Washington, DC [US], May 15 (ANI): Former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Michael Rubin, praised India’s decisive response to Pakistan’s aggression following Operation Sindoor, asserting that India has secured both diplomatic and military victories.
In an interview with ANI, Rubin stated that India’s precision strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) marked a significant success. The strikes were carried out on May 7, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. Rubin highlighted how Pakistan, after suffering substantial losses, was “shocked militarily” and hurried to secure a ceasefire.
“India won this both diplomatically and militarily. The reason why India won diplomatically is that all attention is now on Pakistan’s terrorist sponsorship. The fact that Pakistani officers in uniform attended the funeral of terrorists shows that there is no differentiation between a terrorist and a member of the ISI or the Pakistani armed forces. The world is going to demand that Pakistan extract the rot from its own system,” Rubin said.
He pointed out that Pakistan’s military suffered significant damage, with over 100 terrorists killed during Operation Sindoor. Rubin added that Pakistan’s response, including seeking a ceasefire, reflected its military’s incapacity and desperation.
“There is absolutely no spin that the Pakistani military can put on what occurred to shield themselves from the reality of the fact that they not only lost but lost very, very badly. Clearly, there’s a problem within the Pakistani military, both because it’s a cancer on Pakistani society and because as a military, it’s incompetent,” he remarked.
Rubin also addressed US President Donald Trump’s claims of brokering the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. He advised Indians not to take Trump’s statements literally, suggesting that Trump often exaggerates his achievements.
Trump had claimed that his administration played a crucial role in preventing a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan, stating that his leadership helped broker a “permanent” ceasefire. However, Rubin pointed out that the United States typically engages in behind-the-scenes diplomacy to prevent escalations between nuclear-armed countries.
Rubin asserted that India’s response was not an act of aggression but a justified measure to protect its citizens from cross-border terrorism. “Every country has the right to defend its citizens… India did what was absolutely necessary,” he affirmed.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs also reiterated its position on Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that issues related to the region must be addressed bilaterally with Pakistan. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that Operation Sindoor was a defensive measure following Pakistan’s unprovoked attack and that no trade discussions occurred with the US during the conflict.
Rubin concluded that Pakistan’s military leadership must undergo significant changes, as the current system remains deeply flawed and incapable of addressing its internal issues, including ties to terrorism. (ANI)
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