Difference between revisions of "2010 United States diplomatic cables leak/Middle East"

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|description=Exposure by [[WikiLeaks]] of acquired [[diplomatic cable]]s, between the [[United States Department of State]] and its diplomatic missions around the world. Many previously unknown statements or opinions about a variety topics have been revealed. This page covers the Middle Eastern leaders, not their companies in particular.
 
|description=Exposure by [[WikiLeaks]] of acquired [[diplomatic cable]]s, between the [[United States Department of State]] and its diplomatic missions around the world. Many previously unknown statements or opinions about a variety topics have been revealed. This page covers the Middle Eastern leaders, not their companies in particular.
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|constitutes=Leak
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|constitutes=Wikileaks/Leaks, Leak
 
|start=2010
 
|start=2010
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|end=2011
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|end=2012
 
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The [[2010 United States diplomatic cables leak]] were said to comprehensive portrayal of the United States' perspective on various subjects related to the Middle East. These classified documents, known as diplomatic cables, exchanged between the United States [[Department of State]] and its diplomatic missions worldwide, have been made public by [[WikiLeaks]]. As a result, numerous previously undisclosed statements and opinions pertaining to a wide range of [[Middle Eastern]] matters have come to light. The following presents a selection of the information contained within these cables.
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The [[2010 United States diplomatic cables leak]] has provided a comprehensive portrayal of the United States' perspective on various subjects related to the Middle East. These classified documents, known as diplomatic cables, exchanged between the United States [[Department of State]] and its diplomatic missions worldwide, have been made public by [[WikiLeaks]]. As a result, numerous previously undisclosed statements and opinions pertaining to a wide range of [[Middle Eastern]] matters have come to light. The following presents a selection of the information contained within these cables.
 
  
 
==Algeria==
 
==Algeria==
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==Jordan==
 
==Jordan==
 
===Iran-Jordan relations===
 
===Iran-Jordan relations===
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A diplomatic cable, dated 2 April 2009, quotes [[Zeid Rifai]], president of the [[Senate of Jordan|Jordanian Senate]], as saying, "Bomb Iran, or live with an Iranian bomb. Sanctions, carrots, incentives won't matter", in a conversation with [[David Hale (diplomat)|David Hale]], US Ambassador to [[Jordan]]. The cable further states "while Rifai judged a military strike would have 'catastrophic impact on the region,' he nonetheless thought preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons would pay enough dividends to make it worth the risks".<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Herb Keinon|Keinon, Herb]]|url=http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=197610|title=Sarkozy: Not Negotiating with Hamas Hurts PA|newspaper=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=2 December 2010|access-date=14 December 2010}}</ref>
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A diplomatic cable, dated 2 April 2009, quotes [[Zeid Rifai]], president of the [[Senate of Jordan|Jordanian Senate]], as saying, "Bomb Iran, or live with an Iranian bomb. Sanctions, carrots, incentives won't matter", in a conversation with [[David Hale (diplomat)|David Hale]], US Ambassador to [[Jordan]]. The cable further said "while Rifai judged a military strike would have 'catastrophic impact on the region,' it was worth it"<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Herb Keinon|Keinon, Herb]]|url=http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=197610|title=Sarkozy: Not Negotiating with Hamas Hurts PA|newspaper=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=2 December 2010|access-date=14 December 2010}}</ref>
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==Kuwait==
 
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In cables dated between February 2009 and November 2010, issues regarding Guantanamo Bay, Shi'ite fundamentalism, US military involvement in the [[Persian Gulf]], and Kuwait-sponsored extremism were discussed.
 
  
 
===Guantanamo Bay detainees===
 
===Guantanamo Bay detainees===
Line 69: Line 65:
  
 
===Iran===
 
===Iran===
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Kuwait allegedly believes Iran was supporting [[Shia]] extremists in the Persian Gulf and the [[Houthis|Shiite Houthis]] in [[Yemen]].<ref name="http">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/219103|location=London|newspaper=The Guardian| title=US embassy cables: Kuwait wary of Iranian influence|date=28 November 2010}}</ref>
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[[Kuwait]] believed Iran was supporting [[Shia]] extremists in the [[Persian Gulf]] and the [[Houthis|Shiite Houthis]] in [[Yemen]].<ref name="http">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/219103|location=London|newspaper=The Guardian| title=US embassy cables: Kuwait wary of Iranian influence|date=28 November 2010}}</ref>
  
 
===US militarily helping Persian Gulf States===
 
===US militarily helping Persian Gulf States===
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US military is assisting the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Persian Gulf states]] in increasing ballistic missile and counter-air defenses, as well as providing early warning systems against the eventuality of an Iranian missile launch.<ref name="http"/>
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[[US Army]]-elements were assisting the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Persian Gulf states]] in increasing ballistic missile and counter-air defenses, as well as providing early warning systems against the eventuality of an Iranian [[missile]] launch.<ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)</ref><ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)</ref>
  
 
===Kuwait based charities financing extremism===
 
===Kuwait based charities financing extremism===
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[[Al Qaeda]] and other groups continue to exploit Kuwait, both as a source of funds and as a key transit point.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242073|location=London|newspaper=The Guardian|title=US embassy cables: Hillary Clinton says Saudi Arabia's critical source of terrorist funding'|date=5 December 2010}}</ref>
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[[Al Qaeda]] and other groups exploited Kuwait, both as a source of funds and as a key point for [[arms smuggling]] and [[money laundering]] according to some cables released by [[The Guardian]].<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242073</ref>
  
 
==Lebanon==
 
==Lebanon==
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==Libya==
 
==Libya==
 
===Uranium shipment===
 
===Uranium shipment===
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A Libyan shipment of [[enriched uranium]] to Russia, brokered by the US, was nearly the cause of an environmental disaster in [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite news|author=[[David Leigh (journalist)|Leigh, David]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-cables-libya-enriched-uranium|title=Diplomatic Cables: Gaddafi Risked Nuclear Disaster after UN Slight&nbsp;— Highly Enriched and Unstable Uranium Left on Libyan Runway Because Leader Was Banned from Pitching Tent in New York|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=3 December 2010|access-date=12 December 2010|location=London}}</ref>
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A Libyan shipment of [[enriched uranium]] to Russia, brokered by the US, was nearly the cause of an environmental disaster in [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] in 2009.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-cables-libya-enriched-uranium</ref>
  
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===Petro-Canada===
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===Lockerbie===
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Libya's state oil company called in a senior [[Petro-Canada]] official with a threat to nationalize his firm's operations in Libya if the Canadian government refused to apologize to the Libyan government. This was in response to Foreign Affairs Minister [[Lawrence Cannon]] earlier promising a tongue-lashing to Libya for the hero's welcome that it extended to a man convicted in the [[Pan Am Flight 103|1988 Lockerbie bombing]]. While the Libyan government did not follow through on its threat, it did issue an order on 30 September 2009 for Petro-Canada to cut production by 50 per cent.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/01/31/libya_threatened_to_nationalize_petrocanada_wikileaks.html |title=Libya threatened to nationalize Petro-Canada: WikiLeaks |author=Jim Bronskill|newspaper=Toronto Star|date=31 January 2011 |access-date=1 October 2013}}</ref>
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Libya's state [[oil]] company called in a senior [[Petro-Canada]] official with a threat to nationalize his firm's operations in Libya if the Canadian government refused to apologize to the Libyan government.  
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Foreign Affairs Minister [[Lawrence Cannon]] was the cause of this in [[deep lobbying]] against several conspirators. Libya ordered Petro-Canada to cut production by 50 per cent.<ref>https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/01/31/libya_threatened_to_nationalize_petrocanada_wikileaks.html}</ref>
  
 
==Morocco==
 
==Morocco==
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===Corruption===
 
===Corruption===
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A cable from the US embassy in [[Rabat]] to Washington, D.C. referred to allegations of deeply established corruption,<ref name= GuardianBlackMorocco6December/> claiming that corruption was prevalent at all levels of Moroccan society and [[Royal Moroccan Armed Forces|the military]] was also plagued by it, particularly at the highest levels. This may partly reflect a grand bargain struck by [[Hassan II of Morocco|King Hassan II]] following at least two nearly successful [[coup d'etat|coups]] in the 1970s, his offer to those who plotted against him was essentially "remain loyal, and you can profit".<ref name="08RABAT727">{{cite journal |last=Riley |first=Thomas T. |title=Morocco's military: adequate, modernizing, but facing big challenges |id={{WikiLeaks cable|08RABAT727}} |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=4 August 2008 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/08/08RABAT727.html |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231203429/http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/08/08RABAT727.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A former US ambassador to Morocco is quoted as "lamenting" about "the appalling greed of those close to King Mohammad VI".<ref name="09CASABLANCA226">{{cite journal |last=Millard |title=Palace coercion plagues Morocco's real estate sector |id={{WikiLeaks cable|09CASABLANCA226}} |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=11 December 2009 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/12/09CASABLANCA226.html |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231202535/http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/12/09CASABLANCA226.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Economist/Morocco">{{cite news|title=More dope, no highs&nbsp;— Blushes, frowns but no explosions in the latest WikiLeaks' disclosures|newspaper=The Economist|date=9 December 2010|url=http://www.economist.com/node/17674097|access-date=4 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113064003/http://www.economist.com/node/17674097|archive-date=13 January 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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A cable from the US embassy in [[Rabat]] to Washington, D.C. referred to allegations of deeply established corruption, suggesting that corruption a standard part of Moroccan society. The Royal Family of Morocco were using the state ministries to "coerce and solicit bribes in the real estate sector" and even the military and the generals were being bribed. Blamed was King Hassan II and his claim after successful coups in the 1970s against him to "Stay loyal, and you can reap the benefits.", barely staying in power.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/06/wikileaks-cables-morocco-royals-corruption</ref>
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====State institutions====
 
