WASHINGTON – U.S. lawmakers are promising close scrutiny of the Bush administration's request to divert hundreds of millions of dollars in anti-terrorism aid to upgrade Pakistan's aging fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter planes.
The Bush administration says the upgraded F-16s will allow Pakistan to better conduct precision attacks on terrorists. But the planes have not traditionally been used in anti-terrorism operations. Pakistan sees them as an asset in its arms race against rival India.
Democratic Rep. Gary Ackerman says updating the F-16s may not be the best way to fight extremists.
The comments came as a Pakistan army spokesman said the military has ordered its forces to open fire if U.S. troops launch another air or ground raid across the Afghan border.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox