Friday, July 21 2006 12:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: Lawmakers of a key US congressional panel have criticised the Bush administration for the manner in which the US Congress was overlooked in the US$ five billion F-16 deal with Pakistan with some questioning its timing in the wake of Mumbai blasts.

Both the Republican and Democrat leaders in the House International Relations Committee questioned not only the mechanisms and process involved in the sale but also the merits of the sale as it pertained to Pakistan, the sub continent, the fight in the war against terrorism and in the context of the recent Mumbai bombings.

Senior law makers led by the Chair of the Committee Henry Hyde publicly rebuked State Department's Assistant Secretary of State for Political and Military Affairs John Hillen for ignoring time honored traditions involving arms sales notification and in particular breaching established protocols on the 20 day prior notification period.

"You are incapable of admitting a colossal mistake and in the process you are infuriating the Chair and myself," said a fuming Ranking Member Tom Lantos.

"The stance of Hillen was only creating monumental problems," he said.

"This arrogant usurpation of Congressional authority sours the whole deal," Lantos said after acknowledging in his opening statement that he supported the substance of the sale to Pakistan.

But at the end of the hearing California Democrat Brad Sherman summed it all by saying that irrespective of what happens, Congress is not going to be in a position to block the proposed deal.

"You are doing your job but we are not doing our job. Our job is to make you go back and do it right. Our job is to make sure that this deal reflects the best thing you get in conference, not only whether it will go forward but what kind of security requirements are imposed," Sherman said.

"We are all going to the wood-shed," Hyde said in his closing remarks as he brought the curtains down on an unprecedented afternoon session when nothing Hillen said seemed to matter including his repeated statement that the State Department was not somehow involved in a 'calculated' attempt to keep Congress out of the loop.

But Hillen's problem with law makers was not just with the modalities of how the administration and the State department have gone about. It had to do with the specifics of the sale especially as it pertained to proliferation, the Pakistan-China nexus and via China arms being peddled into the Middle East to terror outfits like the Hizbollah.

At least two law makers Sherman and Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa linked the timing of the F-16 package deal to Pakistan to the Mumbai blasts.

Congressman Sherman found it additionally outrageous that within a week of Mumbai blasts and questions remaining on whether Pakistan will fully cooperate in the ongoing investigations that administration is coming to Congress to approve this package.

Lawmakers had specific querries to the top State Department official on the security plans put in place in the package especially in the context of the sophisticated technologies and munitions that may be of interest to third parties like China.

"The administration's plan is completely inadequate to safeguard US technology properly and to protect US national security against espionage and compromise in Pakistan," said Lantos making the point that the original plan submitted was found to be inadequate on several counts.

The co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, Gary Ackerman, questioned the substance of the argument that Pakistan needed the F-16s for assistance in the war on terror and brought up the issue of the proliferation of sensitive nuclear technologies to terrorist states through A Q Khan and his nuclear Walmart.

"I have a hard time believing that whatever security arrangements Pakistan has agreed to won't be violated by someone with an interest in earning a little ready cash. Afterall that has been Pakistan's experience with its own technology, why would they be more careful with ours," Ackerman asked.

The New York Democrat has introduced a legislation in the House of Representatives disapproving the issuance of the letters of offer with respect to certain proposed sales of defence articles and defence services to Pakistan.

In response to a question from Rohrabacher on whether the F-16s to Pakistan in the proposed package are capable of carrying a nuclear weapon, Hillen answered

These F16s will not be able to carry nuclear weapons and that the United States is in a position to monitor once after the package deal has been complete.

Digressing from his prepared remarks, Hillen argued that the security plan in place for the Pakistani deal greatly exceeds the framework in place for the United States Air Force.

Among other things that Washington will ensure includes end use monitoring, more frequent inventories, routine access, restrictions on flight operations outside Pakistan and maintanence in dedicated facilities.

Hillen said the sale is a Presidential priority and a key element of the administration's South Asia strategy, unveiled in March 2005, aimed at broadening strategic relationships with our key regional partners India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

"The sale will send a very clear signal of our commitment to a long-term relationship with Pakistan, a Major Non-NATO Ally since June 2004, and strengthen the hand of President Pervez Musharraf and his government in supporting us in the war on terror and in continuing to make other, politically difficult, strategic choices. A confident and secure Pakistan will be a more reliable partner for the United States," he said.

"The sale of F-16s not only shows our support for Pakistan's tough choices, it bolsters Pakistan's capabilities in the war on terror, helps the Pakistan Air Force better support coalition operations in the region, enhancesinteroperability between the US and Pakistan Air Forces, and supports Pakistan's legitimate self-defense needs.

"This sale would also demonstrate that we are serious about a strategic relationship based equally on concern for Pakistan's national interests and security needs," he said.

Hillen also assured law makers that the administration has carefully considered the potential risks of diversion and that Washington is taking steps to minimise those risks adding that Pakistan and its Air Force have been extremelycooperative in responding to American concerns.