This foreign aid crap has got to stop. Egypt reportedly already has 200 of the damn things, but the government is sending 20 more as a part of a $1 billion aid package. While we’re broke. While Egypt is unstable and electing an islamo-fascist government. You have to be kidding.
From a military standpoint, this wasn’t a great decision. The F-16 is still a pretty formidable aircraft. It can certainly hold its own against the Russian planes from the same era. And the fact that Israel doesn’t have any 5th gen fighters to counter it (Yet), makes it an even more precarious decision.
This seems like a good idea. I can’t possibly see how it might bite us on the ass down the road. I’m excited about it and looking forward to the positive results.
I think that finally this time “arming those who hate us and giving them money” is going to work. Eventually they HAVE to come around and figure out we are the good guys.
Statistically it HAS to work out ok one of these times.
Besides Muslim Brotherhood has the word “brotherhood” right in it so they must have decent intentions. I think this is finally the “peace is at hand” move.
If the asshat administration we’re under has, and continues to, demonstrate ignorance of economic history (i.e. the follies of Keynesianism and Socialism), then how can we reasonably expect them to be well versed on world history of international relations and the follies of appeasement? They go hand-in-hand. These are dangerous motherfuckers we have at the wheel in America.
Ah yes, that was brilliant. US aids the mujahideen against the Soviets. Osama Bin Laden fights with mujahideen. Soviets withdrawal. Communist Afghan govt collapses in 1992. Taliban take control. Osama uses Afghanistan as training hq, plans and carries out 9/11.
Yeah, I’m sure they could take a number of them down via SAMs or their own F-15/16s. Maybe not 200 all at once though. (Not that such a thing could ever happen without warning)
What could possibly go wrong with arming the Israelis and the Muslim Brotherhood? Of course, this is the same country that employs people to make sure you don’t shoot an overpopulated white tail out of season, employs people to kill coyotes, and to bring back wolves. We’re not schizophrenic whatsoever…
The United States bribed Begin and Sadat to sign the Camp David Accords back in '78 with the promise of buckets of U.S. foreign aid and we’ve been on the hook ever since.
I’ll leave others to judge what kind of return we have received on that investment.
Well, if we’re going to be honest about it, much of this “foreign aid” is a not-so-subtly disguised federal subsidy to the U.S. defense industry as most of the money comes right back to the U.S. when the recipients go on a shopping spree.
Which brings us full circle as to the efficacy of either giving or paying for all manner of weaponry for folks who hate the fuck out of each other … all in the name of securing the peace.
Another interesting fact is that much of the U.S. fleet of F-16s were built in the 1980s and early 1990s and are running out of airframe hours. Unfortunately with the constant delays and cost overruns of the F-35, the USAF will be forced to downsize in the next several years due to old airframes. I think these F-16s should be given to the USAF to help buy more time until the issues with the F-35 get worked out.
