The number of U.S. diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks is so large, so fascinating and so cutting, that it’s hard to know when the global reaction will end. Equally difficult is to figure out where to begin when discussing that reaction. But Pakistan seems as good a place to begin as any.
Thus far, Pakistan has been stung by two items contained in the leaked U.S. cables. The first is a quote of Saudi King Abdullah that criticizes Pakistan President Asif Zardari’s impact on Pakistan politics: “When the head is rotten, it affects the whole body.” The second item, far more disconcerting for Pakistanis, are revelations that Washington has been trying to remove highly-enriched uranium from Pakistan since 2007.
These two editorials from today’s Pakistan press reflect popular anger at how the U.S. treats Pakistan, and in general, how America conducts diplomacy.
The first editorial from The Nation headlined An Invaluable Exposure of American Hypocrisy, not only attacks U.S. foreign policy but mounts a bold defense of WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Paul Assange:
The disclosure of America’s attempt to remove highly-enriched uranium from a Pakistani reactor confirms the suspicions of some political circles in Pakistan that the U.S. has an eye on our nuclear assets. And while doing everything it can to strengthen India, economically and in terms of defense, it wants to enfeeble Pakistan.
The issue to note here was the dangerous and hopeless plea of Pakistani authorities when preventing the U.S. from removing our enriched uranium: “If the local media got word of the fuel removal, they certainly would portray it as the United States taking Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.” They should have issued a firm NO – no excuse was needed.
If one assumes that comments by the Saudi monarch about President Zardari’s role in Pakistan politics were correctly reported, this should be a moment of deep reflection for all of us, including the ruling hierarchy. If a close and sincere friend like Saudi Arabia has such feelings, there is urgent need to mend our ways.
The scenes of bonhomie that leaders demonstrate in public contrasts sharply with their real feelings toward one another – and the machinations of the more powerful to undercut the core national interests of weaker nations. It is such machinations that are the most convincing cause of the unending wars, animosity, tension and failure to achieve the world peace that these leaders so shamelessly profess. Rather than railing against Julian Paul Assange, critics should see the service he has done.
The second editorial, which is much angrier and curt, is from Pakistan’s Frontier Post, and focuses more on the Pakistan leadership’s response to U.S. attempts to remove enriched uranium. Headlined WikiLeaks Reveals ‘America’s Dark Face’ to the World, the editorial says in part:
Assessing a host country’s leaders and domestic affairs is certainly a universally-recognized part of diplomatic activity. Internal diplomatic correspondence is usually very frank, outspoken, candid, and at times, harsh in tone and tenor. But the way American diplomats have disparagingly portrayed and labeled world leaders in their cables speaks of a disdainful hubris and racism.
The people are sure to respond with anger and outrage to America’s vile attempts to wrench enriched uranium away from a Pakistani research reactor. Such attempts only serve to corroborate the popular perception that Americans are in fact after our nuclear assets and determined to deprive us of that which is critical to our national security.
And not many will be pleased with our leaders for rejecting America’s demand to remove enriched uranium from a research reactor with the silly plea, “if the local media got word of the fuel removal, they certainly would portray it as the United States taking Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.”
Why indeed did our leadership speak in such unworthy, lowly and alien terms? Aren’t these our leading officials? Why was their refusal so subservient and servile? Couldn’t they have refused boldly, telling the uncouth Americans to get out or have their tongues pulled out from the roots if they utter such words again? Haven’t we acquired our nuclear prowess in the face of stiff resistance and the vile conspiracies of Americans and their Western cohorts? Who are they to tell us what to do with regard to our nuclear assets? One hopes our officials will be very harsh and very hard if Americans come up with such an obscene demand ever again.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US for continuing global coverage of WikiLeaks’ release of U.S. diplomatic cables.
