US Accuses Pakistan of Altering Missiles - NYT

[SinoIndusFriendship]

Pakistan rejects US accusation on missile modification

Pakistan on Sunday rejected US government claims that it illegally modified American-made missiles and said the accusations were part of a campaign to "malign it and its armed forces".Modifications to anti-ship missiles made them capable of hitting land-based targets and thus threatening India, The New York Times said on Saturday.

Citing unnamed senior administration and congressional officials, the newspaper said the accusation was made in an unpublicized diplomatic protest delivered in late June to Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

"It appears to be a campaign by design to malign Pakistan and the armed forces to achieve some purpose," a senior Pakistani security official told AFP, asking not be named.

He said the Harpoon missiles were meant for maritime use and "there is no credible information to suggest that the navy might have changed the original purpose of the missile."

The New York Times said the missiles were sold to Pakistan by the administration of former US president Ronald Reagan as a defensive weapon during the Cold War in the 1980s.

US military and intelligence officials said they suspect that Pakistan has modified the missiles in a manner that would be a violation of the Arms Control Export Act in the United States, the paper said.

According to the report, US intelligence agencies detected on April 23 a suspicious missile test that appeared to indicate that Pakistan had a new offensive weapon.

The United States has also accused Pakistan of modifying US-made P-3C aircraft for land-attack missions, another violation of US law that the administration of President Barack Obama has protested, the report said.

(AFP)

Modifying live missiles is not child's play, you just don't tinker with something that can blow your face off! Furthermore, Pakistan has its own missiles, as well as access to some Chinese & Soviet/Russian ones so it doesn't need to do this.

Another attempt at demonizing Pak and making it seem like Pakistan military is unreliable/untrustable -- thus prepping the people for eventual seisure of Pak nukes!

 

[Spring Onion]

Pakistan denies modifying U.S. missiles
The White House sees a threat to India, but some experts disagree.

By Eric Schmitt and David E. Sanger
The New York Times
Posted: 08/30/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 08/30/2009 01:17:51 AM MDT


WASHINGTON — The United States has accused Pakistan of illegally modifying American-made missiles to expand its capability to strike land targets, a potential threat to India, according to senior administration and congressional officials.

The charge, which set off a new outbreak of tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan, was made in an unpublicized diplomatic protest in late June to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and other top Pakistani officials.

The accusation comes at a delicate time. The administration is asking Congress to approve $7.5 billion in aid to Pakistan over the next five years, and Washington is pressing a reluctant Pakistani military to focus its attentions on fighting the Taliban, rather than expanding its nuclear and conventional forces aimed at India.

American officials say that the weapon in the latest dispute is a conventional one — based on the Harpoon anti-ship missiles that were sold to Pakistan by the Reagan administration as a defensive weapon in the Cold War, but the subtext of the argument is growing concern about the speed with which Pakistan is developing new generations of both conventional and nuclear weapons.

"There's a concerted effort to get these guys to slow down," one senior administration official said. "Their energies are misdirected."

At issue is the detection by American intelligence agencies of a suspicious missile test April 23 — a test never announced by the Pakistanis — that appeared to give the country a new offensive weapon.

American military and intelligence officials suspect that Pakistan has modified the Harpoon missiles, a move that would be a violation of the Arms Control Export Act. Pakistan denies the charge, saying it developed the missile itself.

The United States also has accused Pakistan of modifying American-made P-3C aircraft for land- attack missions, another violation of U.S. law that the Obama administration has protested.

Some experts are skeptical of the American claims.

Rob Hewson, editor of Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, a yearbook and Web-based data service, said the Harpoon missile did not have the necessary range for a land-attack missile. Moreover, he said, Pakistan could buy more modern missile technology from China or South Africa.

Pakistan denies modifying U.S. missiles - The Denver Post

 

[Awesome]

Also note that the write doesn't really mention WHICH missile was test on Apr 23 (no news report). Of course no actual official quoted... is NAMED. Sanger and Schmitt may have made the whole thing up.

If you go through Sanger's recent articles about Pakistan they are all critical and appeasing India. Either name someone or its propaganda.

 

[Awesome]

Not a single name being taken of the accusers and the deniers. Only one Janes defence guy being mentioned.

Things as they stand, we have only the word of Sanger and Schmitt. Highly anti-Paksitani writers of NYT.

 

[Spring Onion]

Also note that the write doesn't really mention WHICH missile was test on Apr 23 (no news report). Of course no actual official quoted... is NAMED. Sanger and Schmitt may have made the whole thing up.

If you go through Sanger's recent articles about Pakistan they are all critical and appeasing India. Either name someone or its propaganda.

