad-based alignments and common efforts to improve for example maritime security and ability for the United States to work with India to work with japan to work with Indonesia around a set of common norms that is something that we value that we encourage and that we invest in.

I think that India is indeed becoming more and more of consequence on the global stage not only in terms of their economy but also in terms of their strength and capability in terms of the security power and we a we believe that this country with its democratic values and with its broad-based secular society is one that we want to partner with an that we welcome the rise in India as as as we see unfolding.

Nicholas Kralev: Many people ask me this and so I'd like to ask you in your view, as I mentioned at the beginning you go you started this job in 2013. Has the relationship being damaged by that unfortunate incident in New York with that arrest I mentioned earlier or is that something that can be weathered and we can move on.

Nisha Desai Biswal: Well it has certainly caused strains for a number of weeks if not months. I would say this I would say that the relationship is far stronger and more resilient than perhaps it gets credit if you read the headlines today.

But I would also acknowledge that there is far greater potential for it to continue to grow and deepen over the years and that's what we're focused on. In my conversations with my Indian counterparts, we are focused on where do we wanna go next .

Nicholas Kralev: On this program we try to look at the practice of diplomacy and what you should do and what you shouldn't do in diplomacy and I know that this...

I also know about sensitive subject matters in diplomacy and certainly that arrest in New York was was one of those sensitive issues but you know in terms of the practice of diplomacy one issue that it brought forward in how the state department works with other agencies in the government was that suddenly you know someone at the Department of Justice was becoming part of US diplomacy how difficult is it being at the state department or "USA ideas??" where you were before when foreign policy has become a turf that many agencies claim that at least part of it is theirs.

How difficult is it to juggle all these agencies when as the State Department you are or you are supposed to be the main agency in diplomacy.

Nisha Desai Biswal: That's a great question, I would say we live in the world where foreign policy is a whole of government and whole society's undertaking were no longer in the era where diplomats did their businesses sent home cables and that was the extent of how we engage.
Now we have every single cabinet agency of the US government has, has a valuable and vital role to play.

Every aspect of our society whether it's at the state and county level whether it's at the higher education or even high schools whether it's in terms of our civil society and non-governmental organizations has a stake in relationships such as the US India relationship.

And equally so in India where it increasingly beyond the purview of jut Department of State and Ministry of External Affairs relationship, that creates its own complexities in terms of how do you manage such a broad complex relationship but it also contributes to the resilience of this relationship because it is not governed by a particular individual relationship or individual event or issue we have such a deep engagement between the people of the united states and the people India including of course a very vibrant the diaspora community that brings our two countries together.

But we also have complex set of laws, requirements and regulations that also play into how we engage with each other and the incident that you talk about was an incident where we have laws in the United States that apply to the diplomatic community, foreign officials who work in the United States and who employ individuals in United States and that in itself is a multi agency undertaking because it involves law enforcement involves our judicial system and of course it impacts our are diplomatic efforts and it requires a great deal more communication to ensure that as each agency is doing its duties and carrying out its obligations that we have better understandings and better coordination so that we can have better communication with our counterparts what's happening and why

I think we've learned some lessons from that incident on how to manage these issues and ensure that we are both meeting our obligations to US laws and managing our relationships and managing understandings and expectations of our counterparts.

Nicholas Kralev: You mean both in other agencies and in the other country ?

Nisha Desaai Biswal: exactly.

Nicholas Kralev: Just for those who are not aware because we just briefly mentioned it. This was a an arrest in December in New York when the deputy consul-general India in New York was arrested for reportedly or allegedly visa fraud meaning she had stated on the visa application for here nanny and housekeeper that she would pay said minimum requirement for US and she is accused of not paying her that amount.

Nicholas Kralev: You were born in India and I am told by other people in Department of State that sometimes when you in your work have to deal with people in the country where you were born. They look at you as one of their own and they don't take you seriously enough as the US official has that been an issue for you well

Nisha Biswal: I wouldn't say that. I would say that wherever I have gone in South Asia in Central Asia I have received very warm welcome particularly by young people they see the diversity of America they see someone that looks like them can reach levels of responsibility in the United States where opportunities that many of them face in their own countries are not nearly that expansive and so I think it's something that is deeply appreciated and valued in the region that United States has a culture has a political culture and social culture that actually values diversity brings people from all backgrounds and forges a singular American it's something that's unique to this country and it's something that makes us so much the inspiration and the aspiration of so many around the world so I I have felt nothing but warm vibes coming from my counterparts based on my ethnicity.

girish.r · Post by **girish.r** » 01 Jun 2014 19:20

http://www.sunday-guardian.com/news/oba ... odi-policy

"Hillary Clinton likes to operate through NGOs, which are given funding through indirect channels, and which target individuals and countries seen as less than respectful to her views on foreign and domestic policy in the target countries," a retired US official now based in Atlanta said. He claimed that "rather than US NGOs, (the former) Secretary of State Clinton favoured operating through organisations based in the Netherlands, Denmark and the Scandinavian countries, especially Norway" as these were outside the radar of big power politics. These NGOs were active in the agitation against the Russian nuclear power plant at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, with "funding coming mainly from a religious organisation based in Europe that has close links with France".

