The BRICS TimesFormer CIA official John Kiriakou disclosed a shocking truth. India and Pakistan were near war in 2002. This followed the Parliament attack and Operation Parakram. The United States evacuated its citizens during this intense India-Pakistan Conflict.
CIA Officer’s Major War Revelation
John Kiriakou is a former CIA officer. He recently revealed a significant event. India and Pakistan nearly went to war in 2002. This serious situation arose in the wake of the December 2001 Parliament attack. It was followed by India’s Operation Parakram. Kiriakou shared this during a special ANI interview. The US intelligence community felt the threat was grave. American officials’ families were immediately evacuated from Islamabad. This highlights the high India-Pakistan Conflict risk.
“We thought that India and Pakistan were going to war,” Kiriakou admitted. “We pulled our families out of Islamabad. We were convinced that India and Pakistan were going to war.” He described the extremely tense situation. The US Deputy Secretary of State constantly traveled between Delhi and Islamabad. The goal was to secure an agreement. They wanted to avert the impending war. Kiriakou noted the US focus was elsewhere then. After 9/11, America was centered on al-Qaeda and Afghanistan. Thus, India’s security interests did not receive serious attention.
Kiriakou Shares More Big Revelations
“We were so busy with al-Qaeda that we didn’t think twice about India,” he stated. Kiriakou then discussed the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. US intelligence correctly assessed the situation. He said Pakistan-backed Kashmiri terror groups were responsible. “I don’t think that was al-Qaeda’s work. It was entirely a Pakistani-backed Kashmiri group plot, and that proved to be true.” He added that Pakistan consistently sponsored terrorism in India. However, the global community never took strict action.
“Pakistan was sponsoring terrorism inside India, and nobody was doing anything,” he emphasized. Kiriakou mentioned the CIA’s India policy. It was internally called ‘Strategic Patience.’ He explained India showed restraint after the major attacks. This included the Parliament and Mumbai attacks. “But it’s time now for India to make sure that its patience is not mistaken for weakness.” This patience must not be misunderstood during the India-Pakistan Conflict.
Future War Scenario Between India and Pakistan
Kiriakou issued a warning about a conventional war. He is certain Pakistan would face defeat. “If a real war happened, Pakistan would lose. I am not talking about nuclear war, but even in a conventional war, their defeat is guaranteed.” India’s military strength and strategic capabilities are far superior. They are clearly ahead of Pakistan’s.
“It will do Pakistan no good to provoke India. They will lose. It’s just that simple,” he asserted. Kiriakou referenced India’s recent military actions. The 2016 Surgical Strike is one example. He also mentioned the 2019 Balakot Air Strike. The 2025 Operation Sindoor was another such step. These show India is unafraid of cross-border terrorism. India also does not fear nuclear blackmail. “India has shown time and time again that it will not tolerate terror and blackmail.” This demonstrated strength changes the dynamic of the India-Pakistan Conflict.
White House Refused to Act on Evidence
Kiriakou was asked why the US ignored the evidence. Why didn’t they act against Pakistan? “That was the White House decision,” he replied simply. “At that time, the relationship with Pakistan was more important to the US than with India. We needed Pakistan, they did not need us.”
Who is John Kiriakou?
John Kiriakou served the CIA for 15 years. He started as an analyst. Post-$9/11$, he led Counter-Terrorism Operations in Pakistan. He tracked al-Qaeda operatives in several major Pakistani cities. These included Peshawar, Karachi, and Lahore. In 2007, he went public in the US media. He revealed the CIA was using torture during interrogations. Waterboarding was used to extract information from detainees. He faced 23 months in prison for this. Yet, he states today, “I have no regrets. What I did, I did for the truth.”