May be an excuse to allow India to conduct more nuke test and to suppliment the drama India have started about success of Pokharan

 

[Awesome]

If something like that is in the works... Then it might be something like India conducts a test and Pakistan follows suit, they'll place sanction on both first, then remove them from India and keep them on Pakistan making up BS cases such as these.

Although it is more of another start to a lot of drama. So this is just a prelude to something bigger. Could be a nuke test, could be something else.

 

[Hyde]

Haqqani denies charges of illegally developing US missiles​

Updated at: 1939 PST, Sunday, August 30, 2009
Haqqani denies charges of illegally developing US missiles Sami Abraham
WASHINGTON: Pakistan ambassador to United States, Hussain Haqqani has said that the story of New York Times in which Pakistan was accused of illegally modifying US made missiles to expand its ability to hit land based targets was incorrect and based on wrong intelligence .

Talking to The News and Geo here on Saturday, Hussain Haqqani said US media should help Pakistan which remains a critical ally in fighting against terrorism

He said anti-Pakistan stories appear periodically in US press to falsely blame Pakistan and this time perhaps those forces who don't want Kerry-Lugar legislation to be passed by the US Congress, without any restriction on Pakistan, are behind this propaganda campaign. He said that we will make sure that the US understands the correct picture and will also fight back such propaganda tactics.

Earlier, The New York Times reported quoting anonymous white House sources that US administration has protested to Pakistan for allegedly developing a US anti ship missile to expand its ability to hit land targets. The paper said that the US missiles were sold to Pakistan in 80's by Regan administration but on April 23 this year Pakistan conducted a missile test without any information to the US to demonstrate these harpoon's ability to hit land targets.

 

[Developereo]

I wouldn't get too worried.

The people that matter here is the US Congress, not some media morons. As long as the Congress believes the Pakistani explanation and Jane's Defense expert's analysis, we are OK.

 

[graphican]

I don't see the "wisdom" in that

You don't see any wisdom in going for American Ad? I mean are you overlooking the figure that who is in power?? ... and do you still await wisdom to descend from the people who hold the top most chairs?

 

[batmannow]

Can anybody tell us the Name of the missile ?

American officials say that the weapon in the latest dispute is a conventional one — "based on the Harpoon antiship missiles" that were sold to Pakistan by the Reagan administration as a defensive weapon in the cold war — the subtext of the argument is growing concern about the speed with which Pakistan is developing new generations of both conventional and nuclear weapons.
i guss, u got ur answer, right?

The accusation comes at a particularly delicate time, when the administration is asking Congress to approve $7.5 billion in aid to Pakistan over the next five years, and when Washington is pressing a reluctant Pakistani military to focus its attentions on fighting the Taliban, rather than expanding its nuclear and conventional forces aimed at India.

like always, typical US hypocracy!

 

[batmannow]

the best thing, pakistan can do is to back out from the security , cordon , which was set up by , uncle sam & co!
re-write its external policies, try to make some kind of new stratagic alliances with IRAN +RUSSIA.

 

[batmannow]

I've never been fan of the aid though. As long as Pakistan navigates a path that involves no sanctions and economic relations continue, we don't really need the US for military stuff, the Chinese source can suffice.

Could also be just some NYT guys drumming up the Pakphobia that has done so well for their paper. The authors, Sanger, Schmitt don't really name the officials they are quoting. The only person they did quote, from Janes, actually downplays the possibility of us altering the Harpoons... And also creating which missile?

THTS a clear trap, from the "AXIS OF EVIL's" formation against pakistan!

 

[Awesome]

I wouldn't get too worried.

The people that matter here is the US Congress, not some media morons. As long as the Congress believes the Pakistani explanation and Jane's Defense expert's analysis, we are OK.

The problem in being too complacent is that the congressmen are answerable to the public they serve. Media reports from anonymous and confidential sources, of this magnitude can really be made to sell any story and if the public buys it, the congressman would act on it.

So at the very least we should be on the offensive against yellow journalists, even if its in famous papers such as the NYT. Either put up or shut up.

 

[Spring Onion]

The problem in being too complacent is that the congressmen are answerable to the public they serve. Media reports from anonymous and confidential sources, of this magnitude can really be made to sell any story and if the public buys it, the congressman would act on it.

So at the very least we should be on the offensive against yellow journalists, even if its in famous papers such as the NYT. Either put up or shut up.

Asim the American papers most of the times take up psy-ops which is fed to them directly by the concerned government departments.

 

[Sargodhian_Eagle]

This is not officialy asked to Pak by USA. this is only newyork time news which is published to give a cold breath to poor n dieng indian missile program.