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 01 Jun 2014 20:35

Lol...Nicholas Kralev is using a similar thingie like Indian MSM use "Kahi log kah rahe hain ki....". Only that he is using American English.

member_23651 · Post by **member_23651** » 01 Jun 2014 23:15

Did BRF miss news of US exchanging 5 Al Qaida terrorists for 1 american soldier! ???
How can a TFTA & Paco strong nation US do that? I thought only SDRE, protein deficient, vegans like us do that?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 01 Jun 2014 23:52

I see that the US defense secretary is praising the special forces team that escorted the soldier after the exchange. What was the need for SF? To pretend this was a rescue? Some heroic effort? Would not a low level embassy civilian employee be perfectly capable of receiving the soldier and driving him to the nearest US facility? Why several dozen SF?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 02 Jun 2014 00:08

Interesting list of those traded... From BBC

Mohammad Fazl served as the Taliban's deputy defence minister during America's military campaign in 2001. Accused of possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shia Muslims.

Khirullah Khairkhwa was a senior Taliban official serving as interior minister and governor of Herat, Afghanistan's third largest city. Alleged to have had direct links to Osama bin Laden.

Abdul Haq Wasiq was the Taliban's deputy minister of intelligence. Said to have been central in forming alliances with other Islamic fundamentalist groups to fight against US and coalition forces.

Mullah Norullah Noori was a senior Taliban military commander and a governor. Also accused of being involved in the mass killings of Shia Muslims.

Mohammad Nabi Omari held multiple Taliban leadership roles, including chief of security. Alleged to have been involved in attacks against US and coalition forces.

saip · Post by **saip** » 02 Jun 2014 01:37

Top US diplomat to travel to India next week

When it is US diplomat, it is always the 'top diplomat' but other nations diplomats are always 'minor functionaries'!

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 02 Jun 2014 02:10

The revelations that it was the SD all along in the DK issue,is simply scandalous.I suggest that the "top" US diplodocus when in India faces across the table none other than Ms.DK,who may be given temp. the same rank for the purposes of protocol .No meeting the new FM or anyone higher. Ms.DK can demand from the US an apology first for her incarceration,and another for the insult to our new PM over his visa issue,before it is "business as usual".If nothing is forthcoming,the "top" diplodocus can go to "pot"! That will teach the US SD scumbags never to "finger" an Indian diplomat again.

ashish raval · Post by **ashish raval** » 02 Jun 2014 02:41

^^ it seems that state department has already lined up SDRE biswal to wash US lingerie on the issue. It conveniently shields their white master's facing humiliation. Ack thoo.

Cosmo_R · Post by **Cosmo_R** » 02 Jun 2014 02:53

Narayana Rao wrote:The US asst sec for Trade - Nina is vising India in a week and she is expected to meet SS and NM.

Why such top Indian leaders are meeting a low level scum from US. No protocal what so ever???

Easy with the 'scum' stuff. If top level Indian leaders did not want to meet, they would not. They are far more protocol conscious than your or I.

BTW, there is no confirmation that top leaders will meet with her.

saip · Post by **saip** » 02 Jun 2014 03:03

Sometime back I read Mazari's rant that while Pakistani top leaders met a low level US diplomat, in India only the officials of the same rank met the diplomat.

Yayavar · Post by **Yayavar** » 02 Jun 2014 03:13

Raja Ram wrote:With regard to Preet Bahrara, as a prosecutor he failed to convince his judge that he had even the authority to indict. That does not speak well of his professional competence. As a quasi politico, he failed to read the ramifications of his act before and after the arrest, and that does not speak well of his political assessment and sense. As an aspirant of higher office and image builder, his remarks at Harvard, that include statements like "criticism of his actions are stupid" and Khobragade has committed "crime", which his own courts were disinclined to even examine, shows him to be an arrogant person. It does not speak well of him as a good image builder.

Above all, his assertion that he was not the man who called the shots but it was the nameless faceless professionals of SD and his own office proves that he does not have the courage to stand by his decision and action. That does not speak well for a person who is afraid to accept the consequence of his own decision if it goes wrong.

All in all, he is a nobody, who is gutless, brainless, inefficient, arrogant and ambitious non performer - he checks all the boxes to aspire for high constitutional offices in the USA!

Good points..will make a good feedback/comment on the ToI or Harvard news-site.

Nandu · Post by **Nandu** » 02 Jun 2014 03:30

This Bowe Bergdahl situation is really weird. By all accounts he is a deserter, and the prisoners released in exchange for him are top terrorists. Even the Indian government had to face a lot of criticism when they released five terrorists in exchange for a plane full of innocent civilians. Of course, on the other side, both times, were the same people. ISI backed Taliban.

panduranghari · Post by **panduranghari** » 02 Jun 2014 03:33

Theo_Fidel wrote:And no, you don't have to pay taxes to have a child in USA. It is required by law that all are treated. I know one couple on H1B recently who had a 23 week premie. There is no chance the child would have survived in India. USA system paid to helicopter medivac the kid, and 6 months of NICU. And years of therapy to rear the kid who is now doing fine. $ 1 Million + has been spent.

