Inspired Venture
The "Inspired" series of combined US-Pakistani military exercises is scheduled by the US Central Command. INSPIRED VENTURE is a special operations field training exercise conducted between US and Pakistani SOF forces (Army and Navy). Since 1993, these exercises have been conducted despite sanctions by Washington designed to punish Pakistan for its nuclear program.
INSPIRED VENTURE was conducted in Islamabad, Pakistan from 06 January 1994 through 08 February 1994.
In the days before Pakistan exploded five underground nuclear bombs in May 1997, US and Pakistani military planners at Rawalpindi finished plans to bring together 60 American and 200 Pakistani special operations forces for small unit exercises outside Peshawar near Afghanistan and for scuba attacks in Mangla Lake, near the contested mountain region of Kashmir. "Inspired Venture," was scheduled for August 1997, despite US sanctions imposed in retaliation for the nuclear tests.
On 13 July 1997 the Defense Department announced that the joint military exercise with Pakistan had been put on hold following sanctions imposed on Islamabad in the aftermath of its nuclear tests. The decision concerned the exercise "Inspired Venture" that had been planned for the following month. The proposed exercises drew media attention because it was to involve US special forces and scheduled to take place after Washington slapped pakistan with punitive sanctions. But US Central Command placed this and other joint projects with Pakistan under review. The review was to determine whether joint military exercises fell under sanctions provisions. The sanctions suspended US aid to Pakistan and India and required Washington to oppose these countries' requests for international financial assistance.
The USCENTCOM exercise program with Pakistan was suspended following Pakistan's May 1997 nuclear tests, and had not been explcitly resumed as of early 2002.
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