'Osama destroyed America's two iconic buildings': Shashi Tharoor reminds of Pakistan's role as Trump hosts Munir

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday reacted to US President Donald Trump hosting Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir at a private lunch in the White House, saying the United States can't forget Pakistan's role in sheltering Osama bin Laden.

"I hope the food was good and he (Asim Munir) gets some food for thought in the process," Tharoor said while speaking to reporters. "I would hope that in these interactions, the Americans would also remind Pakistan of the great importance of not supporting terrorism, of not providing safe haven to terrorists, of not enabling, guiding, training, arming, financing, equipping, and dispatching terrorists to our country from their soil."

He said some American senators and Congressmen who met the Pakistani delegation that was there at the same time that his delegation was there did remind Pakistan of this. "People in the US could not have forgotten the episode of Osama so quickly. Osama bin Laden killed over 2,000 people in the 9/11 attack. He destroyed two iconic American buildings. Pakistan's culpability in hiding this man until he was finally found in a safe house near an Army camp cannot easily be forgotten and forgiven by the Americans," Tharoor said. 

"I hope while the General was being wined and dined, he got all these messages at the same time because that would also be in America's interest," the Congress leader said. 

Trump's rare move to host the Pakistan Army chief came just weeks after India and Pakistan were locked in a four-day military conflict. The meeting has drawn sharp attention in New Delhi. Geostrategist Brahma Chellaney said that this meeting was 'chiefly aimed at New Delhi'. He rejected arguments that Trump's meeting with Munir may be aimed at securing assurances from Islamabad on Iran.    

Chellaney said the visit came even before Israel's preemptive operations in Iran, and that the meeting "may mark a return to the old American playbook of balancing U.S. relations with India and Pakistan." The thinker said that by hosting the leader of the institution that wields de facto power in Pakistan, Trump is implicitly legitimising the Pakistan army's role — "not only domestically but also in shaping regional security."

The geostrategist also said that Trump's decision to welcome Munir signals an effort to normalise Islamabad’s standing — and potentially revive Cold War–era US-Pakistan strategic collaboration. 

According to Bloomberg, Trump hinted at discussing Iran with Munir, saying, "They know Iran very well, better than most, and they're not happy about anything. They see what's going on. And he agreed with me." The private lunch was held at a time when the US is considering whether to join the war and support Israeli airstrikes on Iran.