Kashmir

[John Hill]

Can I have that punched on paper for my pianola?

[Sisemen]

Reckon it would wreck it John

[BenThere]

Oh come on Ben There there can never be 'Ethical weapons sales'!

I disagree. Weapon sales, either from nation to nation, or dealer to individual for the purpose of defense don't violate ethics, as I see it. They simply provide the means to implement legitimate defense concern solutions.

As for placing restrictions on the use of weapons sold, that practice runs all the way from fighter jet and missile sales by states to small arms sales to citizens. For example, I have a 2nd Amendment Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. The right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness is enshrined in our foundational Declaration of Independence. In the US private weapon rights vary wildly among the US states.

I live in Michigan where I legally own several firearms, including my primary self-defense weapon, a semi-automatic .45 pistol. To be able to carry it concealed in Michigan, I was required to apply, complete a mandatory training course which included firing range qualification, submit to a background check primarily to flag any criminal history (none for me) and pay some fees. I must periodically renew and re-qualify to keep my 2nd Amendment right. Further, there are many restrictions such as no carry allowed in churches, schools, stadiums, bars and taverns, and such. While such restrictions seem logical, they also let psychopaths intent on mass murder select attack venues where they will unlikely be met with armed resistance.

When you do your requalification training in Michigan, part of the syllabus is when a law enforcement legal representative explains to the class that if you do exercise your self-defense rights, such as shooting an intruder in your home, you will likely be promptly sued by a family with a lawyer who makes a living filing such lawsuits. You will be responsible for your legal costs that can run above $100,000 even though you acted to the letter of the law and perhaps relieved society of the damage a violent and career criminal can do. That's a steep price, but your and your family's survival are priceless.

So the US' imposing some restrictions on Pakistan as a condition for selling it F-16s are similar to the restrictions Michigan places on me for having my .45 with me when I wander the mean streets of Detroit. I'd rather be unrestricted, but that's not an option for me. Pakistan could have purchased less restrictive equipment from China, France, or Russia, but then they wouldn't have had F-16s.

A final anecdote: I was working at Tyndal AFB in Florida after 9/11 for an entity of NORAD called NOBLE EAGLE, which oversaw and controlled an extensive effort to provide CAP operations over major cities. It was staffed by US and Canadian specialists, and the CAP consisted mostly of F-16s. I was the air refueling coordinator. Tankers gave the CAP extended loiter time for their patrols, which for a while operated 24/7. One of the guys I worked with was a seasoned F-16 instructor pilot and one day we went to the Officers' Club after work for a few unwinding beers. He told me about how he instructed a new Pakistani F-16 pilot whose parents came from Pakistan to witness his graduation. The student introduced him to the parents saying, "He taught me all I know about the F-16." My friend told me it was true. "I taught him all he knows, but not anywhere near all I know."