THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
In October 2025, a former CIA officer named John Kiriakou made comments suggesting that India would win any conventional war against Pakistan. Kiriakou had spent 15 years with the CIA, including time working in Pakistan after 9/11, so his opinion carried some weight. However, what happened next turned a relatively minor statement into a major social media controversy.
The Strategic Mistake
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a major political party in Pakistan, decided to send Kiriakou a formal letter demanding an apology. This decision, while perhaps intended to defend national honour, proved to be a serious miscalculation. Instead of protecting Pakistan’s image, it ended up doing the opposite.
Why the Complaint Backfired
The complaint letter created several problems that made the situation worse:
1. It amplified the message.
Before PTI’s letter, Kiriakou’s comments were relatively obscure. Most people had never heard of them. But once a major political party formally complained, news outlets picked up the story. Social media users began sharing it widely. Suddenly, millions of people who would never have known about his assessment were now discussing it.
2. It invited a viral response.
Kiriakou didn’t apologize. Instead, he sent back a profanity-laced email saying he would “wipe his ass” with their demands for an apology. This crude response became perfect content for social media. It was shocking, quotable, and shareable. The story spread even further.
3. It made Kiriakou look defiant.
By publicly rejecting PTI’s demands in such a dramatic way, Kiriakou appeared strong and unbending to some audiences. Rather than being embarrassed or pressured, he looked like someone who refused to back down. PTI’s letter gave him an opportunity to grandstand.
4. It created a continuing story.
Without the complaint, Kiriakou’s comments would have been a one-day story at most. But the back-and-forth between him and PTI created a narrative that kept developing. First there were his original comments, then the demand for an apology, then his vulgar response, then the reactions to that response. Each step generated more coverage and discussion.
The Better Approach
There’s an old saying in public relations: “Don’t feed the trolls.” Sometimes the best response to an insulting or provocative statement is simply silence. By ignoring Kiriakou’s comments, PTI could have:
(I)Let the story die naturally within a day or two
(2)Avoided giving him a platform for further controversy
(3)Denied him the attention he received
(4) Prevented the crude response that became viral content
Lessons in Strategic Communication
This incident teaches an important lesson about modern communication. In the age of social media, controversy spreads quickly. Engagement often equals amplification. Sometimes, demanding an apology or formally responding to criticism does more harm than good.
PTI likely felt they were defending national honour by confronting Kiriakou. But the result was the opposite. More people learned about his negative assessment of Pakistan’s military capabilities. His disrespectful attitude received worldwide attention. And Pakistan appeared to be reacting defensively to one person’s opinion.
A wiser approach would have been dignified silence or a brief, dismissive statement that didn’t elevate Kiriakou’s comments into a major controversy. Political leaders must think not just about whether they’re right to be offended, but whether their response will improve or worsen the situation.
The Real Cost
The ultimate irony is that PTI’s attempt to defend Pakistan’s honor ended up being more damaging to that honor than Kiriakou’s original comments. His assessment might have been forgotten within days. Instead, thanks to PTI’s complaint and his crude response, the story will be remembered and referenced for years. It became a case study in how not to handle public criticism.
In trying to silence one former CIA officer, PTI gave him the biggest megaphone possible. That was the real strategic failure.
References
1.https://www.businesstoday.in/india/story/wipe-my-a-after-saying-india-would-win-a-war-ex-cia-officer-claims-he-sent-pti-a-blistering-reply-503165-2025-11-21
2.https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/27-Oct-2025/pti-threatens-legal-action-against-ex-cia-officer-over-lies-about-imran-khan
3.https://themedialine.org/headlines/pti-demands-apology-from-ex-cia-officer-over-false-claims-against-imran-khan/
