As reported in The Nation (August 11), Pakistan's Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman said during an interview with Jane's Defence Weekly that Pakistan is planning to acquire the mid-air refueling capability by the year 2010 to augment the capacity of its fighter aircrafts to patrol border areas. Not long ago, our former Chief of Air Staff had stated that Pakistan Air Force has the capability to deal with the drones but the order must come from the civilian government. Then, we have the nuclear bombs and the delivery systems. Unfortunately, despite these varied capabilities, we have been unable to check the advance of Americans who are attacking our country as well as taking it over from within, almost effortlessly. The Americans are increasing their manpower, building fortress-like structures within our territory without meeting the slightest bit of resistance. Americans did all this in Jordan but, then, that is a small country with not many options in terms of defence. Still, it fought gallantly with Israel, with King Hussain himself participating in the battle. Even Iraqi irregulars fought as much as they could and the Afghans are giving US and its allies a tough time. With us, though, the situation has got so hopeless that American officials habitually overrule our rulers. It has come to a point that a lowly American security official can actually point a gun at our police officer in Islamabad and get away with it. In any other self-respecting country, this would have resulted in his instant expulsion. -S.R.H. HASHMI, Karachi, via e-mail, August 11.