US thought India-Pakistan war was imminent in 2002: Ex-CIA officer
What's the story
Former CIA officer John Kiriakou has revealed that the United States intelligence community thought India and Pakistan were on the verge of war in 2002. The tension came after the Parliament attack in December 2001 and a military standoff under "Operation Parakram." In an exclusive interview with ANI, Kiriakou recalled how American families were evacuated from Islamabad due to fears of an impending conflict between the two nations.
Oversight acknowledged
US was focused on Al-Qaeda, Afghanistan post-9/11
Kiriakou, who was in charge of the CIA's counterterrorism efforts in Pakistan post-9/11, admitted that Washington was more focused on Al-Qaeda and Afghanistan at the time. "We were so busy and focused on Al-Qaeda, we never gave two thoughts to India," he said. He also spoke about his assessment of later events like the 2008 Mumbai attacks, attributing them to Pakistan-backed Kashmiri terror groups.
Criticism voiced
Kiriakou warns Pakistan of losing any conventional war with India
Kiriakou criticized Pakistan for its role in terrorism against India, saying "Pakistan was committing terrorism in India, and nobody did anything about it." He said at the CIA, officials termed India's approach as "strategic patience," but warned that India can't risk being seen as weak. Kiriakou also predicted that Pakistan would lose any conventional war with India due to military imbalances. "There's no benefit in constantly provoking Indians," he said. "They'll lose, it's as simple as that."
Counter-terrorism measures
India has shown it won't tolerate nuclear blackmail, cross-border terror
Kiriakou pointed out India's decisive responses to terrorism, including surgical strikes in 2016, Balakot airstrikes in 2019, and "Operation Sindoor." He said India has repeatedly shown it won't tolerate nuclear blackmail or cross-border terror. Recalling his time in Pakistan, Kiriakou described a fractured intelligence system with two parallel ISIs: one combating terror and another supporting it. He recalled a 2002 raid that linked the Pakistani government to Al-Qaeda through captured Lashkar-e-Tayyiba fighters carrying an Al-Qaeda training manual.
Career overview
Who is John Kiriakou?
Kiriakou spent 15 years at the CIA, first as an analyst and then as chief of counterterrorism operations in Pakistan after 9/11. He tracked al-Qaeda operatives across several Pakistani cities before becoming executive assistant to the CIA's deputy director for operations. In 2007, he publicly exposed the CIA's use of torture during interrogations on national television. Despite being imprisoned for 23 months for his actions, Kiriakou has no regrets or remorse about his decision to speak out.