Starting last week, WikiLeaks began publishing massive tranches of unclassified cables, and earlier this week it emerged that the full set of 251,287 cables had been decrypted by a password published in David Leigh’s book on WikiLeaks, and that this encrypted file was widely available. During the previous week’s publication of more than 100,000 unclassified cables, WikiLeaks asked the public to help crowd-source a search for cables of interest on Twitter. This week’s press roundup gathers a sample of headlines from the past week on a very wide spectrum of topics.
Iraq: U.S. troops reported to have executed 10 Iraqi civilians, including five children, four women
WikiLeaks released nearly 150,000 cables before the full archive of State Department cables appeared online this week.
McClatchy reports on a cable recounting a March 15, 2006 incident in which U.S. troops allegedly executed 10 Iraqi civilians and destroyed the evidence by calling an airstrike. The cable contains a letter from U.N. investigator Philip Alston questioning U.S. officials on the incident, but U.S. officials at the time denied any inappropriate behavior.
Altson’s letter says that after a firefight, U.S. troops entered a house in Ishaqi, and subsequently executed all its residents. “Iraqi TV stations broadcast from the scene and showed bodies of the victims (i.e. five children and four women) in the morgue of Tikrit. Autopsies carries (sic) out at the Tikrit Hospital’s morgue revealed that all corpses were shot in the head and handcuffed.” Altson, recently contacted by McClatchy for comment, said that to date neither U.S. officials nor the Iraqi government had responded to requests for information.
The new revelations have prompted the Iraqi government to announce that it will launch new investigations into the event. The attention the issue has received has put U.S.-Iraq relations under strain, and could undermine the possibilities for the U.S. to stay in the coutnry, according to reports.
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ASIA
Environmental hazards in China
According to the Guardian, cables sent from the consulate in Guangzhou indicate that authorities in the region have chosen not to measure certain types of of air pollution, due to the possible political consequences of the results. A 2006 cable states that the amount of the highly dangerous PM2.5 pollutant exceeds World Health Organization limits by a factor of 5 to 10.
Other cables, cited by Público, report that China’s decision to opt for cheap technology has greatly increased the risk of a nuclear disaster in the country. Writing in 2008, the ambassador writtes that a majority of 60 planned reactors will be based on technology used in the U.S. in the 60′s.
A blog post from The Guardian highlights interesting cables from China which describe a growing awareness of environmental issues and the Chinese government response to resulting protests and demonstrations. In particular, protests in Fujian province shut down a chemical factory in 2007, but less than a year later, a similar demonstration was met with “media blackouts and the deployment of baton-wielding police.”
Japanese prime minister candidate in cable
Seiji Maehara, the public’s favourite for the position of new prime minister of Japan, is cited in a 2010 cable sent from Tokyo, Wall Street Journal reports. In the midst of the crisis surrounding the recall of millions of Toyota cars, then Minister of Transportation Maehara called on the U.S. not to let the crisis influence relations between the two countries, referring to the U.S. as the “cornerstone” of Japanese foreign policy.
U.S. interests in the Philippines
An article covering the U.S. perspective on China-Phillipine relations and based on an April 2008 embassy cable reports that the U.S. does not perceive China’s growing influence in the Phillipines as a threat. The ambassador wrote, “Unlike the World Bank, the IMF, and many bilateral providers of assistance here, China does not link its aid to issues such as good governance, rule of law, or respect for human rights.” According to the cable, the U.S. role in the Philippines has been maintained partly through criticism of corrupt Chinese business practices and assistance.
Oil and gas resources in the marsh region of Mindanao in the Phillipines were of great interest to the U.S., according to an article on a leaked 2006 cable. Much of Mindanao is controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, is inhabited by various ancestral clans, and the area is also a bird sanctuary and game refuge. The cable reported on multinational firms looking to start projects in Mindanao.
An article from the Phillipine Daily Inquirer describes the U.S. ambassador’s perspective on the late Phillipine President Corazon Aquino, who was known as a hero and an “icon of democracy”. In a July 2009 cable, the ambassador said that Aquino’s “credibility as a moral crusader was tarnished” when she participated in protests against then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and goes on to criticize her “weak leadership”.