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Leaked cables from the US consulate in [[Casablanca]] claim that the [[Royal Family of Morocco|Moroccan Royal Family]] use state institutions to "coerce and solicit bribes in the real estate sector".<ref name="09CASABLANCA226"/> It is reported that decisions for the [[ONA Group]], a Moroccan financial company, are made only by [[Mohammed VI of Morocco|Moroccan King Mohammed VI]] and two associates.<ref name=GuardianBlackMorocco6December>[[Ian Black (journalist)|Black, Ian]] (6 December 2010). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/06/wikileaks-cables-morocco-royals-corruption "WikiLeaks Cables Accuse Moroccan Royals of Corruption&nbsp;— Holding Company Run by King Mohammed VI Extracts Bribes and Concessions from Real Estate Developers, Businesses Complain"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. Retrieved 18 December 2010.</ref>
 
  
 
==Pakistan==
 
==Pakistan==
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{{main|Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak (Pakistan)}}
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{{FA|Pakistan}}
  
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==Palestine==
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===Palestine===
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It was noted in one cable that [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]] purportedly raised funds in [[Pakistan]] for the [[Palestinian people]] in response to Israel's attacks on [[Gaza, Palestine|Gaza]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/220186|location=London|newspaper=The Guardian| title=US embassy cables: Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists raise funds in Saudi Arabia|date=5 December 2010}}</ref>
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[[Lashkar-e-Taiba]] raised funds in [[Pakistan]] for the [[Palestinian people]] in response to Israel's attacks on [[Gaza, Palestine|Gaza]].<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/220186</ref>
  
 
==Qatar==
 
==Qatar==
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===Al Jazeera===
 
===Al Jazeera===
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[[Qatar]] is using the Arabic television news channel [[Al Jazeera]] as a bargaining chip in negotiations with other countries. It is "one of Qatar's most valuable political and diplomatic tools."<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Staff writer]]|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gqrdtYIc4k1ZzxfdOvlgFkyYXCwQ?docId=CNG.46b645b43dfaa2dc5d313fea1f79b408.121|title=Qatar Uses Al-Jazeera as Bargaining Chip: WikiLeaks|newspaper=[[Agence France-Presse]] (via [[Google News]])|date=6 December 2010|access-date=12 December 2010}}</ref>
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[[Qatar]] was using the Arabic television news channel [[Al Jazeera]] as a bargaining chip in negotiations with other countries as it was named "one of Qatar's most valuable political and diplomatic tools."<ref>https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gqrdtYIc4k1ZzxfdOvlgFkyYXCwQ?docId=CNG.46b645b43dfaa2dc5d313fea1f79b408.121</ref>
  
 
===Financial support for Islamic militants abroad===
 
===Financial support for Islamic militants abroad===
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Hillary Clinton is alleged to have claimed that Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait continue to fund terror.<ref>{{cite news|author=Benhorin, Yitzhak|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3994950,00.html|title=Clinton: Saudi Arabia Funding Terror&nbsp;— Principal American Ally Described in Diplomatic Cables Revealed by WikiLeaks as Source of Terror Funding|newspaper=[[Ynetnews]]|date=6 December 2010|access-date=12 December 2010}}</ref>
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Hillary Clinton was said to have claimed that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, [[United Arab Emirates]], and Kuwait were funding terror.<ref>{{cite news|author=Benhorin, Yitzhak|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3994950,00.html|title=Clinton: Saudi Arabia Funding Terror&nbsp;— Principal American Ally Described in Diplomatic Cables Revealed by WikiLeaks as Source of Terror Funding|newspaper=[[Ynetnews]]|date=6 December 2010|access-date=12 December 2010}}</ref>
  
 
===Diplomatic tendencies===
 
===Diplomatic tendencies===
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[[Meir Dagan]], the chief of Israel's spy agency Mossad, said that Qatar, poses "a real problem" as [[Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani|Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani]] tries to please all parties in the Middle East, including Syria, Iran, and Hamas.<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Staff writer]]|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/1126/World/Region/WikiLeaks-Mossad-chief-sees-Qatar-as-real-problem.aspx|title=WikiLeaks: Mossad Chief Sees Qatar as 'Real Problem'|newspaper=[[Agence France-Presse]] (via [[Al-Ahram Weekly]])|date=3 December 2010|access-date=12 December 2010}}</ref>
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[[Meir Dagan]], the chief of the [[Mossad]] said that [[Qatar]] was "a real problem" as [[Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani|Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani]] was uniting all in the Middle East, including [[Syria]], [[Iran]], and [[Hamas]].<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Staff writer]]|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/1126/World/Region/WikiLeaks-Mossad-chief-sees-Qatar-as-real-problem.aspx|title=WikiLeaks: Mossad Chief Sees Qatar as 'Real Problem'|newspaper=[[Agence France-Presse]] (via [[Al-Ahram Weekly]])|date=3 December 2010|access-date=12 December 2010}}</ref>
  
 
===Qatar-US relations===
 
===Qatar-US relations===
−
The Qatari Prime Minister [[Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani|Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani]], repeatedly described the United States as a "friend" and called US-Qatari relations "strategic".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/214776|location=London|newspaper=The Guardian|title=US embassy cables: Al Jazeera 'proves useful tool for Qatari political masters'|date=5 December 2010}}</ref>
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The Qatari Prime Minister [[Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani|Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani]], repeatedly described the United States as a "friend" and called US-Qatari friendship as just "strategic".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/214776|location=London|newspaper=The Guardian|title=US embassy cables: Al Jazeera 'proves useful tool for Qatari political masters'|date=5 December 2010}}</ref>
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==Saudi Arabia==
 
−
==Financial support for terrorist groups==
 
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Diplomats claim that [[Saudi Arabia]]n donors are the main funders of non-governmental armed groups like [[Al-Qaeda]], the [[Taliban]] and [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]] (LeT). Militants seeking donations often come during the annual [[Hajj|hajj pilgrimage]], [[Umrah]] and [[Ramadan]]. In one occasion, LeT, which carried out the [[2008 Mumbai attacks]], used a Saudi-based front company to fund its activities. A main concern of the officials at the U.S. embassy in [[Riyadh]] is protecting Saudi oilfields from al-Qaida attacks.<ref name="reuters1">{{cite news|title=Saudi King Urged U.S. To Attack Iran: WikiLeaks|first=Ross |last=Colvin |work=[[Reuters]] |date=28 November 2010|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AP06Z20101128 |accessdate=28 November 2010}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated7>{{Registration required|date=December 2010}} [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/world/29cables.html?pagewanted=2Cables Obtained by WikiLeaks Shine Light Into Secret Diplomatic Channels - Page 2]; ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved 28 November 2010.</ref><ref>Walsh, Declan (5 December 2010). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/05/wikileaks-cables-saudi-terrorist-funding "WikiLeaks Cables Portray Saudi Arabia as a Cashpoint for Terrorists&nbsp;— Hillary Clinton Memo Highlights Gulf States' Failure To Block Funding for Groups Like al-Qaida, Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. Retrieved 11 December 2010.</ref> To the dismay of Saudi authorities, right after the [[9/11 attacks]] nearly eighty percent of the mosques in Saudi Arabia voiced support for Bin Laden.<ref name="guardian.co.uk">{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/244077 | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=US embassy cables: Saudis praise American strike against al-Qaida in Yemen | date=4 December 2010}}</ref>
 
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==Afghanistan-Saudi relations==
 
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[[Hamid Karzai|Afghan President Karzai's]] visited Saudi Arabia on February 2–3, although richer in symbolism than significance, was a sign that lukewarm Saudi-Afghan relations may finally be warming up. Saudi Arabia announced an aid package of US$150 million for reconstruction in Afghanistan. However, the Saudis continue to have concerns about Afghan corruption and believe greater political unification of the [[Pashtuns|Pashtun community]] is essential. Their apparent wish to de-emphasize Karzai's visit, may also indicate the [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|King Abdullah's]] desire to keep some distance and maintain his credibility as a potential reconciliation mediator.<ref name="http">{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/248602 | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=US embassy cables: Saudi rulers' contempt for Pakistan president Zardari | date=1 December 2010}}</ref> Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Turki Al Faisal called Afghanistan a "puzzle", "where establishing trust with Afghan leaders, and recognizing the links between Pakistan and the Taliban, were keys to success. All financial aid to the Afghan government should be conditional, benchmarks must be set for the leadership, and aid must be withheld until these are met."<ref name="http"/>
 
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==GCC-Saudi relations==
 
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Saudi Arabia attempts to block co-operative projects between other [[Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf|GCC]] members. Furthermore, the Saudis are blocking a proposed causeway project between Qatar and the UAE and a proposed gas pipeline project between Qatar and Kuwait, because of Saudi objections, the Kuwaitis are now turning to the Iranians for gas. The Qatar-UAE causeway, when combined with the planned [[Qatar Bahrain Causeway]], would greatly facilitate travel between the three countries this would eliminate the need to transit through Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/07/bahrain-jordan | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=US embassy cables: King of Bahrain discusses Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Israel/Palestine | date=7 April 2011}}</ref>
 
