WikiLeaks 2

Following WikiLeaks' release of the latest batch of US embassy cables, Israeli propaganda and its spear carriers in the corporate media have hilariously begun painting America's Arab clients as the driving force behind the push for an attack on Iran, and Israel as some sort of innocent bystander*:

"One also has to wonder what effects the Wikileak's disclosures might have on other articles of liberal policy faith. Are Israeli Likudniks and their and their neocon friends (present company included) the dark matter pushing the US toward war with Iran? Well, no. Arab Likudniks turn out to be even more vocal on that score." (Leaks force policy wonks to grow up, Bret Stephens, The Wall Street Journal/The Australian, 1/12/10)

Stephens is, of course, alluding to the likes of the Saudi king who colorfuly urged the Americans "to cut the head off the snake," and the UAE defense chief who referred to the Iranian president as "Hitler." (Fears of a nuclear Iran: ME leaders speak about their powerful neighbor, New York Times, 28/11/10)

But the cables also reveal are far more ambivalent attitude on the part of USrael's Arab allies: "Although the UAE regards Iran as one of its most serious threats to national security, UAE officials are reluctant to take actions that could provoke their neighbor and compromise their extensive trading relationship." (Cable from US Embassy in Abu Dhabi, 29/4/06)

So this is the dark matter pushing the US toward war with Iran?

Well, no. This is:

"[Meir] Dagan [Israel's Mossad Chief] reviewed Israel's five-pillar strategy concerning Iran's nuclear program, stressed that Iran is economically vulnerable, and pressed for more activity with Iran's minority groups aimed at regime change... Instability in Iran is driven by inflation and tension among ethnic minorities. This, Dagan said, presents unique opportunities, and Israelis and Americans might see a change in Iran in their lifetimes... Dagan described how the Israeli strategy consists of five pillars... B) Covert Measures: Dagan and the Under Secretary [Nick Burns] agreed not to discuss this approach in the larger group setting... E) Force Regime Change: Dagan said that more should be done to foment regime change in Iran, possibly with the support of student democracy movements, and ethnic groups (eg Azeris, Kurds, Baluchs) opposed to the ruling regime." (US embassy cables: Israel grateful for US support, guardian.co.uk, 28/11/10; Cable from US Embassy in Tel Aviv, 31/8/07)

[* "One of the clear revelations from those leaked cables is that numerous Arab leaders have asked the Americans to take military action to stop Iran getting military weapons. One might note that this does rather give the lie to the insane notion - peddled not least by US academics John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt - that an all-powerful Jewish lobby is the only group in the world so exercised by a nuclear Iran as to consider supporting military action. Instead, all over the Arab world, rulers are begging the Americans to do anything they can, even military action, to stop Tehran acquiring nukes." (WikiLeaks cables expose Arab states' hypocrisy over Iran, Greg Sheridan, The Australian, 4/12/10)]