In our media obsessed, 24-hour a day news cycle, it is amazing how many important details still manage to slip through the cracks. The recent round of leaks from the website Wikileaks is a prime example. Instead of actually reporting the information that has been leaked and what it means for the United States, the talking heads on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC seem far too concerned with the founder of the site, Julian Assange, and our quest to bring him to justice.
The most important story to come out of this round of leaks is the obvious bitter divide that seems to exist between Iran and other Middle Eastern countries not named Israel. The prevailing school of thought in the past was that any military action against Iran would be suicide in the region because there was no way we would be backed by Muslim nations in a military action on another Muslim nation. However, WikiLeaks has taught us that many Middle Eastern statesmen have asked us personally to take military force against Iran to destroy its nuclear program, including one of the most key players in the region, King Abdullah of Saudia Arabia. It appears that, despite high rhetoric from the United States on freedom in the region, the State Department and the government as a whole, the United States is clearly willing to work with autocratic governments to insure its desired outcome in Iran. These new developments seem like a complete 180-degree turn from what leaders have said about the region. It seems that American foreign policy towards the Middle East can best be explained by an old proverb: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."
Along with the cable concerning Saudi Arabia, here are a few of the more interesting cables that WikiLeaks has published.
Saudi Arabia wants U.S. to bomb Iran
Secret Bombings in Yemen
Sec Def Robert Gates unsure on Iran bombing
Israel may be bluffing on Iranian threats
Flak at its finest. If Chomsky were dead, he would be turning in his grave.
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