  
 
==Saudi Arabia==
 
==Saudi Arabia==
 
{{FA|Saudi Arabia}}
 
{{FA|Saudi Arabia}}
 +
Saudi Arabia was said to support dozens of terror groups, aimed at messing with Israel, Iran, and the [[US]], killing other Arabs if needed, or their sources of income. Iraqi officials have noted that frequent anti-Shia outbursts from Saudi religious figures are often allowed to circulate without sanction or disapproval from the Saudi leadership<ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)</ref>
  
 
==Lebanon-Saudi relations==
 
==Lebanon-Saudi relations==
−
Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal proposed to [[David M. Satterfield]], the U.S. special adviser to Iraq, that an Arab force supported by U.S. and NATO air power could fight [[Hezbollah]] in [[Lebanon]]. Saud expressed his fears that a Hezbollah victory in Beirut would mean the end of the Siniora government and the 'Iranian takeover' of Lebanon.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11945514 | work=BBC News | title=Wikileaks: Saudis urge force to destroy Hezbollah | date=8 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/07/wikileaks-saudi-arab-invasion-lebanon |title=WikiLeaks Cables: Saudis Proposed Arab Force To Invade Lebanon&nbsp;— Foreign Minister Wanted US, Nato and UN Backing for Offensive To End Iranian-Backed Hezbollah's Siege of Government |accessdate=11 December 2010 |date=7 December 2010 |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=MacAskill, Ewen |location=London}}</ref> He accused the U.N. troops in Lebanon of "sitting doing nothing".<ref>[[Staff writer]] (8 December 2010). [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3995992,00.html "Saudi Plan for Anti-Hezbollah Force Revealed&nbsp;— Leaked US Diplomatic Cable Says Saudi Arabia Proposed Setting Up Arab Force To Fight Shiite Militants in Lebanon with Help of US, UN and NATO, Fearing That a Hezbollah Victory Against Lebanese Gov't Would Eventually Lead to Iran's Takeover of Country"]. ''[[Ynetnews]]''. Retrieved 13 December 2010.</ref> Saudi Arabia's Information Minister and former ambassador to Lebanon, Abdul Aziz Khoja has called Iranian-backed Hezbollah ''evil''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aslanmedia.com/component/content/article/315-the-connection/2117-lebanon-in-limbo|title = Web Page Under Construction}}</ref>
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Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal proposed to [[David M. Satterfield]], the U.S. special adviser to Iraq, that an Arab force supported by U.S. and NATO air power could fight [[Hezbollah]] in [[Lebanon]]. Saud expressed his fears that a Hezbollah victory in Beirut would mean the end of the Siniora government and the 'Iranian takeover' of Lebanon.<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11945514</ref>
  
 
==Saudi-Yemen relations==
 
==Saudi-Yemen relations==
−
Saudi Assistant Interior Minister, [[Muhammad bin Nayef|Prince Muhammad bin Nayef]], described "Yemen as a dangerous failed state and a growing threat to Saudi Arabia because it attracts [[Al Qaida]] and many Yemenis were more sympathetic to Al Qaida than Afghans." He also said "Yemeni President Saleh is losing control, and outlined a Saudi strategy of co-opting Yemeni tribes with assistance projects".<ref name="guardian_army_rule_better_Pakistan"/><ref name="09RIYADH670" /> The insurgent Houthi tribes were "Takfiri and Shi'a 'like Hizballah South'. This was a threat forming around Saudi Arabia that required action now. The Saudis are funding projects in Yemeni tribal areas so the tribal leaders eject radicals."<ref name="09RIYADH670" />
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Saudi Assistant Interior Minister, [[Muhammad bin Nayef|Prince Muhammad bin Nayef]], described "Yemen as a dangerous failed state and a growing threat to Saudi Arabia because it attracts [[Al Qaida]] and many Yemenis were more sympathetic to Al Qaida than Afghan, while Yemeni President Saleh was losing control, and outlined a Saudi strategy of co-opting Yemeni tribes with assistance projects".<ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Middle_East)#Saudi_Arabia</ref>
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==Anti-Shiism as Saudi foreign policy==
 
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Iraqi officials have noted that frequent anti-Shia outbursts from Saudi religious figures are often allowed to circulate without sanction or disapproval from the Saudi leadership, moreover [[Wahabism|Wahabbi Sunni Islam]] condones religious incitement against [[Shia]]. The Saudis have traditionally viewed Iraq as a Sunni-dominated bulwark against the spread of Shiism and Iranian political influence. In the aftermath of bombings in predominantly Shia areas across the country in 2009 that killed dozens, [[Nouri al Maliki|PM Maliki]] pointed publicly to one such statement, made by a Saudi imam in May, and stated, "We have observed that many governments have been suspiciously silent on the fatwa provoking the killing of Shiites."<ref name="ReferenceC"/>
 
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=="Shi'a triangle"==
 
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An April 2009 cable claims that<ref name="time.com"/> [[United Arab Emirates]] Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed stated there is "Saudi concern of a [Shi'a] triangle in the region between Iran, the Maliki government in Iraq, and Pakistan under Zardari."<ref name="09STATE34688">{{cite journal |last=Rodham Clinton |first=Hillary |author-link=Hillary Clinton |title=Secretary Clinton's April 7, 2009 meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed |id={{WikiLeaks cable|09STATE34688}} |publisher=[[WikiLeaks]] |date=9 April 2009 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/04/09STATE34688.html |accessdate=3 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231203244/http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/04/09STATE34688.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
  
 
==Saudi support for a Palestinian state==
 
==Saudi support for a Palestinian state==
−
During [[Nicolas Sarkozy|French President Sarkozy's]] visit to Saudi Arabia, [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|King Abdullah]] agreed to support the Annapolis initiative to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abdullah told Sarkozy that the issue of Palestinian refugees must first be resolved and that the Israelis must cease all [[Israeli settlements in the West Bank|West Bank settlement]] construction. Abdullah maintained that [[East Jerusalem]] must be the capital of a [[Proposals for a Palestinian state|Palestinian state]] and that this section of Jerusalem must be solely under Arab control.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/138803 | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=US embassy cables: Nicolas Sarkozy offends the Saudis with his bad manners | date=30 November 2010}}</ref>
+
During [[Nicolas Sarkozy|French President Sarkozy's]] visit to Saudi Arabia, [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia|King Abdullah]] told Sarkozy Israelis must cease all [[Israeli settlements in the West Bank|West Bank settlement]] construction. Abdullah maintained that [[East Jerusalem]] must be the capital of a [[Proposals for a Palestinian state|Palestinian state]] and that East-Jerusalem must be solely under Arab control.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/138803</ref>
  
−
==Vice in Saudi Arabia==
+
==Censorship and propaganda==
 +
According to a May 2009 cable, the "Saudi regulatory system offers the al-Saud regime a means to manipulate the nation's media to promote its own agenda", and people crying for help were silenced ''ad-hoc''.
  
−
===Nightlife===
+
All major media outlets in Saudi Arabia&nbsp;— newspapers, such as ''[[Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia)|Al-Watan]]'', ''[[Al-Hayat]]'', and ''[[Asharq Al-Awsat]]'', and free-to-view television networks, such as [[MBC Group]] and [[Rotana (television)|Rotana]]&nbsp;— are owned and controlled by the al-Saud regime, and accordingly [[self-censorship]] were controlled by the royal house of Saud and "motivated by profit and politics". The pro-western ideologies in these newspapers and American programming such as ''[[Friends]]'', ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'', the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' and [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood films]] were seen to socially engineer a change in view of the US of the local youth.<ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)</ref>
−
In [[Jeddah]], despite the [[Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Saudi Arabia)|Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice]] (CPVPV)&nbsp;— the religious police of Saudi Arabia, there is an ongoing underground nightlife, which includes "the full range of worldly temptations and vices" ''i.e.'', "alcohol, drugs, sex" and "working girls" ([[prostitutes]]). Even though these parties are in complete violation of CPVPV's laws, the [[mutaween]] of CPVPV are afraid to raid these parties, since these parties are hosted by the young princes of [[al-Saud]], the monarchic ruling house of Saudi Arabia.<ref name="09JEDDAH443">{{cite journal |last=Quinn |first=Martin R. |title=Underground party scene in Jeddah: Saudi youth frolic under "princely protection" |id={{WikiLeaks cable|09JEDDAH443}} |publisher=[[WikiLeaks]] |date=18 November 2009 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/11/09JEDDAH443.html |accessdate=2 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231202327/http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/11/09JEDDAH443.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
===Exclusive parties===
 
−
''[[The Economist]]'' summarized cable descriptions of "exclusive parties" in Saudi Arabia, stating, "An American official in Saudi Arabia describes un-Islamic mores at a clandestine [[Halloween]] party, hosted by a royal prince. Alcohol and prostitutes abounded at the event, attended by 150-plus Saudis. The host's status kept the fearsome religious police away. Such parties, the writer concluded, were increasingly typical in the kingdom."<ref name="WikiLeaks 2010">{{cite news |title=More dope, no highs&nbsp;— Blushes, frowns but no explosions in the latest WikiLeaks' disclosures |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=9 December 2010 |url=http://www.economist.com/node/17674097 |accessdate=4 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113064003/http://www.economist.com/node/17674097 |archive-date=13 January 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
==Censorship and propaganda==
 
