Pakistan Lets China View US Stealth Technology

Oswald McWeany writes "Tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan have moved up a notch in light of news that Pakistan allowed China to examine the downed stealth helicopter used in the operation to kill Osama bin Laden. Pakistan also provided Chinese intelligence with samples of the 'stealth skin.' 'Pakistan enjoys a close relationship with China, which is a major investor in telecommunications, ports and infrastructure in the country.'"

Comments

No shit, sherlock?

[NeutronCowboy]

I'm not sure why anyone didn't see this coming.... I was actually surprised they didn't send some locals to clean up the chopper rests. Either that, or it's really not that advanced. Radar-reducing skins are known, and the shape didn't seem that out of the ordinary. Oh look, a cover over the tail rotor to reduce radar signature. The biggest deal would be the electronics. I can only hope they were reduced to dust.

What did the US expect?

[couchslug]

The "Fundamental" law of religion is that the more Fundmentalist one is the more literally religious one is.

Pakistan was founded as a Muslim state, and it is not a reasonable expectation for it to work against Islam in Afghanistan by supporting the heretical idea of secular government. The only reason Islamabad gave the US the time of day in the past was to obtain arms to use against its mortal enemy India which was buddies with the Soviets during the Cold War.

The Cold War is finished, and Islamabad has everything to gain from a Talibanistan protecting its flank so it can prepare for war with India.
As Uncle Sugar wises up under pressure, Islamabad must suck up to China.

India would be wise to make buddies with the US after the US-Pak relationship collapses. If it comes to war, US assets could help India take out Pak nukes which are a menace to civilization. China would have no interest in intervention since its own Muslims are a problem more easily dealt with if Pakistan becomes an ashtray.

Re:What did the US expect?

[couchslug]

"Unlike the West, China's government has no problem with nationalizing a territory's entire religious structure and killing anyone who disagrees"

That, as history demonstrates, is only bad depending on whose superstition is being taken out. All superstitions being worse than mere Chinese capitalism, I approve of Beijings efforts to limit religious damage in China. Seen in the Chines context, religion was among the backward traditions which hobbled China and facilitated its onetime colonial prostration before foreign powers. It is perfectly reasonable for modern people to oppose religion and to use any force they can bring to bear against all of them. China has a unique opportunity to gradually build a less-superstitious future and should take it by force if necessary.

Which is why

[WindBourne]

Pakistan's and America's relationship is faltering. The fact is, that pakistan is harboring terrorists PURPOSELY.

To be honest, part of the issues belong to us. W/neo-cons gave India access to 'civil' nuke tech, but not to pakistan. Once we opened that up, we basically told pakistan that we did not trust them. Of course, that was true. We don't. And we are helping what they consider their mortal enemy (even though it is also their 'brother').

Re:Which is why

[khallow]

Honestly this right/left-wing nonsense has got to stop or there will be a fucking civil war.

It's worth noting that this sort of happened just before the Second World War. For example, France had a huge schism between its left and right. End result was that they were a incompetent mess when the Germans invaded and eventually the right sided with the Germans to form Vichy France. I gather that's part of the reason conservative and business ideas are so reviled in many parts of Europe because some many of them sided with the occupying Nazis.

Another example is the Allende government in Chile. Deliberate destruction of the Chilean economy (along the lines of a Communist playbook) which lead to the military coup setting up Pinochet for several decades.

I know that was meant to be something of a throw away comment, but there's a lot of truth in the idea that extreme division destroys a democracy. Everyone has a responsibility to work with their country-mates even when the other person is deeply in error/self-serving/etc.

Re:Oh boo hoo

[Rob the Bold]

Did US and Pakistan have some kind of deal where they are not allowed to improve their technology with their friends if US happens to dump their trash all over the country? US would do exactly the same with UK or their other girlfriends.

Well, Pakistan does have an "accept several hundred billion dollars a year from the US" deal. If China's making them a better offer, then Pakistan's actions make sense.

Re:No surprise.

[ElectricTurtle]

Your surmise is correct. That's what happened when the Chinese embassy was 'accidentally' bombed during the conflict in the Balkans. A stealth aircraft had recently been shot down and the Chinese were known to have collected a ton of parts from the wreckage, and they were being held in the embassy awaiting extraction to China. Whoops, a whole ton of precision guided ordnance accidentally wiped it out. Fancy that.

Re:Oh boo hoo

[sortius_nod]

The US funds the Pakistani military for their OWN benefit, not for Pakistan's. It's leverage, same as China.

US already knew China had huge investment in Pakistan so they have no one to blame but themselves. They know Pakistan is of higher strategic importance than China knowing how a stealth chopper was built.