And you can't have it both ways. You want sentiment but don't want to spend $4000 to back up your sentiment. Too close to the takleef. And yet America is willing to spend through its nose to defend its citizens.

You make an American parents child India citizen, be prepared to spend like America to save the child as well.

Theo

You are mixing up the issues. By stating the US system spent 1M$ to save a premature child, you are putting a price on the child's life. It may be unintentional. You may choose to call it defending its citizens. You may be aware, many people blame India's problems on huge population - a thesis borrowed from American Milton FRIEDMAN.

Look at the same issue from the eye of a poor person who does not have access to anything more than a understaffed, underfunded Primary health centre in a non descript village, kept intentionally poor by the C System. If an Indian family chooses to have 6 to 7 children (which was common even 50 years back even in big cities- still common in rural india), the economics work identically. The parents brought so many children in this world, as due to paucity of medical facilities, the risk of loss of child are high. So the parents compensate by having more. A recent TV documentary on Indian hospital proved this - parents lost a child hence they grieved but said its ok, we will have another child.

As I work in non essential healthcare - I have seen the system in 2 different countries. The expectations are different. I am not saying Indians should accept anything but the best. However, excellence is a rare commodity, which the west exploited to their advantage by importing skilled medical staff. As long as the money is flowing, the imported staff will stay put. The money stops flowing, the 1M$ rescue of commoners will become the thing of the past.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 02 Jun 2014 03:56

How our great "strategic partner" continues to arm Pak to the teeth,while B*llsh*tting us that it is our friend.Madam Foreign Minister,will you tell our MEA representative who is to meet the US diplomat,to ask her whether this is called "friendship"?

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/51b ... #more-2396
Billions to Upgrade and Up-arm Pakistan’s F-16s
May 22, 2014

May 21/14: Inducted. All 13 F-16 fighters have been received from Jordan, and the PAF formally inducts them as 19th Squadron at Mushaf Air Base. Their F-16 fleet now stands at 79. Sources: Pakistan Tribune, “Jordanian F-16 Jets to Enhance Capability of PAF: COAS” | The News Tribe, “F-16 planes from Jordan included in PAF fleet”.

he Sales: New and Upgraded F-16s
Item 1: 36 New F-16 Block 50/52s – up to $3 billion

The Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of up to 36 F-16C/D Block 50/52 external link aircraft – a buy of 18 jets, with an option for another 18. The planes would be equipped with the APG-68(V)9 radars, which are the most modern F-16 radar except for the UAE’s F-16E/F Block 60 “Desert Falcons” and their AN/APG-80 AESA. The engine contract was less certain. Pakistan’s existing F-16s use the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine, but the new planes involved a competition between Pratt & Whitney’s F100-PW-229 external link or General Electric’s F110-GE-129 external link Increased Performance Engines (IPEs).

The total value, if all options are exercised, was estimated as high as $3 billion, which is in line with Pentagon releases that eventually peg the negotiated cost of 12 F-16Cs, 6 F-16Ds, and ancillary equipment at $1.4 billion. Pratt & Whitney kept their customer, and supplied the new jets with their F100-PW-229 EEP engine, making them all F-16 Block 52s. The package for Pakistan’s new F-16s included:

7 spare F100-PW-229 EEP or F110-GE-129 IPE engines (F100-PW-229 EEP selected)
7 spare APG-68(V)9 radar sets external link
36 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS)
36 AN/ARC-238 SINCGARS radios with HAVE QUICK I/II
36 Conformal Fuel Tanks (pairs) that fit along the aircraft’s sides to give them extra range
36 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals; see tactical uses of MIDS-LVT Link 16 systems
36 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation Systems
36 APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Systems
36 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites: ALQ-211 AIDEW without Digital Radio Frequency Memory (picked); or AN/ALQ-184 Electronic Counter Measures pod without DRFM; or AN/ALQ-131 Electronic Counter Measures pod without DRFM; or AN/ALQ-187 Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suites without DRFM; or AN/ALQ-178 Self-Protection Electronic Warfare Suites without DRFM.
1 Unit Level Trainer
Associated support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits, capability to employ a wide variety of munitions, spares and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, CONUS-personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to ensure full program supportability.