−
According to a May 2009 cable, the "Saudi regulatory system offers the al-Saud regime a means to manipulate the nation's media to promote its own agenda", and criticism of the al-Saud regime is not tolerated at all.<ref name="09RIYADH651">{{cite journal |last=Rundell |first=David |title=Ideological and ownership trends in the Saudi media |id={{WikiLeaks cable|09RIYADH651}} |publisher=[[WikiLeaks]] |date=11 May 2009 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/05/09RIYADH651.html |accessdate=2 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231202254/http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/05/09RIYADH651.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> All major media outlets in Saudi Arabia&nbsp;— newspapers, such as ''[[Al-Watan (Saudi Arabia)|Al-Watan]]'', ''[[Al-Hayat]]'', and ''[[Asharq Al-Awsat]]'', and free-to-view television networks, such as [[MBC Group]] and [[Rotana (television)|Rotana]]&nbsp;— are owned and controlled by the al-Saud regime, and accordingly [[self-censorship]] is the order of the day&nbsp;— which is "motivated by profit and politics". The pro-western ideologies in these newspapers and American programming&nbsp;— such as ''[[Friends]]'', ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'', the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'' and [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood films]]&nbsp;— are seen as an antidote to extremist religious thoughts in the recruitment of terrorists, especially young teenagers, because of the demographic target groups of these programs.<ref name="09RIYADH651" />
 
  
 
==Oil Production==
 
==Oil Production==
−
Cables revealed that the US was warned by [[Sadad al Husseini]], a senior Saudi government oil executive, that the [[Oil reserves in Saudi Arabia|country's oil reserves]] are overstated by as much as 300&nbsp;billion barrels (40% of the claimed reserve). It is therefore not possible for Saudi Arabia to prevent the oil price from rising.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/feb/08/saudi-oil-reserves-overstated-wikileaks |title=WikiLeaks cables: Saudi Arabia cannot pump enough oil to keep a lid on prices |date=9 February 2011 |accessdate=9 February 2011 |newspaper=The Guardian |author=John Vidal |location=London}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/video/middleeast/2011/02/201129171520279835.html |date=9 February 2011 |accessdate=9 February 2011 |title=Saudi oil reserves 'overstated' |publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref>
+
[[Sadad al Husseini]], a senior Saudi government oil executive, warned oil levels in the country were overstated by as much as 300 billion barrels (or 40% of the claimed reserve). Saudi Arabia was said to have little to say about [[oil]] prices at all.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/feb/08/saudi-oil-reserves-overstated-wikileaks</ref>
−
 
 
−
 
 
  
 
==Syria==
 
==Syria==
 
===Arms shipments to Hezbollah===
 
===Arms shipments to Hezbollah===
−
It was alleged that Syria increased its arms shipments to Hezbollah despite its claims that new shipments had ceased.<ref name="nyt_cables_2">{{Registration required|date=December 2010}} [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/world/29cables.html?pagewanted=2 Cables Obtained by WikiLeaks Shine Light Into Secret Diplomatic Channels - Page 1]; ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved 28 November 2010.</ref>
+
Syria increased its arms shipments to Hezbollah despite its claims that new shipments had ceased.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/world/29cables.html</ref>
  
 
===Tabloid incident===
 
===Tabloid incident===
−
A Syrian foreign minister was alleged to have fallen for a "tabloid-like story" regarding the death of [[Princess Diana]]. An American ambassador stated that this displayed the Syrian government's "'stark ignorance' of the outside world".<ref name=autogenerated6>{{cite news|author1=[[David Leigh (journalist)|Leigh, David]] |author2=Booth, Robert |title=US Embassy Cables Flush Out Royal Gossip&nbsp;— Nuggets of Diplomatic 'News' about Prince Charles, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew Found in Leaked Dispatches|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/nov/29/us-embassy-cables-flush-royal-gossip|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=29 November 2010|access-date=18 December 2010|location=London}}</ref>
+
A Syrian foreign minister was scolded for pushing a [[conspiracy theory]] coming from a "tabloid-like story" regarding the death of [[Princess Diana]].<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/feb/08/saudi-oil-reserves-overstated-wikileaks</ref>
  
 
===Assassination of Rafic Hariri===
 
===Assassination of Rafic Hariri===
−
[[Omar Suleiman (politician)|Omar Suleiman]], chief of the [[Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate]], stated that Syria "desperately" wants the halt of the [[Special Tribunal for Lebanon|investigation]] about the [[assassination of Rafic Hariri]], prime minister of Lebanon, on 14 February 2005.<ref>{{cite news|author=Copy of diplomatic cable dated 2 January 2008|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/136139 |title=US Embassy Cables: Egypt Spy Chief Promises Pressure on Hamas|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=28 November 2010|access-date=5 December 2010|location=London}}</ref> Syria is suspected of involvement in that assassination and in the [[Lebanon bombings and assassinations (2004–present)|2005 killings of anti-Syrian figures]] in neighbouring Lebanon.<ref>Pannell, Ian (14 December 2010). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4530136.stm "Syrians Defiant as Accusations Mount"]. [[BBC News]]. Retrieved 21 December 2010.</ref>
+
[[Omar Suleiman (politician)|Omar Suleiman]], chief of the [[Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate]], pushed for new searches for the [[assassination of Rafic Hariri]], prime minister of Lebanon, on 14 February 2005 as he suspected Syria of involvement in that assassination and in the [[Lebanon bombings and assassinations related to it. <ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4530136.stm</ref>
  
 
==Tunisia==
 
==Tunisia==
−
 
 
===Corruption===
 
===Corruption===
−
''[[The Economist]]'' referred to corruption in Tunisia, stating that "cables from Tunisia bluntly depict the regime of president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali as a sclerotic [[police state]] increasingly tarnished by [[nepotism]]",<ref name="Economist/Morocco"/> referring to a 17 July 2009 cable. The cable stated, "Corruption in the inner circle is growing."<ref name="09TUNIS492">{{cite journal |last=Godec |first=Robert F. |title=Troubled Tunisia: What should we do? |id={{WikiLeaks cable|09TUNIS492}} |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=17 July 2009 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/07/09TUNIS492.html |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231202302/http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/07/09TUNIS492.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another from 23 June 2008 said "corruption in Tunisia is getting worse".<ref name="23JUN2009">[http://middleeast.about.com/od/tunisia/a/tunisia-corruption-wikileaks.htm Text of 23 June 2008 US Tunis Embassy Cable], By Pierre Tristam, MiddleEast.About.com</ref><ref name="08TUNIS679">{{cite journal |last=Godec |first=Robert F. |title=Corruption in Tunisia: what's yours is mine |id={{WikiLeaks cable|08TUNIS679}} |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=23 June 2008 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/06/08TUNIS679.html |access-date=18 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118174250/http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/06/08TUNIS679.html |archive-date=18 January 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' suggested the cables about corruption were one of the reasons behind the overthrow of president Ben Ali in the [[2010–2011 Tunisian protests]].<ref>David D. Kirkpatrick, David D. 14 January 2011 [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/15/world/africa/15tunis.html?_r=1&hp Tunisia Leader Flees and Prime Minister Claims Power] the New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2011</ref>
+
The regime of president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali was a completely corrupt [[police state]] with huge amounts of [[nepotism]]", referring to a 17 July 2009 cable. The cable stated, "Corruption in the inner circle is growing. What should we do? It was said to have even been one of the causes of the fall of President Ben Ali in the [[Arab Spring]].<ref>http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/07/09TUNIS492.html</ref><ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Middle_East)#Tunisia</ref>
  
 
===Political turmoil===
 
===Political turmoil===
−
According to [[Robert Godec]], the US Ambassador to Tunisia, [[Zine el Abidine Ben Ali]], President of Tunisia, and his government have "lost touch with the Tunisian people".<ref name="09TUNIS492" /><ref>[[Ian Black (journalist)|Black, Ian]] (7 December 2010). [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/07/wikileaks-tunisia-first-lady "WikiLeaks Cables: Tunisia Blocks Site Reporting 'Hatred' of First Lady&nbsp;— US Embassy Warns Tunisian Anger over Corruption and Unemployment, as Well as 'Intense Dislike' for President's Wife, Threaten Country's Stability"]. ''[[The Guardian]]''. Retrieved 13 December 2010.</ref> Furthermore, they "tolerate no advice of criticism whether domestic or international".<ref name="09TUNIS492"/> Godec also reports that "[even] average Tunisians are now keenly aware of [corruption in the inner circle], and the chorus of complaints is rising. Tunisians intensely dislike, even hate, First Lady [[Leïla Ben Ali|Leila Trabelsi]] and her family".<ref name="Economist/Morocco"/><ref name="09TUNIS492"/>
+
According to [[Robert Godec]], the US Ambassador to Tunisia, [[Zine el Abidine Ben Ali]], President of Tunisia, and his government have "lost touch with the Tunisian people" as the presidential family "tolerated no advice of criticism whether domestic or international". The Son-In-Law was meanwhile hosting dinners with US officials with pet tigers and chefs from all over the world.<ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Middle_East)#Tunisia</ref>
  
