Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Accuses United States of Profiteering From Global Conflicts
Amid rising geopolitical tensions in South Asia following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has intensified his criticism of the United States, accusing Washington of deliberately igniting and perpetuating international conflicts to benefit economically from war.
The provocative remarks, which surfaced in an undated video circulating online, add fuel to the ongoing debate about the global arms trade and its role in foreign policy.
In the video, Asif claims that the U.S. has a long and consistent history of engaging in and instigating wars, driven primarily by the interests of its powerful military-industrial complex.
“Over the past century, the United States has been involved in 260 wars. In stark contrast, China has participated in only three military conflicts,” Asif alleged, drawing a sharp comparison to underscore what he perceives as America’s warmongering tendencies.
‘War as an Industry’: Asif Slams U.S. Military Complex
According to the minister, the underlying motive behind the U.S.’s extensive military interventions is economic gain. He argues that war has become a profitable enterprise for America, which sustains a vast defence industry that thrives on global instability.
“The American military-industrial complex is a massive, well-entrenched economic sector that plays a significant role in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” he said. “This is why they keep creating and escalating conflicts around the world — it’s good business for them.”
Asif went on to list several countries that he believes have fallen victim to this pattern of foreign intervention, including Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Libya.
These were once prosperous and stable nations. But now, due to prolonged wars and foreign interference, they lie in ruins,” he remarked, implying that U.S. involvement had played a decisive role in the economic and political downfall of these countries.
He painted a grim picture of international diplomacy dominated by profit-driven warfare, calling the American defence sector an “engine of chaos” that feeds off geopolitical unrest. “It is a system that survives and flourishes by sowing instability,” he said.
Asif: Pakistan Was a Tool in U.S. Strategy
Khawaja Asif’s criticism of the U.S. did not stop at global affairs — he also acknowledged Pakistan’s complicity in furthering Western military agendas in past decades.
In a previous interview with Sky News, which followed the tragic Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Asif made a rare and candid admission: Pakistan, he said, had played the role of an enabler of terrorism during the Cold War and post-9/11 era — often at the behest of the United States and its allies.
“For nearly three decades, we engaged in the ‘dirty work’ of the U.S. and the West — including Britain,” Asif stated during the interview.
“We supported and helped cultivate militant groups, believing we were serving strategic interests. But in hindsight, that was a grave mistake.”
He went on to say that the decision to support extremist factions as proxies had eventually backfired, resulting in a surge in terrorist attacks within Pakistan’s borders.
“We are now paying a heavy price for those decisions. Our people have suffered because of policies that were short-sighted and externally influenced,” he admitted.
Political Ramifications and International Response
Asif’s statements are likely to draw criticism from Western governments and could potentially strain diplomatic relations between Islamabad and Washington further, especially at a time when both nations are grappling with cross-border militancy, security threats, and evolving alliances in the region.
While his comments resonate with sections of the Pakistani public who have long harbored skepticism toward U.S. foreign policy, they also highlight the internal divisions and contradictions within Pakistan’s own security and foreign policy establishment.
As the situation in South Asia remains volatile, especially after the heightened tension between India and Pakistan post-Operation Sindoor, Asif’s remarks signal a growing trend among regional leaders to challenge Western narratives and seek greater autonomy in shaping foreign policy — even if it means burning diplomatic bridges.
