You may have noticed that there's been more than a little negative comment from American pundits on Russia's selling of 100,000 assault rifles to Venezuela. The Bush administration has issued some heavy-handed "diplomatic" statements about Chavez' undermining the security of the region.
However, by amazing contrast, you almost certainly haven't heard a single thing about Bush's plan to sell over a hundred advanced anti-shipping missiles to really-truly-a-dictator General Musharaff of Pakistan.
The deal is worth $370 million and it is unclear whether that is actually being paid by Pakistan or whether the manufacturers will be paid out of US military assistance to Pakistan. However, one thing is very clear - Bin Laden doesn't have any navy.
These missiles can only be useful against the Indian Navy. India is supposed to be another U.S. Ally. India and Pakistan have already fought three major wars in the last 50 years and not more than five years ago almost had a nuclear war.
Now that is what I call undermining the security of the region! And of course, insecure nations invariably come shopping for more weapons. Which always was the whole idea.
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