 
===Allegations of torture===
 
===Allegations of torture===
−
The Canadian Ambassador to Tunisia, Bruno Picard, is reported in released documents to have insisted that Tunisia tortures prisoners who are suspected of terrorism and that he had first-hand evidence. The claim was made at a meeting about returning Tunisian prisoners to their home country from the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]]. Tunisia has insisted it does not practice torture, however Picard claimed this was "bullshit". Following the claims the US Embassy held a meeting with the Canadian, British, French, German and Italian ambassadors to suggest they avoid accepting any Tunisian former prisoners from Guantanamo.<ref>[[Staff writer]] (2 December 2010). [https://ipolitics.ca/2010/12/02/tunisia-tortures-prisoners-canadian-envoy-says-in-leaked-diplomatic-cable/ "Tunisia Tortures Prisoners, Canadian Envoy Says in Leaked Diplomatic Cable"]. ''[[The Canadian Press]]'' (via [[ipolitics.ca]]). Retrieved 13 December 2010.</ref>
+
The Canadian Ambassador to Tunisia, Bruno Picard, argued [[Tunesia]] was torturing many prisoners from [[black sites]]. The claim was made at a meeting about returning Tunisian prisoners to their home country from the [[Guantanamo Bay detention camp]]. Tunisia has insisted it does not practice torture, however Picard claimed this was "bullshit". The US Embassy held a meeting with the [[Canadian]], [[British]], [[French]], [[German]] and [[Italian]] [[ambassadors]] to boycott them for transporting [[Guantanamo]] prisoners.<ref>ipolitics.ca/2010/12/02/tunisia-tortures-prisoners-canadian-envoy-says-in-leaked-diplomatic-cable/</ref>
−
 
 
−
===Sakher al-Materi===
 
−
''The Economist'' stated, 'In a chatty account of a lavish dinner at the beachside villa of the Tunisian president's son-in-law, the American ambassador marvel[ed] at desserts flown in from [[Saint-Tropez]], the multitude of servants, and a pet tiger that ate four chickens a day. The host may be interested to know that while bragging about his clout he struck his guest [the US ambassador] as "demanding, vain and difficult", with a limited knowledge of or interest in world affairs.'<ref name="Economist/Morocco"/>
 
  
 
==United Arab Emirates==
 
==United Arab Emirates==
 
==Iran-UAE relations==
 
==Iran-UAE relations==
 
===Iran nuclear program===
 
===Iran nuclear program===
−
{{See also|Iran – United Arab Emirates relations}}
+
{{See also|Iran|Nuclear weapons}}
−
[[Abu Dhabi]] Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan|Mohammed bin Zayed]] of the [[United Arab Emirates]], referred to as MBZ in the cables, urged the US "not to appease Iran" and described Iran's then-leader Ahmadinejad to [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]].<ref name="jpost1">{{cite web|author=Keinon, Herb|author-link=Herb Keinon|url=http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/OpinionAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=197286 |title=WikiLeaks: Burying Linkage between Peace Process, Iran |work=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=30 November 2010 |accessdate=30 November 2010}}</ref> He said that UAE is even more worried about Iranian intentions than is Israel and described a nuclear-armed Iran as "absolutely untenable". He believes that "all hell will break loose" if Iran attains the bomb, with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey developing their own nuclear weapons capability and Iran "instigating Sunni-Shia conflict".<ref name="guardian.co.uk">{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/201549 | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=US embassy cables: Saudis fear 'Shia triangle' of Iran, Iraq and Pakistan | date=3 December 2010}}</ref>
+
[[Abu Dhabi]] Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan|Mohammed bin Zayed]] of the [[United Arab Emirates]], described Iran's then-leader Ahmadinejad to [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]].<ref>http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/OpinionAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=197286</ref>  
  
−
In the cable leak, Mohammed bin Zayed was said to believe Israel will strike Iran if Iran develops nuclear missiles, causing Iran to launch missile attacks on the region including the UAE. He believes that an Israeli strike will not be successful in stopping Iran's nuclear program, but instead cause Iran to "unleash terror attacks worldwide".<ref name="09ABUDHABI736">{{cite journal|url=https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ABUDHABI736_a.html |id={{WikiLeaks cable|09ABUDHABI736}} |title=Crown Prince sounds alarm on Iran |publisher=[[WikiLeaks]] |date=20 July 2009 |accessdate=17 November 2018}}</ref> Mohammad bin Zayed also stated that Iran surrounding Israel is "driven by ideological conviction and will threaten Israel's existence should it go nuclear". At the same time, he described Iran's ambitions as reflecting a desire to "restore Persia's great-power status, rather than driven by religious convictions".<ref name="09ABUDHABI736" />
+
The [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]] was again pointed to as problem to end all problems, and hinted "eighty percent of the Iranian public is amenable to persuasion". Moderate Palestinians would be needed and Israeli PM [[Netanyahu]] would be needed to be ignored.
 +
He said that UAE is scared to death to [[Israel]], said if Iran has a nuke "all hell will break loose" because, [[Egypt]], Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey would make their own as well to "instigating Sunni-Shia conflict".<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/201549</ref>
  
−
Mohammed bin Zayed suggested that the key to containing Iran revolves around progress on the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]]. He argued that it will be essential to bring Arab public opinion in line with the leadership in any conflict with Iran and that roughly "eighty percent of the public is amenable to persuasion". The US has to bring a [[two state solution]] over the objections of the Netanyahu government to win over the people. He suggested working with moderate Palestinians that support the road map, and that "there is no time to waste".<ref name="09ABUDHABI736" />
+
In the cable leak, Mohammed bin Zayed was said Israel would strike Iran if Iran develops nuclear missiles, Iran to launch missile attacks on the region ''and other Arab countries''. Israeli was not able to strike Iran's nuclear program for good, but instead cause Iran to "unleash terror attacks worldwide". Iran was antisocially painted as good for [[Muslims]] and needing to have their own bomb.<ref>https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ABUDHABI736_a.html</ref>
  
−
==Lebanon-UAE relations==
+
==Lebanon & UAE relations==
 
===Lebanese Armed Forces===
 
===Lebanese Armed Forces===
−
[[Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan|Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed]] has said that UAE will purchase additional munitions for [[Lebanese Armed Forces]] helicopters, donated by the UAE to [[Lebanese Armed Forces|LAF]] last year, but is waiting for France to provide a price estimate.<ref name="guardian.co.uk"/>
+
[[Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan|Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed]] said that the UAE funded [[Lebanese Armed Forces]] helicopters, but was stonewalled by France to provide a price estimate.<ref>https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak</ref>
−
 
 
−
==Pakistan-UAE relations==
 
−
{{See also|Pakistan – United Arab Emirates relations}}
 
  
 
===Pakistan's leaders===
 
===Pakistan's leaders===
−
In July 2009, [[Abu Dhabi]] Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan|Mohammed bin Zayed]], Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said Zardari was "dirty but not dangerous" and that former prime minister [[Nawaz Sharif]] was "dangerous but not dirty -- this is Pakistan".<ref name=paki>{{Cite news |author= Allbritton, Chris |author-link= Chris Allbritton |title= Pakistan Defends Nuclear Stance Revealed by WikiLeaks|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53208520101129 |work= [[Reuters]] |date=29 November 2010 |accessdate=29 November 2010}}</ref>
+
In July 2009, [[Abu Dhabi]] Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan|Mohammed bin Zayed]], Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, called PM Zardari "dirty but not dangerous" but prime minister [[Nawaz Sharif]] was "dangerous but not dirty -- this is Pakistan", not explaining what was better.<ref>http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53208520101129</ref>
−
 
 
−
===Support to Pakistan F-16 acquisition===
 
−
Mohammed bin Zayed supported the US's decision to sell [[F-16]] aircraft to Pakistan to strengthen the Musharraf government, saying the sale would not alter the balance of strength between India and Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|url=https://www.ndtv.com/wikileak/wikileaks-india-pakistan-and-f-16s-440614|title=WikiLeaks: India, Pakistan and F-16s |work=NDTV.com |date=29 November 2010 |accessdate=16 November 2018}}</ref>
 
  
 
===Baloch insurgency===
 
===Baloch insurgency===
−
[[Ahmad Shuja Pasha|DG ISI General Shuja Pasha]] commented that India, the UAE, and Russia were funding, arming, and training the Baloch rebels.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/84902/wikileaks-india-russia-supporting-baloch-insurgency/|title = MPS told Russia, India and UAE involved in Baloch insurgency|date = 2 December 2010}}</ref>
+
[[Ahmad Shuja Pasha|DG ISI General Shuja Pasha]] commented that India, the UAE, and Russia were funding, arming, and training rebels from Baloc.<ref>http://tribune.com.pk/story/84902/wikileaks-india-russia-supporting-baloch-insurgency/</ref>
  
 
===Drone attacks in Pakistan===
 
===Drone attacks in Pakistan===
−
In a cable it was noted that UAE had allowed Americans to use an airstrip of UAE in Pakistan ([[Shamsi Airbase]]) in order to launch [[Drone strikes in Pakistan|drone strikes]] against militants. UAE was displeased over publicity of support to US military in Pakistan when it was revealed by [[Tommy Franks|General Tommy Franks]] in his book "American Soldier" due to the concerns that public knowledge of this confidential assistance may cause risks to the security of UAE or UAE officials in Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/26/2005-uae-upset-over-publicity-of-support-to-us-military-in-pakistan.html|title = 2005: UAE upset over publicity of support to US military in Pakistan|date = 25 May 2011}}</ref>
+
The [[UAE]] allowed Americans to use an [[airport]] of the UAE in Pakistan ([[Shamsi Airbase]]) in order to launch [[Drone strikes in Pakistan|drone strikes]] against militants. UAE was angry when [[Tommy Franks|General Tommy Franks]] revealed this in his book "American Soldier" due to his fear UAE officials would be killed in Pakistan.<ref>http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/26/2005-uae-upset-over-publicity-of-support-to-us-military-in-pakistan.html</ref>
  