The principal contractors under Pakistan’s “Peace Drive” (!) buy will be:

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, TX
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Dallas, TX
BAE Advanced Systems Greenlawn, NY
Boeing Corporation Seattle, WA
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems: St Louis, MO; Long Beach, CA; San Diego, CA
Raytheon Company: Lexington, MA; Goleta, CA
Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ
Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD
United Technology Company subsidiary Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT; or
General Electric Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, OH

There are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical review/support and program management of the aircraft. See DSCA release external link [PDF].
Item 2: Weapons for the New F-16s – $650 Million

To equip those new F-16s, the Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of:

500 AIM-120C5 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM)
12 AMRAAM training missiles – these have seeker warheads but lack engines
200 AIM-9M-8/9 Sidewinder Short-Range Air-Air Missiles; they are the version before the fifth-generation AIM-9X.
240 LAU-129/A Launchers – these support AMRAAM or Sidewinder missiles.
500 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Guidance Kits: GBU-31/38 Guided Bomb Unit (GBU) kits
1,600 Enhanced Paveway GBU-12 (500 lb.) and GBU-24s (2,000 lb.) with dual laser/GPS guidance
800 MK-82 500 pound General Purpose (GP) and MK-84 2,000 pound GP bombs
700 BLU-109 2,000 pound bunker-buster external link bombs with the FMU-143 Fuse
Associated support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits, capability to employ a wide variety of munitions, spares and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, CONUS-personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to ensure full program supportability will also be provided.

The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $650 million. The principal contractors will be:

BAE Advanced Systems in Greenlawn, NY
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD

There are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical review/support, program management, and modification of the aircraft. See DSCA release external link [PDF format].
Item 3: F-16A/B Mid-Life Update Modification Kits – $1.3 billion
JHMCS Visor
JHMCS

According to the US DSCA, Pakistan intends to purchase the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) Program equipment “to enhance survivability, communications connectivity, and extend the useful life of its F-16A/B fighter aircraft. The modifications and upgrades in this proposed sale will permit Pakistan’s F-16A/B squadron to operate safely, and enhance Pakistan’s conventional deterrent capability. Pakistan’s air fleet can readily use these updates to enhance and extend the life of its aircraft.” The total value, if all options are exercised, is estimated as high as $1.3 billion, and subsequent Pentagon releases peg it at that figure.

The Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of 60 F-16A/B external link MLU and Falcon Star Structural Service Life Enhancement kits consisting of:

APG-68v9 with Synthetic Aperture Radar external link or the APG-66(V)2 radar, which is a much smaller improvement on earlier F-16s. The APG-68 with SAR is far better at air to ground work, and can be used to monitor ground activity.
Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS)
AN/APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Systems
AN/ALE-47 Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser Systems
Have Quick I/II Radios
Link-16 external link Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT)
SNIPER (formerly known as AN/AAQ-33 PANTERA) targeting pod capability
Reconnaissance pod capability
Advanced Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation Units (used for training exercises)
MDE included in the MLU modification and structural upgrade kits
21 ALQ-131 Block II Electronic Countermeasures Pods without the Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM); or ALQ-184 Electronic Countermeasures Pods without DRFM;
60 ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management Systems;
1 Unit Level Trainer; and
10 APG-68v9 spare radar sets.
Radars, modems, receivers, installation, avionics, spare and repair parts, support equipment, CONUS-personnel training and training equipment, technical assistance, publications and technical documentation, system drawings, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, and other related logistics elements necessary for full program support.

The principal contractors will be:

BAE Advanced Systems in Greenlawn, NY
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX
Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX
Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD

Turkish Aerospace Industries isn’t mentioned here, but they ended up with a contract external link to perform the upgrades on 36 F-16A/B aircraft. They’ve been doing similar work for Turkey, and for other F-16 customers in the Middle East.

There are no known offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives. See DSCA release external link [PDF].

InsideDefense.com makes the interesting observation that Pakistan doesn’t have 60 F-16s to upgrade external link. The clear implication is that the Pakistani government is interested in buying used F-16s and upgrading them, which proved to be the case. As part of the deal for new planes, in Sept 30/06 the USA also agreed to deliver 26 of the “Peace Gate III/IV” F-16A/B Block 15OCUs that had been ordered in 1988-1989, then embargoed when Pakistan tested nuclear weapons. After the embargo, the planes had been diverted for use as aggressor combat training aircraft by USAF and the US Navy.
Item 4: F-16A/B Engine Modifications & UP/STAR – $151 Million
F100 engine
F100 Engine Test

The third contract involves Engine Modifications and Falcon UP/STAR Structural Upgrades as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $151 million.

More specifically, the Government of Pakistan has requested engine improvements and structural modifications to its F-16 fleet, which includes a possible sale of:

14 F100-PW-220E engines external link
14 Falcon UP/STAR F-16 structural upgrade kits
De-modification and preparation of 26 aircraft
Support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits, spares and repair parts, flight test instrumentation, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related requirements to support the program.

The principal contractors will be:

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX
United Technology Company subsidiary Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT.

There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, but implementation of the engine modifications and UP/STAR repairs will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical review/support, program management, and modification of the aircraft. See DSCA release external link [PDF].
Contracts & Key Events
2012 – 2014

Pakistan buys 13 more F-16A/B Block 15s from Jordan; AIDEW ECM contracts finally finalized.
RJAF F-16A/B Block 15OCUs
Jordanian F-16A/B ADFs
(click to view full)

May 21/14: Inducted. All 13 F-16 fighters have been received from Jordan, and the PAF formally inducts them as 19th Squadron at Mushaf Air Base. Their F-16 fleet now stands at 79. Sources: Pakistan Tribune, “Jordanian F-16 Jets to Enhance Capability of PAF: COAS” | The News Tribe, “F-16 planes from Jordan included in PAF fleet”.

