The Bush administration has announced plans to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. Administration officials Friday sent formal notification of the sale to Congress, which must review the plans.
Officials say the decision to end a 15-year long ban on such sales to Pakistan is tied to what one official says is President Pervez Musharraf's strategic decision to stand with the United States after the September 11th attacks. President Bush informed Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh of the sale in a telephone call. An Indian spokesman expressed what he calls great disappointment. But U.S. officials say it is unlikely to affect the military balance in the region because they say India will buy fighter jets from another country.