 
===Alleged Indian and Iranian support for insurgents in Pakistan===
 
===Alleged Indian and Iranian support for insurgents in Pakistan===
−
The UAE believed that [[India]] and [[Iran]] had aided [[Taliban]] and [[Pushtun]] separatists in Pakistan, and that Pashtuns in the UAE may be supporting the Taliban.<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff writer|author-link=Staff writer|url=http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/uae-officials-believed-india-helped-pak-taliban-pashtuns-1622629.html |title=UAE Officials Believed India Helped Pak Taliban, Pashtuns |publisher=[[Press Trust of India]] (via [[daily.bhaskar.com]]) |date=6 December 2010|accessdate=13 December 2010}}</ref>
+
The UAE believed that [[India]] and [[Iran]] had aided [[Taliban]] and [[Pushtun]] separatists in Pakistan, and that Pashtuns in the UAE were supporting the Taliban.<ref>http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/uae-officials-believed-india-helped-pak-taliban-pashtuns-1622629.html</ref>
  
−
==UAE-US relations==
 
 
===Predator drones===
 
===Predator drones===
−
UAE military officials have pressured the US to acquire [[General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper|Predator B drones]] to be used in countering Iran citing that Iran is known to be developing its own drones. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed told US General [[John Abizaid]] "That's why we need it first...give me Predator B".<ref name="WiredN">{{cite news|last=Rawnsley|first=Adam|title=WikiLeaks Reveals Everybody's Christmas List: The World Wants Drones|url=https://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/11/wikileaks-reveals-everybodys-christmas-list-the-world-wants-drones/|work =[[Wired News]]|date=29 November 2010|accessdate=3 December 2010}}</ref>
+
UAE military officials pressured the US to acquire [[General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper|Predator B drones]] to be used in Iran warning of Iran developing much better drones.<ref>https://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/11/wikileaks-reveals-everybodys-christmas-list-the-world-wants-drones/|work =[[Wired News]]|date=29 November 2010|accessdate=3 December 2010}}</ref>
  
 
===Mohammad bin Zayed===
 
===Mohammad bin Zayed===
−
In a cable leak, then US ambassador to the UAE [[Richard G. Olson]] described Mohammed bin Zayed as "the key decision maker on national security issues", and assessed that he had "authority in all matters except for final decisions on oil policy and major state expenditures." He described the UAE president [[Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan]] as "a distant and uncharismatic personage", in contrast with Mohammed bin Zayed, who Olson regarded as a "dynamic member of the generation succeeding the geriatric cases who have dominated the region for decades." He continues to state that Mohammed bin Zayed is "a reformer, actively seeking to improve the life of his citizens and the UAE's future through better education and health care, and through economic diversification, including investments in clean energy to prepare his citizenry for a post-hydrocarbon future". According to Olson, Mohammad bin Zayed has structured the [[UAE Armed Forces]] to be closely aligned with the US and continues to "support us where he thinks we have been right (Afghanistan), but also where he thinks we have pursued misguided policies (Iraq)."<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ABUDHABI862_a.html |id={{WikiLeaks cable|09ABUDHABI862}} | title=Scenesetter for the President's meeting with Shaykh Mohammed Bin Zayed |publisher=[[WikiLeaks]] |date=31 August 2009 |accessdate=17 November 2018}}</ref>
+
In a cable leak, then US ambassador to the UAE [[Richard G. Olson]] described Mohammed bin Zayed as "the key decision maker on national security issues" as he had "authority in all matters except for final decisions on oil policy and major state expenditures" with the UAE president [[Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan]] "a distant and un-charismatic personage", as only Zayed was a "dynamic member of the generation succeeding the geriatric cases who have dominated the region for decades." Unsurprisingly, Mohammad bin Zayed was said to have the [[UAE Armed Forces]] work with the US."<ref>https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ABUDHABI862_a.html</ref>
  
 
===Terror donors===
 
===Terror donors===
−
It was noted in a cable that UAE-based donors have provided financial support to a variety of terrorist groups, including al-Qa'ida, the Taliban, LeT, Hamas and other terrorist groups. Washington agencies noted that there is limited information on the identity of Taliban and LeT donors in the UAE.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242073 | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=US embassy cables: Hillary Clinton says Saudi Arabia 'a critical source of terrorist funding' | date=5 December 2010}}</ref>
+
UAE-based donors have provided financial support to dozens of terrorist groups, but [[D.C]] couldn't provide names of donors, naming [[Hilary Clinton]] as a source of many of these claims.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242073}</ref>
−
 
 
−
In another cable leak, discussion was noted regarding the UAE regulations requiring declarations for cash imports of over US$10,800, but no regulations existing covering cash exports. The US embassy was working closely with UAE government on the problem of cash couriers and the need to develop a plan to stop UAE based cash being transferred to fund terror groups.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/128665| location=London | work=The Guardian | title=US embassy cables: UAE urged to do more about terror cash couriers | date=5 November 2007}}</ref>
 
  
 +
UAE regulations requiring declarations for cash imports of over US$10,800, but no regulations existing covering cash exports were said to be awful. "Cash couriers" were said to needed to be banned.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/128665</ref>
  
 
==Yemen==
 
==Yemen==
 +
===Axis of Nukes and Terorrists===
 +
During a meeting with General David Petraeus, Yemen's then-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh said that if the United States were to conduct attacks on Al Qaeda bases in [[Yemen]], he would publicly claim that the Yemeni military had carried out the operations, concealing any [[US]] involvement. Saleh laughed at the officials when he said, "We'll continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours." With the room erupting in laughter as Yemen's Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs, Rashad Mohammed Alimi, also discussed misleading Yemen's Parliament regarding US participation in bombings while US officials looked baffled.
  
−
===Attacks on Al-Qaeda bases in Yemen===
+
Yemen's primary National Atomic Energy Commission was said to store iridium and cobalt-60, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency ([[IAEA]]). A cable reported that the sole security guard responsible for the facility had been removed from his post on December 30, 2009 and in a very strange story, the sole closed-circuit [[television]] security camera, which monitored the facility, had been out of order for six months without any repairs. No explanation was given and IAEA did not launch an investigation.
−
[[Ali Abdullah Saleh]], then president of Yemen, said if the US attacks [[Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula|Al Qaida bases in Yemen]], he would tell the people of Yemen that it was the Yemeni military that has carried out the attacks rather than the US. He asserted that "we'll continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours" in a meeting with General [[David Petraeus]], head of [[United States Central Command|US Central Command]]. [[Yemen]]'s deputy prime minister for defense and security affairs, Rashad Mohammed Alimi, also joked about lying to Yemen's Parliament on US involvement in bombings.<ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2010|reason=no wiki article on "the lift"; appears to be blog of unknown credentials. perhaps better source can be found}} {{cite web|author= Vermeulen, Mathias|url=http://legalift.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/yemen-deputy-prime-minister-admits-lying-to-parliament-on-us-involvment-of-bombings/ |title=Yemen Deputy Prime Minister Admits Lying to Parliament on US Involvement in Bombings|publisher=The Lift|date=29 November 2010 |access-date=13 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Booth, Robert |author2=[[Ian Black (journalist)|Black, Ian]]  |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-yemen-us-attack-al-qaida |title=WikiLeaks Cables: Yemen Offered US 'Open Door' To Attack al-Qaida on Its Soil&nbsp;— Dispatches Reveal President's Secret Deal To Let US Launch Missile Attacks on Aqap, But Claim It as Yemen's Own Work|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=3 December 2010|access-date=13 December 2010|location=London}}</ref>
 
−
 
 
−
===Security of radioactive stockpiles===
 
−
A January 2010 cable from [[Sana'a]] warned of concerns about the security of Yemen's main National Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) storage facility,<ref name="guardian_yemen_unguarded">{{cite news |author=McVeigh, Karen |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/19/wikileaks-cables-yemen-al-qaida |title=WikiLeaks Cables: Yemen Radioactive Stocks 'Were Easy al-Qaida Target'&nbsp;— Sana'a Official Told US Diplomats Solo Sentry Had Been Removed from Atomic Facility and CCTV System Was Broken |newspaper=The Guardian |date=19 December 2010 |access-date=20 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920225542/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/19/wikileaks-cables-yemen-al-qaida |archive-date=20 September 2013 |url-status=dead |location=London |df=dmy }}</ref> which "normally contains [[IAEA]] Category I and II amounts of [[iridium]] and [[cobalt]]-60".<ref name="10SANAA19">{{cite journal |last=Seche |first=Stephen A. |title=XXXXXXXXXXXX sounds alarm over unprotected radioactive materials |id={{WikiLeaks cable|10SANAA19}} |publisher=WikiLeaks |date=9 January 2010 |url=http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2010/01/10SANAA19.html |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231195821/http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2010/01/10SANAA19.html |archive-date=31 December 2010 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref> The cable stated, "The lone security guard standing watch at Yemen's main radioactive materials storage facility was removed from his post on December 30, 2009" and "The only closed-circuit television security camera monitoring the facility broke six months ago and was never fixed".<ref name="10SANAA19"/>
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==

Latest revision as of 09:58, 25 October 2023

Concept.png 2010 United States diplomatic cables leak/Middle East 
(Wikileaks/Leaks,  Leak)Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
AP101130113075.jpg
Start2010
Exposure by WikiLeaks of acquired diplomatic cables, between the United States Department of State and its diplomatic missions around the world. Many previously unknown statements or opinions about a variety topics have been revealed. This page covers the Middle Eastern leaders, not their companies in particular.

