Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin sharply criticised Pakistan army chief Asim Munir for his recent nuclear threats, accusing Islamabad of acting like “a rogue state” with its war-mongering rhetoric. Rubin compared Munir to Osama bin Laden, the terrorist mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, saying Munir’s remarks echoed the extremist threats often heard from groups like the Islamic State.
The controversy stems from Field Marshal Asim Munir’s statement that if Pakistan “goes down, it would take half the world down” with it. These comments were reportedly made during a meeting in Tampa, Florida, in the presence of US military officials.
India has formally condemned Munir’s nuclear threat. The Ministry of External Affairs expressed regret that such provocative remarks were made from the soil of a friendly third country and stated that nuclear sabre-rattling is a recurring tactic used by Pakistan.
Rubin told a news agency, “Pakistan’s threats on American soil are completely unacceptable.”
The former US official warned that Pakistan’s nuclear threats could enable terrorist groups to “go rogue” with nuclear weapons, posing a fundamentally different challenge than typical diplomatic disputes.
“Americans tend to view terrorism through the lens of grievance and often fail to grasp the ideological motivations behind many terrorists. Asim Munir is like Osama bin Laden in a suit,” he said.
Rubin added that Munir’s rhetoric is raising serious doubts about Pakistan’s ability to responsibly act as a sovereign state.
“The Field Marshal’s language echoes the extremist threats we’ve heard from groups like the Islamic State,” he remarked.
He suggested the international community should consider guiding Pakistan through a “managed decline,” which might involve acknowledging separatist regions such as Balochistan. Rubin even hinted at the possibility of future military interventions to secure Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
“It may soon come to a point where future administrations will need to send special forces into Pakistan to secure its nuclear weapons, because the alternative is too dangerous,” he warned.
Rubin also argued that the US should reconsider Pakistan’s status as a major non-NATO ally. “Pakistan should be the first major non-NATO ally designated as a state sponsor of terrorism and should no longer be part of the US Central Command,” he said.
Calling for strong diplomatic measures, Rubin stated, “Asim Munir should be declared persona non grata in the US and be denied an American visa, along with any Pakistani officials, until Pakistan clarifies its position and offers an apology.” (Agencies)
