Former Pentagon official, Michael Rubin, has voiced his concerns regarding the recent allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asserting that these allegations pose a greater risk to Canada than to India.
Talking to news agency ANI, Rubin pointed out that if the United States is forced to choose between supporting Ottawa or New Delhi, it would unequivocally opt for the latter due to the paramount strategic importance of the U.S.-India relationship.
Rubin drew an analogy to highlight the asymmetry of the situation, likening Canada's dispute with India to "an ant picking a fight against an elephant." He underscored that India's strategic significance surpasses that of Canada, especially as global concerns mount concerning China's actions in the Indian Ocean basin and the Pacific region. According to Rubin, the United States values its relationship with India too greatly to jeopardize it over unsubstantiated allegations.
“I suspect that the United States doesn’t want to be painted a corner to choose between two friends. But if we have to choose between two friends, increasingly we’re going to choose India on this matter, simply because Nijjar was a terrorist, and India is too important. Our relationship is too important,” Michael Rubin said.
“Frankly, there’s a much greater danger for Canada than India. If Canada wants to pick a fight, frankly, at this point, it’s like an ant picking a fight against an elephant and the fact that matter is India is the world’s largest democracy. It’s far more important strategically, arguably than Canada is, especially as concern grows with regard to China and other matters in the Indian Ocean basin, and in the Pacific,” he added.
Moreover, Rubin predicts that Justin Trudeau's tenure as Canadian Prime Minister may be short-lived, suggesting that the U.S.-Canada relationship can be rebuilt once he exits the political stage. This perspective aligns with the notion that Trudeau's political standing has been undermined by the controversy surrounding his allegations against India.
Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute specializing in Iran, Turkey, and South Asia, underscored the importance of maintaining strong ties with India, the world's largest democracy, and argued that it is strategically essential for the United States.
Rubin also added that Nijjar's history and actions make him an inappropriate figure to invoke in discussions of human rights. Nijjar was associated with acts of violence and entered Canada using a fraudulent passport, casting doubt on his suitability as a symbol of human rights.
“Justin Trudeau might want to make this a case of human rights. The fact of that matter is, that Nijjar isn’t a model one wants to use for human rights. Nijjar may have been involved in the assassination of a rival Sikh leader, just a year ago. At the same time, he has blood on his hands through multiple attacks. He entered Canada with a fraudulent passport. And the fact of the matter is this is no Mother Teresa, we are talking about," he said.
Rubin asserted that within both the U.S. and Canadian security communities, there is growing awareness that Trudeau's stance on this matter may have gone "too far." He suggested that Trudeau's actions may be driven by short-term political considerations, specifically related to the upcoming election, as he seeks support from Sikh activists in crucial swing districts. Cautioning against sacrificing long-term diplomatic relationships for short-term political gains, Rubin emphasized the importance of Canada's relationship with India, the world's largest democracy.
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