The 2010 United States diplomatic cables leak were said to comprehensive portrayal of the United States' perspective on various subjects related to the Middle East. These classified documents, known as diplomatic cables, exchanged between the United States Department of State and its diplomatic missions worldwide, have been made public by WikiLeaks. As a result, numerous previously undisclosed statements and opinions pertaining to a wide range of Middle Eastern matters have come to light. The following presents a selection of the information contained within these cables.

Algeria

On 17 December 2007, to the US Secretary of State, the US Ambassador to Algeria, Robert Ford, said how former government officials, opposition leaders, and journalists "paint a picture of an Algerian regime that is fragile in ways it has not been before, plagued by a lack of vision, unprecedented levels of corruption and rumblings of division within the military rank and file".[1]

Bahrain

In cables from 2005 to 2009, Bahrain was offended by threats to Arab solidarity, the assassination of Hariri, and voiced a desire to increase its television broadcasting capabilities.

Iran and Qatar conspiring to divide Arab interests

The Crown Prince Salman of Bahrain argued that Iran is conspiring with Qatar, Hezbollah and Hamas to divide Arab countries. Bahrain and other Arab governments were angry at media reports that an Iranian official described Bahrain as "Iran's fourteenth province".[2]

Hariri assassination blame falls on Syria

King Hamad said that Syria was behind the assassination of Rafic Hariri.[3]

Bahrain wants to develop its TV/Radio capability

King Hamad said that he instructed Bahrain's minister of information Abdul-Ghaffar to get help from the US to turn its television broadcasting into a world class operation.[3]

Egypt

In cables dated between 2008 and 2009, the "declining state of the Egyptian military and the unwillingness of the Defense Minister Tantawi to accede to US suggestions of Egyptian human rights reform in return for US economic aid". A billion dollars worth of military hardware sold to Egypt, to make peace with Israel as well as "priority access to the Suez canal and Egyptian airspace" was also discussed.[4]

Defense Minister Tantawi

Defense Minister Tantawi was seen as good guy for his cooperation with Israel and helping maintain a blockade against Hamas, as he was said to be an eighty-year-old veteran of five wars with Israel and thereby uninterested in another conflict. However, Tantawi was described as being extremely stubborn and uncooperative with his own generals, and the US officials argued he was to unintelligent to understand the post Camp David "military situation" which was argued by the cable to create dissent between him and his Soviet trained military officers and the American trained part of the new Egyptian Military.[5] caused low and mid-level NCOs ministries around Cairo to openly complain about Tantawi (as he was nicknamed "Mubarak's Poodle"), claiming that he is "running the military into the ground" and that he only has his job due to his unwavering loyalty to Mubarak. H

Further criticism pointed to his weird preference of spending U.S. aid on advanced tanks and fighter jets to fight large-scale wars with outdated tactics, being criticised by CIA leader David Petraeus.[6] He was pointed as refusing any simple political option, and only willing to use the army to eliminate the Muslim Brotherhood.

Iraq War

Former Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak said the US should find a "fair dictator" to rule Iraq and to "Strengthen the Iraqi armed forces, relax your hold, and then you will have a coup. Then we will have a dictator, but a fair one."[7]

Egypt-Iran relations

Mubarak said that Iranian leaders are "big, fat liars", and that Iran's backing of terrorism is "well-known".[8]

The cables also said Mubarak was happy to be able to sell congress members that Iraq was detoriating so much that he could say "I told you so". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 December 2010.</ref> According to one cable, Mubarak only was focused on Iran as the primary enemy for the times facing Egypt, and an Egyptian official said that Iran is running spooks with black ops inside Egypt to control the Egyptian government.[9]

Iran

Full article: Iran

Israel

Full article: Israel

Jordan

Iran-Jordan relations

A diplomatic cable, dated 2 April 2009, quotes Zeid Rifai, president of the Jordanian Senate, as saying, "Bomb Iran, or live with an Iranian bomb. Sanctions, carrots, incentives won't matter", in a conversation with David Hale, US Ambassador to Jordan. The cable further said "while Rifai judged a military strike would have 'catastrophic impact on the region,' it was worth it"[10]

Guantanamo Bay detainees

Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, referring to Kuwaiti Guantanamo detainees, said:

“You know better than I that we cannot deal with these people (the Guantanamo detainees). I can't detain them. If I take their passports, they will sue to get them back. I can talk to you into next week about building a rehabilitation center, but it won't happen. We are not Saudi Arabia; we cannot isolate these people in desert camps or somewhere on an island. We cannot compel them to stay. If they are rotten, they are rotten and the best thing to do is get rid of them. You picked them up in Afghanistan; you should drop them off in Afghanistan, in the middle of the war zone.”
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah,  Wikileaks (2010)  [12]

Iran

Kuwait believed Iran was supporting Shia extremists in the Persian Gulf and the Shiite Houthis in Yemen.[13]

US militarily helping Persian Gulf States

US Army-elements were assisting the Persian Gulf states in increasing ballistic missile and counter-air defenses, as well as providing early warning systems against the eventuality of an Iranian missile launch.[14][15]

Kuwait based charities financing extremism

Al Qaeda and other groups exploited Kuwait, both as a source of funds and as a key point for arms smuggling and money laundering according to some cables released by The Guardian.[16]

Lebanon

Full article: Lebanon

Libya

Uranium shipment

A Libyan shipment of enriched uranium to Russia, brokered by the US, was nearly the cause of an environmental disaster in Tripoli in 2009.[17]

Lockerbie

Libya's state oil company called in a senior Petro-Canada official with a threat to nationalize his firm's operations in Libya if the Canadian government refused to apologize to the Libyan government. Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon was the cause of this in deep lobbying against several conspirators. Libya ordered Petro-Canada to cut production by 50 per cent.[18]

Morocco

Corruption

A cable from the US embassy in Rabat to Washington, D.C. referred to allegations of deeply established corruption, suggesting that corruption a standard part of Moroccan society. The Royal Family of Morocco were using the state ministries to "coerce and solicit bribes in the real estate sector" and even the military and the generals were being bribed. Blamed was King Hassan II and his claim after successful coups in the 1970s against him to "Stay loyal, and you can reap the benefits.", barely staying in power.[19]

Pakistan

Full article: Pakistan

Palestine

Lashkar-e-Taiba raised funds in Pakistan for the Palestinian people in response to Israel's attacks on Gaza.[20]

Qatar

Al Jazeera

Qatar was using the Arabic television news channel Al Jazeera as a bargaining chip in negotiations with other countries as it was named "one of Qatar's most valuable political and diplomatic tools."[21]

Financial support for Islamic militants abroad

Hillary Clinton was said to have claimed that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait were funding terror.[22]

Diplomatic tendencies

Meir Dagan, the chief of the Mossad said that Qatar was "a real problem" as Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was uniting all in the Middle East, including Syria, Iran, and Hamas.[23]

Qatar-US relations

The Qatari Prime Minister Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani, repeatedly described the United States as a "friend" and called US-Qatari friendship as just "strategic".[24]

Saudi Arabia

Full article: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia was said to support dozens of terror groups, aimed at messing with Israel, Iran, and the US, killing other Arabs if needed, or their sources of income. Iraqi officials have noted that frequent anti-Shia outbursts from Saudi religious figures are often allowed to circulate without sanction or disapproval from the Saudi leadership[25]

Lebanon-Saudi relations

Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal proposed to David M. Satterfield, the U.S. special adviser to Iraq, that an Arab force supported by U.S. and NATO air power could fight Hezbollah in Lebanon. Saud expressed his fears that a Hezbollah victory in Beirut would mean the end of the Siniora government and the 'Iranian takeover' of Lebanon.[26]

Saudi-Yemen relations

Saudi Assistant Interior Minister, Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, described "Yemen as a dangerous failed state and a growing threat to Saudi Arabia because it attracts Al Qaida and many Yemenis were more sympathetic to Al Qaida than Afghan, while Yemeni President Saleh was losing control, and outlined a Saudi strategy of co-opting Yemeni tribes with assistance projects".[27]

Saudi support for a Palestinian state

During French President Sarkozy's visit to Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah told Sarkozy Israelis must cease all West Bank settlement construction. Abdullah maintained that East Jerusalem must be the capital of a Palestinian state and that East-Jerusalem must be solely under Arab control.[28]

Censorship and propaganda

According to a May 2009 cable, the "Saudi regulatory system offers the al-Saud regime a means to manipulate the nation's media to promote its own agenda", and people crying for help were silenced ad-hoc.