All RJAF F-16s delivered

April 29/14: Jordanian deliveries. The World Tribune:

“Pakistani sources said five aircraft arrived and were deployed by the Pakistan Air Force on April 27…. Diplomatic sources said… potential suppliers included Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. In his address, [PAF commander Marshal Tahir Rafique] Butt said… the fighters, [now] housed at the Air Force base in Sargodha, were in good condition.”

That base is about 150 miles due south of Islamabad, in the Punjab region. Sources: The World Tribune, “Jordan exports surplus F-16s to Pakistan” | The News International, “PAF can meet all challenges including that of Taliban: Air chief”.

Feb 19/14: +13 Jordanian. Pakistani media report that the government has inked a deal with Jordan for 12 used F-16As and 1 F-16B:

“With this, the strength of PAF F-16s will reach 76…. The deal… has been authenticated by the manufacturing company and the US government has also given its nod for the sale/purchase of the planes. Well-placed defence sources told The News here the other day that the purchased aircraft were in good condition…. have been modified into Air Defence Fighters (ADF) versions. The Ogden Air Logistics Centre performed structural upgrades to extend the aircraft life from the designed 4,000 to 8,000 hours flying time as part of the programme. They also modified the aircraft engine bay for the upgraded Pratt and Whitney F100-220E engine”

The RJAF does fly F-16 MLUs bought second-hand from Belgium and the Netherlands, but this set being sold is from the 33-plane Peace Falcon I/II purchases of F-16 ADFs in 1997 and 2003. The F-16 ADF variant is actually the F-16 Block 15OCU, which added the more reliable F100-PW-220 turbofan, structural strengthening, an enlarged HUD, and provisions for the radar-guided AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. F-16 ADFs retain the AN/APG-66 radar, which has been supplanted by APG-68 models in subsequent variants and in Pakistan’s upgraded fighters. ADFs have some precision ground attack capability using the AGM-65 Maverick missile, but would be well behind Pakistan’s 18 new Block 52s, or the PAF’s roughly 40 existing Block 15 fighters that were upgraded to a similar standard under the programs above.

Barring upgrades, the best use for F-16 ADFs is as interceptor and air superiority fighters. Recall, however, that the DSCA request for MLU & Falcon STAR kits had a maximum of 60 aircraft, and that these kits wouldn’t be needed for the new F-16C/D Block 52s. Pakistan could order 13 more upgrade kits for these aircraft, and still be within its allotted FMS total.

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 02 Jun 2014 04:48

Theo_Fidel wrote:And no, you don't have to pay taxes to have a child in USA.

can you go easy with the patronising advices and proclamations? you are not the only know-it-all here and i am certainly not from aandipatti for you to explain, poorly and out of context, the way things work in US.

in the context of a work visa holder in US, expecting a child

you said - "If you had your child in USA you used a USA system to have the birth. Hospitals, freeways, ambulance, doctors, birth certificate, etc. etc.You can always have the child in India for a $2,000 flight ticket. $4,000 if to make sure both parents are there. I know a couple who did this many years ago."

i replied for the emphasised part - that i am paying taxes for the upkeep of the system and the insurance in US.

and you go on more free advice, rah rah usa usa..seriously, we all know massa is great. no need to drum it again and again without context.

You make an American parents child India citizen, be prepared to spend like America to save the child as well.

that is just totally irrelevant.

all i wanted was an option for my kid to have indian citizenship and not a forced american citizenship. this can be easily done by the US giving an option to US born kids to defer the choice until 18/21 when the kid can apply/reclaim/renounce.

there is no "takleef" here for you to explain how it works as though you are the dubai return vadivelu and we are the local tea shop guy.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 02 Jun 2014 05:34

AnantS wrote:Did BRF miss news of US exchanging 5 Al Qaida terrorists for 1 american soldier! ???
How can a TFTA & Paco strong nation US do that? I thought only SDRE, protein deficient, vegans like us do that?

the soldier has converted according to daily phail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... kills.html
his father certainly has and the chap apparently always had soft corner for taliban.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 02 Jun 2014 05:39

Rahul M wrote:
AnantS wrote:Did BRF miss news of US exchanging 5 Al Qaida terrorists for 1 american soldier! ???
How can a TFTA & Paco strong nation US do that? I thought only SDRE, protein deficient, vegans like us do that?
the soldier has converted according to daily phail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... kills.html
his father certainly has and the chap apparently always had soft corner for taliban.

Sounds like the plot from "Homeland"

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 02 Jun 2014 05:41

precisely.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 02 Jun 2014 07:10

So Jaswant Singh as FM of India, had to fly to Kandahar with the 5 Paki terrorists to get the IA plane and passengers back.

This was considered a huge blow to Indian H&D at the time and destroyed Jaswant Singh's career when all he had done was to be a brave patriot.

That was the dry run for the 9/11 attacks - slitting throat of a passenger and all.

