Why there are no free lunches, especially in White House

In an unprecedented move, President Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for a two-hour luncheon in the Cabinet Room of the White House—a gathering that departed from traditional protocol by involving a foreign military leader without accompanying civilian officials, signaling a deliberate and strategic outreach aimed at testing Pakistan's role in broader regional contingencies, especially if hostilities escalate between the United States, Israel, and Iran.

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IRAN LOOMS LARGE Although Pakistani media focused its narrative on munificence, Trump made clear that the conversation centered significantly on Iran, noting Pakistan's intimate knowledge of its neighbor's region and expressing disquiet over Iran's actions—underscoring Washington's desire for Islamabad to align its oversight of Iranian air-space and infrastructure with potential U.S. military interests should conflict erupt.

REINFORCING PAK'S STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY Munir, cognizant of the need to maintain dual allegiances, reportedly warned of the destabilizing risks that a collapse in Iranian authority could pose—especially militant flares along Pakistan's 560-mile shared border—thus reinforcing Islamabad's tightrope stance of offering moral support.

ing discreet groundwork for logistical cooperation with Washington.