All major media outlets in Saudi Arabia — newspapers, such as Al-Watan, Al-Hayat, and Asharq Al-Awsat, and free-to-view television networks, such as MBC Group and Rotana — are owned and controlled by the al-Saud regime, and accordingly self-censorship were controlled by the royal house of Saud and "motivated by profit and politics". The pro-western ideologies in these newspapers and American programming such as Friends, Desperate Housewives, the Late Show with David Letterman and Hollywood films were seen to socially engineer a change in view of the US of the local youth.[29]

Oil Production

Sadad al Husseini, a senior Saudi government oil executive, warned oil levels in the country were overstated by as much as 300 billion barrels (or 40% of the claimed reserve). Saudi Arabia was said to have little to say about oil prices at all.[30]

Syria

Arms shipments to Hezbollah

Syria increased its arms shipments to Hezbollah despite its claims that new shipments had ceased.[31]

Tabloid incident

A Syrian foreign minister was scolded for pushing a conspiracy theory coming from a "tabloid-like story" regarding the death of Princess Diana.[32]

Assassination of Rafic Hariri

Omar Suleiman, chief of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate, pushed for new searches for the assassination of Rafic Hariri, prime minister of Lebanon, on 14 February 2005 as he suspected Syria of involvement in that assassination and in the [[Lebanon bombings and assassinations related to it. [33]

Tunisia

Corruption

The regime of president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali was a completely corrupt police state with huge amounts of nepotism", referring to a 17 July 2009 cable. The cable stated, "Corruption in the inner circle is growing. What should we do? It was said to have even been one of the causes of the fall of President Ben Ali in the Arab Spring.[34][35]

Political turmoil

According to Robert Godec, the US Ambassador to Tunisia, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, President of Tunisia, and his government have "lost touch with the Tunisian people" as the presidential family "tolerated no advice of criticism whether domestic or international". The Son-In-Law was meanwhile hosting dinners with US officials with pet tigers and chefs from all over the world.[36]

Allegations of torture

The Canadian Ambassador to Tunisia, Bruno Picard, argued Tunesia was torturing many prisoners from black sites. The claim was made at a meeting about returning Tunisian prisoners to their home country from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Tunisia has insisted it does not practice torture, however Picard claimed this was "bullshit". The US Embassy held a meeting with the Canadian, British, French, German and Italian ambassadors to boycott them for transporting Guantanamo prisoners.[37]

United Arab Emirates

Iran-UAE relations

Iran nuclear program

See also: Iran and Nuclear weapons

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates, described Iran's then-leader Ahmadinejad to Hitler.[38]

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict was again pointed to as problem to end all problems, and hinted "eighty percent of the Iranian public is amenable to persuasion". Moderate Palestinians would be needed and Israeli PM Netanyahu would be needed to be ignored. He said that UAE is scared to death to Israel, said if Iran has a nuke "all hell will break loose" because, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey would make their own as well to "instigating Sunni-Shia conflict".[39]

In the cable leak, Mohammed bin Zayed was said Israel would strike Iran if Iran develops nuclear missiles, Iran to launch missile attacks on the region and other Arab countries. Israeli was not able to strike Iran's nuclear program for good, but instead cause Iran to "unleash terror attacks worldwide". Iran was antisocially painted as good for Muslims and needing to have their own bomb.[40]

Lebanon & UAE relations

Lebanese Armed Forces

Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed said that the UAE funded Lebanese Armed Forces helicopters, but was stonewalled by France to provide a price estimate.[41]

Pakistan's leaders

In July 2009, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, called PM Zardari "dirty but not dangerous" but prime minister Nawaz Sharif was "dangerous but not dirty -- this is Pakistan", not explaining what was better.[42]

Baloch insurgency

DG ISI General Shuja Pasha commented that India, the UAE, and Russia were funding, arming, and training rebels from Baloc.[43]

Drone attacks in Pakistan

The UAE allowed Americans to use an airport of the UAE in Pakistan (Shamsi Airbase) in order to launch drone strikes against militants. UAE was angry when General Tommy Franks revealed this in his book "American Soldier" due to his fear UAE officials would be killed in Pakistan.[44]

Alleged Indian and Iranian support for insurgents in Pakistan

The UAE believed that India and Iran had aided Taliban and Pushtun separatists in Pakistan, and that Pashtuns in the UAE were supporting the Taliban.[45]

Predator drones

UAE military officials pressured the US to acquire Predator B drones to be used in Iran warning of Iran developing much better drones.[46]

Mohammad bin Zayed

In a cable leak, then US ambassador to the UAE Richard G. Olson described Mohammed bin Zayed as "the key decision maker on national security issues" as he had "authority in all matters except for final decisions on oil policy and major state expenditures" with the UAE president Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan "a distant and un-charismatic personage", as only Zayed was a "dynamic member of the generation succeeding the geriatric cases who have dominated the region for decades." Unsurprisingly, Mohammad bin Zayed was said to have the UAE Armed Forces work with the US."[47]

Terror donors

UAE-based donors have provided financial support to dozens of terrorist groups, but D.C couldn't provide names of donors, naming Hilary Clinton as a source of many of these claims.[48]

UAE regulations requiring declarations for cash imports of over US$10,800, but no regulations existing covering cash exports were said to be awful. "Cash couriers" were said to needed to be banned.[49]

Yemen

Axis of Nukes and Terorrists

During a meeting with General David Petraeus, Yemen's then-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh said that if the United States were to conduct attacks on Al Qaeda bases in Yemen, he would publicly claim that the Yemeni military had carried out the operations, concealing any US involvement. Saleh laughed at the officials when he said, "We'll continue saying the bombs are ours, not yours." With the room erupting in laughter as Yemen's Deputy Prime Minister for Defense and Security Affairs, Rashad Mohammed Alimi, also discussed misleading Yemen's Parliament regarding US participation in bombings while US officials looked baffled.

Yemen's primary National Atomic Energy Commission was said to store iridium and cobalt-60, as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). A cable reported that the sole security guard responsible for the facility had been removed from his post on December 30, 2009 and in a very strange story, the sole closed-circuit television security camera, which monitored the facility, had been out of order for six months without any repairs. No explanation was given and IAEA did not launch an investigation.

References

  1. ↑ Ford, Robert (19 December 2007). "An ailing and fragile Algerian regime drifts into 2008". WikiLeaks. Template:WikiLeaks cable. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2011. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  2. ↑ "Cable Viewer". wikileaks. Wikileaks. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css must have content model "Sanitized CSS" for TemplateStyles (current model is "Scribunto").
  3. ↑ a b {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  4. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  5. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  6. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  7. ↑ Staff writer (1 December 2010). "WikiLeaks: Mubarak Advises US To Find 'Fair Dictator' to Iraq" Archived 4 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine.. Al Sumaria. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  8. ↑ https://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/29/world/la-fg-wikileaks-arabs-20101130
  9. ↑ Abstract (full article requires paid subscription). Bergman, Ronen (11 December 2010). "Iran, Israel and the Arab Contradiction — The WikiLeaks Cables Reveal that Egypt and Saudi Arabia Can't Decide if They Fear a Shiite Bomb More Than They Hate the Jewish State". The Wall Street Journal. 14 December 2010.
  10. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  11. ↑ http://wikileaks.dd19.de/cable/2009/02/09KUWAIT110.html
  12. ↑ [11]
  13. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  14. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)
  15. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)
  16. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242073
  17. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/03/wikileaks-cables-libya-enriched-uranium
  18. ↑ https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/01/31/libya_threatened_to_nationalize_petrocanada_wikileaks.html}
  19. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/06/wikileaks-cables-morocco-royals-corruption
  20. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/220186
  21. ↑ https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gqrdtYIc4k1ZzxfdOvlgFkyYXCwQ?docId=CNG.46b645b43dfaa2dc5d313fea1f79b408.121
  22. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  23. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  24. ↑ {{URL|example.com|optional display text}}
  25. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)
  26. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11945514
  27. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Middle_East)#Saudi_Arabia
  28. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/138803
  29. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Saudi_Arabia)
  30. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/feb/08/saudi-oil-reserves-overstated-wikileaks
  31. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/29/world/29cables.html
  32. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/feb/08/saudi-oil-reserves-overstated-wikileaks
  33. ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4530136.stm
  34. ↑ http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/07/09TUNIS492.html
  35. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Middle_East)#Tunisia
  36. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak_(Middle_East)#Tunisia
  37. ↑ ipolitics.ca/2010/12/02/tunisia-tortures-prisoners-canadian-envoy-says-in-leaked-diplomatic-cable/
  38. ↑ http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/OpinionAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=197286
  39. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/201549
  40. ↑ https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ABUDHABI736_a.html
  41. ↑ https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Contents_of_the_United_States_diplomatic_cables_leak
  42. ↑ http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53208520101129
  43. ↑ http://tribune.com.pk/story/84902/wikileaks-india-russia-supporting-baloch-insurgency/
  44. ↑ http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/26/2005-uae-upset-over-publicity-of-support-to-us-military-in-pakistan.html
  45. ↑ http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/uae-officials-believed-india-helped-pak-taliban-pashtuns-1622629.html
  46. ↑ https://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/11/wikileaks-reveals-everybodys-christmas-list-the-world-wants-drones/%7Cwork =Wired News|date=29 November 2010|accessdate=3 December 2010}}
  47. ↑ https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09ABUDHABI862_a.html
  48. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/242073}
  49. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/128665

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