Here BO Himself, C-in-C of the Mighty US Armed Forces, had to fly to Kabul with the 5 new Paki terrorists, and grovel before the Pakiban to get the (converted) soldier back.

In neither case can I blame the governments, but history shows that the 5 released terrorists will cause far more deaths and destruction in future unless they get a Predator visit each in short order.

Pakistan: The Greatest (terrorists). And they are getting more F-16s and the baksheesh tied to them as a reward/ransom.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 02 Jun 2014 09:13

http://m.newindianexpress.com/nation/318104

American Embassy School in Crisis after Khobragade Row
Posted on June 1, 2014 in Nation

Ranjana Narayan | IANS

The American Embassy School (AES) in New Delhi's plush diplomatic enclave is deep in crisis after nearly 40 teachers quit as a fallout of last year's India-US diplomatic row.

NEW DELHI: The American Embassy School (AES) in New Delhi's plush diplomatic enclave is deep in crisis after nearly 40 teachers quit as a fallout of last year's India-US diplomatic row.

The staff is hoping that with a new Indian government in place, matters would mend soon.

The school, one of the most elitist and expensive in the capital, is in the throes of a crisis after 40 teachers quit since March this year and more than a dozen were forced to return to the US to renew their visas, knowledgeable sources said.

"Over 40 teachers have left since March this year," a source told IANS, not wishing to be named being not authorised to speak on these sensitive issues.

"While we do have teachers leaving regularly as their stay in India ends, this is unprecedented. We've never faced such a situation before," said the source.

"We are all hoping that with the Modi government coming in, things will now get better and the crisis in the school will be over," the source added.

The Obama administration is sending Nisha Desai Biswal, its point person for South and Central Asia, to India next week to hold talks with the new government on bilateral and regional issues. The upcoming Biswal visit has also led to hopes that the AES crisis would soon be a thing of the past.

The teachers were forced to leave as a result of India tightening the screws on visa and tax laws in a tit-for-tat measure in a fallout of the India-US diplomatic spat over the arrest and strip-search in New York of diplomat Devyani Khobragade on charges of visa fraud and underpaying her nanny last year.

Before the diplomatic row, spouses of many American diplomatic officials - as well as Indian diplomats - would join the AES faculty as teachers.

They would not mention in their visa that they were working at the school, thereby avoiding paying tax.

The spouses of many US teachers hired by the AES would also end up as teachers without mentioning it in their visas.

This wink-and-nod agreement that had been going on for decades came apart in the wake of the Khobragade affair when India insisted on being given the full details of the US employees at the school and the taxes filed.

Besides the 40 teachers who have left, around 15 teachers were forced to return to the US to renew their visas.

"Earlier, the visas would get renewed here. But since March, 15 teachers have had to go back to the US to get their visas stamped," the source added.

The school, which has a sprawling 13-acre campus adjacent to the US Embassy, has 1,450 students mainly from the diplomatic community as well as the children of corporate leaders. It has a swimming pool, tennis courts and soccer pitches besides vast athletic fields.

The school fees were raised by 24 percent this year. The fees are steep - ranging from $24,200 a year for Grade 5 (Elementary School) to $27,300 for Grade 8 (Middle School) to $28,700 for Grade 12 (Senior School).

"Things are definitely not like they were before. It has been very traumatic for the school," another source added.

"The school has a wonderful engaging atmosphere. Now there is a feeling of underlying stress," the source added.

Its staff strength is 180 presently. The school hires Americans to teach.

"They are internationally hired teachers, which means they are foreign nationals (not Indian)," added a source.

There are two-three Indian teachers who have been around for many years and teach specialised subjects.

The top administration staff is American while the support staff is Indian.

While the US staff get paid handsomely, the Indian staff, including the clerks, the drivers and others are paid "what they would get in any other good Indian firm".

"The salaries that Indians get at the school is not high. But what makes a difference is the working atmosphere. It is really a good place to work in. The weekend offs and the month-long vacation the staff are entitled to are also attractive," another source added.

Besides the school, the American community club has also been badly affected.

The embassy was told in January to shut all commercial activities being undertaken from inside the premises.

Several commercial activities are undertaken under the aegis of the American Community Support Association (ACSA). These include a restaurant/bar, video club, bowling alley, swimming pool, sports facility and field, beauty parlour and gym.

"The club has been badly hit. All the American Embassy School teachers would use the club. Now they are not allowed to do so," said a source.

Non-American diplomats are also barred from using the premises and the supply of cheap liquor is now a thing of the past, say diplomatic sources.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 02 Jun 2014 09:24

Raja Ram wrote:The great prosecutor Mr. Preet Behara speaketh at Harvard, says he is upset over the "stupid" criticism over La Affaire Khobragade!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/worl ... 888112.cms

Poor fellow he claims he was doing what was told and nothing more! It was all US State Department operation all the way!!

"Indian critics were angry because even though I hailed from India, I appeared to be going out of my way to act American and serve the interests of America, which was odd because I am American and the words US are in my title," he said.

