In 2002, the United States intelligence community assessed that India and Pakistan were perilously close to engaging in a full-scale war. This revelation comes from John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer with 15 years of service, who spoke to ANI about the tense military standoff that followed the December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament.

Kiriakou stated that the CIA feared a full-scale war between India and Pakistan in 2002, prompting the United States to evacuate its citizens from Islamabad. He emphasized that Pakistan would not gain anything from provoking India, stating that "nothing, literally nothing good will come of an actual war between India and Pakistan, because the Pakistanis will lose".

Kiriakou also revealed a startling claim regarding Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. According to information he received during his time in Pakistan, the Pentagon, he said, had control over Pakistan's nuclear weapons. He attributed this to then-President Pervez Musharraf's cooperation with the United States, purportedly out of concern that the weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists. However, he noted that Pakistani officials now deny this claim.

Reflecting on India's response to the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Kiriakou said that India's "strategic patience" prevented escalation, even though retaliation would have been justified. He also stated that during his time at the White House, they expected India to strike back after the terror attacks. However, he added that India can no longer allow its restraint to be mistaken for weakness, alluding to India's recent assertive military response under Operation Sindoor.

Kiriakou highlighted a specific instance where the United States had an opportunity to target Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Pakistani scientist known for his involvement in nuclear development, but chose not to act due to a request from Saudi Arabia. He stated that the State Department communicated to both sides that if nuclear weapons were introduced, the "whole world is going to change," which he believes is the reason why India and Pakistan tensions have never escalated to nuclear conflict.

These insights from the former CIA officer shed light on the complex dynamics between the United States, Pakistan, and India, underscoring the delicate balance of power and the potential consequences of military conflict in the region.