Assistant Secretary of State, Political Military Affairs, Dr John F. Hillen has said "a confident and secure Pakistan will be a more reliable partner for the United States."
In a testimony to the House International Relations Committee on 'The Sale of F-16s to Pakistan,' he said "this sale" was "a Presidential priority" and "a key element of the Administration's South Asia strategy," unveiled in March 2005, aimed at broadening strategic relationships with our key regional partners "India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan."
He said: "a major pillar of US strategy, as laid out in the QDR (Quadrennial Defence Review), was to shape the choices of countries at the strategic crossroads." Hillen added: "Pakistan was one of those countries, and our military-to- military relationship was a key vehicle for shaping Islamabad's choices."
"The sale will send a very clear signal of our commitment to a long-term relationship with Pakistan, a Major Non-Nato Ally since June 2004, and strengthen the hand of President Musharraf and his government in supporting us in the war on terror and in continuing to make other, politically difficult, strategic choices."
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