He said, "putting aside disputes about the merits of the case," the Indian government and media decided that the case was brought by an Indian-American "for all manner of bad personal reasons, never mind that the case was initiated and investigated by career law enforcement officials."

Just as well that Uncle Tom Bharara makes himself feel better by saying that the Sate Dept was involved from the outset. Of course the Paco affair and the visas for Sangeeta Richards' family were clues that the SD was involved - but Bharara saying it only confirms that it was a political decision in the US to prosecute Khobragade. The reaction against Bharara is also political. It is political fallout against Bharara that demands that he explain his loyal implementation of American laws in pursuance of an American political goal. If he got hoodwinked into doing it then he is the jackass, not his critics. The fact that Khobragade did have diplomatic immunity seems to have escaped Bharara in his enthusiasm to press the case made by his state dept masters. No matter how much he squirms the bald, technical fact remains that he is an Indian American - a privileged one whose father got a US visa because he was educated, and this Indian American is loyally serving an American political goal to declare that India is a fountain of slavery. Uneducated, low caste, untouchable slave Indians do not get US visas. Only privileged (often high caste) and invariably educated Indians get to the US. Going to the US based on privilege and being unaware of the privilege that one enjoyed to get into the US is not an excuse to be critical of the privileged who remain in India and accusing them of slavery. That is hypocrisy and justifies the label "Uncle Tom".

Regardless of whether India is or is not what it is accused of being, Bharara's case for covering his ass is weak.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 02 Jun 2014 09:48

Many Indians believe that it was only their personal competence that got them into the US.

But if you look at Indian society and Indian demographics you find that only a small percentage of Indians get a higher education. In order to get a higher education in India one needs certain privileges. Traditionally only privileged classes in India have had the wealth and status (parents already educated and employed) to get the sort of educational qualification that one needs to get into the US. Right up to the 90s when the Mandal commission report started kicking in, the people with higher education in India were typically wealthy, forward caste or otherwise privileged.

And it is a few people from that privileged group who got into the US - no doubt due to their competence. But it was privilege in India+competence. if they did not have that privilege in India then they would not have had the education to go to the US because higher education in India was (and still is) a privilege. So the US is taking in previously privileged people from India and making them Americans. As I said earlier, 95% of Indians do not qualify for this.

The Khobragade case is all about accusing the privileged people who remain behind in India of being bigoted exploiters of the underprivileged. Seeing that case being prosecuted by a man whose family privilege in India (Bharara's father's medical education) has played a role in getting him to the US indicates that Indians in US such as Bharara truly believe in their exclusiveness compared to Indians and do not comprehend the social privileges in India that enabled them to get to the US in the first place. If Indians are to be made to feel guilty about their society, the Indian in the US has to understand that he is equally guilty of using the same privileges in India and then changing sides in America (becoming a turncoat) to curse Indians with privileges in India.

The US is aiding and abetting the already privileged Indian to get to the US and then cursing the society they were lifted from. If privileged Indians in India or in the US have a defence against such criticism, this is the time for them to speak up.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 02 Jun 2014 09:55

Shiv: with all due respect sir, what you wrote above is very poorly thought out and devoid of any logic. Preet Bharara is an American citizen - whether his father was an Indian citizen at one time who became a US citizen is totally irrelevant to P. Bharara Esq holding up the laws of the country he is a citizen of and his promise to hold up the responsibilities of his office have nothing to do with his country of origin, his skin color, his religion, or his accent, his level of education, or his being "Uncle Tom" (if that is the case) or any other personal attributes. If SD personnel call the shots and are his superiors in the pecking order as ordained by American law, any amount of ranting from anywhere is not going to change the ground situation unless of course the American people trough their elected representatives change it.

'Nuff said.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 02 Jun 2014 10:10

matrimcJi,

With all due respect my friend, my friend DoCji makes 100% sense and is right on the money. As for PB type clowns, come on, you cannot be serious when you discount his Uncle Tom bias in going after Indians to show off his egalitarianism to his white superiors. DocJi's point is that MoFo to begin with is a privileged SOB. And talking about privilege, and let me not rehash what we discussed after DK was subjected to custodial rape, but do you honestly believe that PB will have the b@lls to go after a European, or worse, a European Jewish diplomat including Israelis? His ass will be roasted like an MTR masala dosa if he dared do so. (Now, DoCJi, thats what is called privilege, US style). His upholding the law dada giri is only against his fellow privileged SDREs who are worth much less in the corridors of power in US.

habal · Post by **habal** » 02 Jun 2014 10:16

shiv wrote: The US is aiding and abetting the already privileged Indian to get to the US and then cursing the society they were lifted from. If privileged Indians in India or in the US have a defence against such criticism, this is the time for them to speak up.

Only if Indians outside look down on India, Indian society, and Indian culture; only then can the state dept initiate an orange revolution using these seed group of Indian origin coconuts settled in US. When some Indians blend in deep into US society, they begin to buy the SD jargon and become pawns in bigger game of regime change and weakening third world regimes.

