Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official, has sharply criticized Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, making a bold comparison to Osama bin Laden, labeling him “Osama bin Laden in a suit.” This condemnation follows Munir’s recent statements about nuclear weapons made during his visit to the United States. Rubin depicted Pakistan as a “chaotic nation,” accusing it of using inflammatory language. He linked Munir’s statements to the extremist ideology of the Islamic State, drawing a direct parallel to bin Laden, the figure behind the 9/11 attacks.
The controversy originated from reports that Munir stated, during a meeting in Tampa, Florida, in the presence of US military officials, that if Pakistan were to disintegrate, it would take down half the world with it. India has strongly criticized these nuclear threats, with the Foreign Ministry stating that such statements are not new and are regrettable coming from a friendly nation.
Rubin, in his response, said that such threats on American soil are completely unacceptable. He warned that such statements could lead to the misuse of nuclear weapons by extremist groups. He argued that the problem with Pakistan goes beyond usual diplomatic disputes. “Americans usually look at terrorism with a view of complaint or pain, but they do not understand the ideology of terrorists. Asim Munir is Osama bin Laden wearing a suit,” he said. Rubin also said that Munir’s statements raise questions about Pakistan’s state-institutional responsibilities. He proposed that the international community should consider the “controlled disintegration” of Pakistan, potentially including supporting regions like Balochistan that seek independence. He also suggested a possible military intervention in the future to secure Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. Rubin stated that Pakistan’s threat to use nuclear weapons indicates it has lost its right to be a legitimate state. He expressed that future administrations should take steps to secure its nuclear weapons because the alternative is too dangerous.
Furthermore, Rubin suggested that Pakistan should no longer be given the status of “Major Non-NATO Ally.” He proposed that Pakistan be included in a list of countries that support terrorism and be excluded from the US Central Command. He finally demanded that Asim Munir be declared persona non grata in the US and that he should never be allowed to enter the country. He also added that until Pakistan clarifies its position and apologizes, no Pakistani official should be allowed to enter the US.