News > Does the F-16 sale represent a reset in US-Pak ties? Not quite

Does the F-16 sale represent a reset in US-Pak ties? Not quite

In a notification to the US Congress last week, the State Department announced what it calls a “foreign military sale" to Pakistan for F-16 “sustainment"—essentially upgrades and maintenance worth $450 million. 

It is difficult to escape the conclusion that this—and possibly other future steps—are quid pro quo for Pakistani assistance in locating and eliminating Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.