EXCLUSIVE : As US pulls out of Afghanistan, its weapons head for Pakistan
With the United States all set to withdraw from Afghanistan, alarm bells have begun to ring in New Delhi as reports indicate that a lot of arms being used by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) could end up with the Pakistani military.
The last time Pakistan received advanced weapons from the Americans in the 1980s, it led to the eruption of a terrorism movement in Kashmir. It is understood that New Delhis concerns have been communicated to US vice president Joe Biden who was on a state visit here last month.
Indias security establishment has been receiving steady reports that a large consignment of advanced arms is being claimed by Pakistan. On the cards are large consignments of night vision devices, sniper rifles, laser target designators for the Pakistan Air Force and counter-IED equipment. But what has alarmed New Delhi is a move by Pakistan to get weapon systems that dont have anything to do with counter-terrorism.
Reports indicate that the United States is considering handing over AMRAAM air-to-air and sidewinder missiles as well as M-270 multiple launch rocket systems. It is believed that since these could come under strict export controls, the weapon systems will be first handed over to a friendly third country, which, in turn, will hand them over to Pakistan. While India has expressed its concern over transfer of such weapon systems, the United States has been non-committal to New Delhi on the issue.
Indian analysts believe that this is a worrying development but needs to be handled with maturity and not alarm. Washington is committed to resuming military aid to Pakistan under the Pakistan Counter Terrorism Fund (PCF) and the Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Capability Fund (PCCF). Some of this equipment in Afghanistan could fall under either category setting it off against the committed value of aid already authorised by US Congress, says Rana Banerji, former special secretary with R&AW and a noted Pakistan expert. Both the Pakistan Army and the US want to repair the relationship which went sharply downhill after the Raymond Davis Affair in January 2011. According to him, the visit by US secretary of state John Kerry could be a major resumption of a strategic dialogue between the United States and Pakistan.
Former ambassador to Afghanistan Vivek Katju is also circumspect about the developments. Things have changed significantly since the 1980s and our conventional superiority against Pakistan is quite impressive. So if they get some weapons, it is worrying but we should not react without getting to understand the mechanics of any deal to transfer weapons. According to Katju, the United States needs Pakistan desperately to ensure a peaceful withdrawal from Afghanistan next year.
The role of Pakistan is critical and in Pakistan the military is critical. So Washington needs to engage the military and keep them happy. This could be one such move, he told dna.
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dna exclusive: As US pulls out of Afghanistan, its weapons head for Pakistan - India - DNA
