Washington, DC [US], May 15 (ANI): Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin, currently a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, criticized Pakistan’s military response following India’s precision strikes on May 7. In an interview with ANI, Rubin remarked that Pakistan’s attempt to seek a ceasefire resembled “a scared dog with its tail between its legs” after India disabled its airfields.
Rubin asserted that India emerged victorious both diplomatically and militarily, highlighting that global attention is now focused on Pakistan’s sponsorship of terrorism. He stated that Pakistan has historically convinced itself of victories in conflicts with India, despite initiating the wars. However, the recent four-day conflict has shattered that perception.
The former Pentagon official emphasized that India’s precision strikes successfully targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), neutralizing over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). When Pakistan retaliated, India’s counter-response rendered Pakistan’s airfields non-operational.
Rubin noted that the Pakistani military cannot escape the reality that it “lost very, very badly” in both strategic and diplomatic terms. He also questioned the leadership of Pakistan’s military chief, Asim Munir, and expressed doubts about the military’s ability to reform itself, given its entrenched position in Pakistani society.
Operation Sindoor was launched by India in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed. Following India’s precision strikes, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling and drone attempts, prompting India to execute a coordinated counter-offensive targeting radar infrastructure, communication centers, and airfields in Pakistan. On May 10, both countries agreed to cease hostilities.
Rubin concluded that the global community would likely continue to pressure Pakistan to address terrorism within its borders, emphasizing that the recent conflict has fundamentally changed the diplomatic narrative surrounding Pakistan’s support for terror groups. (ANI)
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