The Administration again stepped on Congressional toes when it opted not to let lawmakers know early about a planned sale of 36 F-16s to Pakistan. The Administration must give Congress 30 days in which to review the sale, but it is customary to add on another 20 days of pre-formal notification. According to the Congressional newspaper, The Hill, the Pakistan deal frustrates lawmakers on two levels: the abbreviated process and the potential for Pakistan to leak US technology to China. Reuters news service obtained a copy of a letter in which US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has assured lawmakers that Pakistan will sign up to necessary security commitments. That’s one down.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
