- News>
- Asia
Musharraf likely to get what he wants from US
Washington, June 19: Pakistan President Prevez Musharraf will likely get most of what he seeks, including the sale of F-16 aircraft, during his scheduled June 24 Camp David meeting with US President George W Bush, according to US geopolitical analysts.
Washington, June 19: Pakistan President Prevez Musharraf will likely get most of what he seeks, including the sale of F-16 aircraft, during his scheduled June 24 Camp David meeting with US President George W Bush, according to US geopolitical analysts.
The reported decision to resume F-16 sales to Pakistan would bolster Gen Musharraf's prestige and expand his political room to accomplish several other objectives, including acceding to US requests to let its troops to chase militant suspects across the border from Afghanistan, strategic forecasting (Stratfor) said in a report.
President Musharraf and Bush are due discuss a range of issues, including the sale of 28 F-16 fighter craft to Pakistan, debt forgiveness and trade status, Stratfor said, and granting his requests likely will be ''Washington's reward for Pakistan's support in the war against al Qaeda''.
Gen Musharraf has said he plans to seek more market access for Pakistani goods in the United States, further debt relief, an end to military sanctions and opportunities to buy US made military hardware.
Islamabad would like Washington to forgive its remaining 1.8 billion dollars debt. Washington previously wrote off 1 billion dollar as a token of appreciation for Pakistan's support for US military operations in Afghanistan and the ongoing war against Islamist militant groups, Stratfor said. ''And now, there is reason to believe that Islamabad will get most of what it seeks following Musharraf's visit.''
However, the Bush administration has a ''wish list'' of its own where Pakistan is concerned, Stratfor said, including winning an agreement to cease cross-border operations in Afghanistan as well as into Jammu and Kashmir.
''Although there is some evidence that the Pakistani government has supported militant groups that cross the borders into Afghanistan and Kashmir, Washington wants Islamabad's cooperation in surveillance and shutting down the border crossings.''
US officials may seek more leeway in military operations, the report said. ''US troops operating in Afghanistan have been unable to chase militant suspects across the border into Pakistan – and although it would be unpopular to publicly grant them permission to do so, Gen Musharraf could accede to us wishes, provided operations were conducted quietly and perhaps clandestinely.''
Such a move would be worth at least 1.8 billion dollars for Pakistan, and Washington likely would have little trouble granting that request, Stratfor said.
Bureau Report
The reported decision to resume F-16 sales to Pakistan would bolster Gen Musharraf's prestige and expand his political room to accomplish several other objectives, including acceding to US requests to let its troops to chase militant suspects across the border from Afghanistan, strategic forecasting (Stratfor) said in a report.
President Musharraf and Bush are due discuss a range of issues, including the sale of 28 F-16 fighter craft to Pakistan, debt forgiveness and trade status, Stratfor said, and granting his requests likely will be ''Washington's reward for Pakistan's support in the war against al Qaeda''.
Gen Musharraf has said he plans to seek more market access for Pakistani goods in the United States, further debt relief, an end to military sanctions and opportunities to buy US made military hardware.
Islamabad would like Washington to forgive its remaining 1.8 billion dollars debt. Washington previously wrote off 1 billion dollar as a token of appreciation for Pakistan's support for US military operations in Afghanistan and the ongoing war against Islamist militant groups, Stratfor said. ''And now, there is reason to believe that Islamabad will get most of what it seeks following Musharraf's visit.''
However, the Bush administration has a ''wish list'' of its own where Pakistan is concerned, Stratfor said, including winning an agreement to cease cross-border operations in Afghanistan as well as into Jammu and Kashmir.
''Although there is some evidence that the Pakistani government has supported militant groups that cross the borders into Afghanistan and Kashmir, Washington wants Islamabad's cooperation in surveillance and shutting down the border crossings.''
US officials may seek more leeway in military operations, the report said. ''US troops operating in Afghanistan have been unable to chase militant suspects across the border into Pakistan – and although it would be unpopular to publicly grant them permission to do so, Gen Musharraf could accede to us wishes, provided operations were conducted quietly and perhaps clandestinely.''
Such a move would be worth at least 1.8 billion dollars for Pakistan, and Washington likely would have little trouble granting that request, Stratfor said.
Bureau Report