'General Kurilla is worried about his job': Ex-IAF officer hints US needs Pakistan to handle Iran

Former Indian Air Force officer Ajay Ahlawat on Thursday reacted to US CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla's praise for Pakistan, suggesting the comments were shaped by operational needs rather than diplomatic sentiment. Kurilla's description of Pakistan as a 'phenomenal partner' drew sharp reactions in India, with some questioning Washington's apparent softening stance on Islamabad.

"All this kolaveri on General Michael Kurilla's statement must stop," Ahlawat said. "The CentCom chief is, worried about his job. From his pedestal Pakistan's assets, airspace, and staging bases are critical requirements, if his boss asks him to hit Iran. He HAS TO keep Pakistan in his good books. There's nothing more to it. Some people are making it a breakup song."

Former Colonel Mayank Chaubey also played down the remarks, calling them part of Washington's strategic balancing. "I don't think there's a requirement to even protest. It's US strategic balancing. Gen. Kurilla, the CENTCOM chief, emphasised that engaging Pakistan doesn't require sidelining India. Washington sees both as distinct partners in the region. Thus, US policy treats the relationships separately, not as a binary choice."

General Kurilla, speaking before the US Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, described Pakistan as a "phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world." He highlighted the Pakistan Army's arrest of Mohammed Sharifullah, a senior ISIS-K operative accused of helping plan the August 2021 Kabul airport bombing that killed 13 US personnel and over 160 Afghans.

"That's why we need...to have a relationship with Pakistan and with India. I do not believe it is a binary switch that we can't have one with Pakistan if we have a relationship with India,” Kurilla told the panel. "We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has."

Kurilla's remarks did not go down well with retired Indian Army Brigadier V Mahalingam, who said: "Hope this rule applies to India and other countries when it has relations and businesses with Russia or China and stops preaching that 'you are either with us or against us'." 

Mahalingam pointed out Pakistan's long-standing links with terror groups. "Incidentally, Pakistan hosts 30 to 40 thousand terrorists on its soil as acknowledged by the then Pak PM Imran Khan in July 2019, while on an official visit to the US. Since June 2018, the country has been included in the ‘Grey List’ of FATF." 

"The South Asia Terrorism Portal lists 80 Proscribed Terrorist/Extremist Groups as housed in Pakistan, 45 groups as Active Terrorist/Insurgent Groups and 26 groups as 'Inactive Terrorist/Insurgent groups'. Pakistan housed Osama bin Laden who perpetrated 9/11 against US in US soil. The Al Qaeda was housed and protected by Pakistan in Abbottabad, close to Pakistan's military academy," he added.