All US actions, their newspaper articles and media reports are intended to create a sense of contempt towards India in the minds of the Indian diaspora and the US public at large. Also the US oligarchs do not like competing ideologies to get positive reviews in their media. It will weaken their hold on their captive country. If in Pakistan the army has a country, in US the oligarchs have a country. The Kuhn-Loeb's, Warburgs, Rockefellers, Du Ponts, Vanderbilts, Mellons have a country called US and control the media through it's many sublets.

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 02 Jun 2014 10:22

Preet Bharara and Brown skinned people are nothing but uncle toms. They have no real power, and they CANNOT go against the existing power structures. No non-white person can go against the existing power structure in the US and survive the system.

The one who came the closest to challenging this power structure was Malcolm X (of house n***er fame), and to a very very limited extent Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther worked within the system to work up a compromise which kept the old power structures intact and this compromise was gladly accepted by the old elites of the US and hence he really challenged nothing much. This parallels Gandhi and unsurprisingly Gandhi was one of his inspirations.

Gandhi never challenged the existing power structures of the British. After independence, most of it was left intact with a coconut (Nehru) on top. Similarly, after civil rights in the USofA and de-segregations most of the power structure that caused it in the first place were left intact. It just resulted in racism going underground and resulted in laws being crafted in such a way that most black people get into prison and thereby forming a school to prison pipeline.

In general any brown/black person in power in the US/west can be safely assumed to be either a powerless coconut/oreo or a 100% house -N. There is no other possibility.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 02 Jun 2014 10:27

CRamS ji, at the outset let me say - which I was meaning to say for sometime now - that I admire your guts in standing there and question authority and protest misinformation and FUD by the KnowAlls in various think tanks risking public ridicule and maybe even worse retribution. I am surprised to see why so much venom is being spewed at Mr. Bharara. He is just incidental. All the blame should be heaped on SD and their policies in the subcontinent especially in recent times.

ravar · Post by **ravar** » 02 Jun 2014 10:31

is totally irrelevant to P. Bharara Esq holding up the laws of the countryhe is a citizen of and his promise to hold up the responsibilitiesof his office

Arguing pretty rich stuff for PB as he let go the Russians caught in the insurance embezzlement case just a few days before DK-drama. Mighty impartial upholding of laws and responsibilities, ain't it?

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 02 Jun 2014 10:32

Habal ji and lokeshc ji, I have read your posts. I will try to get back (or not). Do i have anything to say? You bet I gave but I am not sure whether I can put in lucid enough words. I am not sure at this point. So I gave to beg off for the time being.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 02 Jun 2014 10:39

ravar wrote:
is totally irrelevant to P. Bharara Esq holding up the laws of the countryhe is a citizen of and his promise to hold up the responsibilitiesof his office
Arguing pretty rich stuff for PB as he let go the Russians caught in the insurance embezzlement case just a few days before DK-drama. Mighty impartial upholding of laws and responsibilities, ain't it?

Well if SD trumps PB when foreign nationals are concerned what choice does he have?

I wonder whether all this bile against PB because he is one of us (as in he is an "Indian") And an easy target. Why no criticism of Secy. Kerry, President Obama, and others in SD? The criticizes themselves are not being uncle toms in their own way without realizing that they themselves are being uncle toms and finding fault with our own?

member_22733 · Post by **member_22733** » 02 Jun 2014 10:47

matrimc wrote:Habal ji and lokeshc ji, I have read your posts. I will try to get back (or not). Do i have anything to say? You bet I gave but I am not sure whether I can put in lucid enough words. I am not sure at this point. So I gave to beg off for the time being.

You can be sure I have heard all of them, and so far nothing has convinced me otherwise. So I would encourage you to get back, please! I really would like to understand what it is that you want to express. Maybe, just maybe, you have the convincing counter argument that might change my mind about things and make me a better person altogether

Raja Ram · Post by **Raja Ram** » 02 Jun 2014 10:52

shiv,

In addition, the fact remains, at the height of the controversy, the same gentleman was very keen to be seen as the avenging prosecutor who is unafraid taking on the mightiest, be it the Russians, or his own ethnic group, the Indians in the service of Law and Justice. Once it has come out that he was wrong in his professional judgement as held by his own courts, and was under criticism for his actions of omission and commission, he chooses to distance himself and now claims it is all SD's doing. It could well be. But he thought of nothing but his own personal glory and wanted to appear as the one in charge.

He now claims, that he is nothing but an officer doing what he was told as per the law of the land and did not lead the initiative. Either way he has no credibility. He still is arrogant about it and calls those who criticized him as making "stupid criticism" and still alleges a "crime" when no court was willing to even consider the case. He chooses to remain silent on his own crime of violating Indian Laws and arranging the escape of people wanted by Indian courts. So much for his respect for due process and the Laws of the land.

There are quite a few more like this in the service of the USG and they will be trotted out in the future to do the needful by the USG. I think the USG is going to learn very soon, that there is now a fundamental change in the approach by GOI. Such acts will not be forgotten and they will have to play by a new set of rules.