Washington DC [US], April 7 (ANI): Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, praised a recent operation to rescue a downed US F-15 pilot inside Iranian territory as a clear demonstration of American military superiority and a revealing exposure of Iranian weakness.
Speaking to ANI, Rubin said the mission—carried out deep in hostile territory—was a feat no other military could have executed. He argued the technical and tactical precision required for such a rescue remains a uniquely American capability and called the operation proof that Iran’s military might is largely an illusion. “The fact that we were able to do this… shows just how potent the American military is and how empty and what a paper tiger Iran’s military is,” he said.
US forces launched a complex search-and-rescue effort after Iranian forces shot down the F-15 on April 3 amid rising hostilities. Officials said dozens of aircraft and special operations units were involved. One crew member, the pilot, was recovered quickly by helicopter; the weapons systems officer evaded capture for nearly 48 hours before being extracted in a subsequent operation that combined intelligence, deception and military precision.
Rubin stressed the rarity and difficulty of such missions, reiterating that no other country, regardless of views on President Trump, could have staged the rescue the US conducted. He framed the operation not only as a tactical success but as a symbolic demonstration of US reach and potency.
The extraction prompted Rubin to urge a reassessment among global powers, especially India, about how they view military capability and diplomatic alliances. While acknowledging legitimate frustration in India over rising energy prices following what he called President Trump’s unilateral decision to go to war, Rubin said New Delhi should look beyond economic grievances.
“As India rises as an economic and global power, the knives are going to be out in Pakistan, in China and elsewhere,” Rubin said, warning that India cannot rely solely on legal or diplomatic debate and must develop military capabilities similar to those the US demonstrated.
Rubin also highlighted a potentially explosive allegation about the origin of the missile that shot down the F-15. He pointed to growing rumours that the missile was not indigenous to Iran but supplied by Turkey. If confirmed, Rubin warned, that revelation could trigger a major diplomatic crisis within NATO and further complicate alliance cohesion.
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
