Too much Schiavo, lets get back...

[Hutch]

..to bashing the Repubs.

In this article, SecDef "Big D" Rumsfeld viewed with alarm that Venezuela is acquiring 100,000 AK-47's. Sez the Don:

"I can't imagine what is going to happen to 100,000 AK-47s,” he said. “I don't understand why Venezuela needs 100,000 AK-47s."

Of course, about the same time, the Bush administration was announcing this

The Bush administration agreed today to sell Pakistan F-16 fighter planes in a major policy shift that was meant to reward Pakistan for its help in combating terrorism but was also certain to deeply antagonize Pakistan's longtime adversary India.

I would note for the record that Venezuela is a democracy (albeit with a rabble-rousing President who holds us in no high esteem) while Pakistan is ruled by a dictator who overthrew the Democratically elected Government.

No admit it, this is more fun that a morbid deathwatch.

 

[Donks]

If I recall correctly, you're one of them folks that sells them weapons to the awful dictatorships, ain't you?

 

[Hutch]

If I recall correctly, you're one of them folks that sells them weapons to the awful dictatorships, ain't you?

Well, I try to look at it as keeping Americans employed in well-paying engineering and technology jobs...

Seriously,any Big Sale like that must be approved of by Congress and can be held up by the President. I'm just a little fish in this pond (which is just fine by me, not getting noticed by the big fish for the next ten years is my career goal)

 

[Rob Lister]

..to bashing the Repubs.

In this article, SecDef "Big D" Rumsfeld viewed with alarm that Venezuela is acquiring 100,000 AK-47's. Sez the Don:



Of course, about the same time, the Bush administration was announcing this



I would note for the record that Venezuela is a democracy (albeit with a rabble-rousing President who holds us in no high esteem) while Pakistan is ruled by a dictator who overthrew the Democratically elected Government.

No admit it, this is more fun that a morbid deathwatch.

It actually makes sense in my wee-minds eye.

AK-47's and F-16's have similar principled purposes but different practical purposes. AK's are really good for killing in very tactical terms while F-16's are good for in both tactical and stratigic terms.

Of course, too many F-16's might make a leader a bit too uppity (Bush, for example), but too few might make him too, too afraid (that's not good either with a guy that controls nukes). It depends on the F-16 equipment package. Do they blow up or fail completely at the touch of a political button? (ref: Iranian F-14's just after the Shaw's untimely departure)

It's a good carrot, overall. Not perfect. Not pretty. But worth the profit (gross, not net. Please don't talk net)

I give it a 6 on a 10-scale for worthwhile.

 

[SezMe]

The radio news article I heard on this said that we were going to be selling unlimited numbes to BOTH the Pakistanis and the Indians. Is that true?

 

[Rob Lister]

The radio news article I heard on this said that we were going to be selling unlimited numbes to BOTH the Pakistanis and the Indians. Is that true?

Unlimited? I don't know about that. Lots? I wouldn't doubt it and it would be a very, very good idea if we did. The more stuff we sell to both of them, the better. I'm speaking of the major and complex stuff like F-18's, tanks, that thing Hutch is always flying around in, etc. Selling them unlimited munitions would be a bad thing.

 

[Hutch]

Unlimited? I don't know about that. Lots? I wouldn't doubt it and it would be a very, very good idea if we did. The more stuff we sell to both of them, the better. I'm speaking of the major and complex stuff like F-18's, tanks, that thing Hutch is always flying around in, etc. Selling them unlimited munitions would be a bad thing.

I tend to concur, Rob. There is one nice thing about being the arms merchant to the world, is that we tend not to like to see our weapons used against each other, so we work extra hard to see that those who buy our stuff play nicely with each other. For example, both Egypt and Israel are dependent on US major weapons systems (Egypt perhaps more than Israel) and doing anything that would cause the withdrawal of that support (big complex things needs lots and lots of maintenance and spare parts) would criple their military. If you note, most of the conflicts of the Cold War era were between sides equipped with US manufactured equipment versus Soviet equipment.

So by selling more and more weapons to more and more countires, we are actually bringing about peace in our time!! (now how's that for Spinning the Military-Industrial complex!!!)