Corruption in the Philippine National Police
ABS-CBN News published an extensive description of corruption and inefficiency within the Philippine National Police (PNP) based on a 2005 embassy cable. The PNP is described as having “institutional flaws”, which has lead to the public belief that almost all of the PNP is corrupt. Local official control over PNP appointments and similar corrupt attitudes at the Philippine National Police Academy when training new recruits have exacerbated the problem.
Extrajudicial killings by a “Hunter Team” in the Phillipines
Another article from ABS-CBN News reports on Cebu city in the Phillipines, which seemed to condone death squads to reduce the city’s crime rate. The 2005 cable reported that the Cebu city mayor announced a “Hunter Team” – a special police force rewarded for every criminal it killed. While the Catholic Church in Cebu condemned the death squad killings, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) showed support, and the cable reports that the public appreciated the resulting drop in crime.
Chinese tigers bred for making wine?
Having visited a tiger farm in the region Xiongsen, a U.S. ambassador in a 2007 cable raised questions about the intentions behind the breeding of tigers in China, abc.es reports. Workers in a store in the area told the ambassador that it every day recieved 90 Koreans, described as eager consumers of tiger wine, a drink made from tiger bones.
Corruption in Nauru
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, cables show that government ministres of the small island state Nauru has recieved USD 5,000 montly payments in return for maintaining diplomatic relations. Other secret payments are reported to have come from China, which sought to influence the 2007 elections in the country by buying votes.
Kerala officials admit to wooing U.S. investment
Following the publication of new cables, the Communist Party of India-Marxist in India’s Kerala region has admitted that its sought financial aid from the U.S., CNBC reports. Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan is reported to have sought U.S. funding for biotechnology, tourism, and other sectors.
Extra-judicial executions in Bangladesh
Amnesty International calls on the government of Bangladesh to put an end to extra-judicial killings in the country by a special police unit – the RAB. The unit is alleged to have played a role in the killing of 700 people since its creation in 2004. Previously released cables confirm that the RAB has received training from British police.
U.S. supported allegedly corrupt Indonesian election candidate
Xinhuanet writes on recently released cables on Indonesia. A January 2006 cable shows that the U.S. supported the election of Agusrin Najamuddin in Bengkulu province, who had previously been accused of embezzling around 20.162 billion rupiah (2.24 million USD). U.S. interest in the province was related to USAID “explor[ation of] the possibilities to tap natural resources”. Other cables criticize Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Indonesian government’s handling of corruption and crisis situations.
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MIDDLE EAST
U.S. was aware of Bedouin relocation by Israel
Mondoweiss cites a cable showing that the U.S. was aware of a an Israeli program to relocate Israeli Bedouins in the Negev settlement. Despite having been informed of the difficulties of the Bedouin population in the area – many of whom were reported to be treated as squatters despite life-long Israeli citizenship – the U.S. at the time raised no concerns about the issue.
Israeli organized crime and the U.S.
Electronic Intifada cites cables sent from Israel, in which U.S. officials express concerns over the the easy access of increasingly vicious Israeli organized crime families to the U.S. The cables note that while there are rules barring entry to the U.S. from members of organized crime families of other countries, no such rules apply for Israel. They cite one case of a member of a well-known organized crime family having been granted visa. Only later was it discovered that the reason for the trip had been to carry out a murder.
The Armenian genocide
Turkish member of parliament Hasan Korkmazdcan in 2005 sent a letter to George Bush via a U.S. embassy, in which he urges the president reject calls for recognition of the Armenian genocide: “We are hopeful that you will resist this campaign which is based on a false interpretation of events which found no proof in the archives of the Ottoman Empire”, PanArmenian.net reports. Bush, who had promised to rally the cause of the Armenians during his 2000 elections campaign, did nothing of the kind once elected.
The killing of a Syrian general
According to Romandie, Boris Boillon, an advisor to president Sarkozy told the U.S. embassy that France believed the 2008 killing of the Syrian general Mohamed Sleimane was the result of the general’s knowledge of the Syrian nuclear program and the Syrian links to Hezbollah. It could also have been the result of a power struggle among president Assad’s entourage, Boillon argued. The cable notes that Sarkozy at the time sought to establish friendly ties with Assad in order to be able to influence his policy with regards to Israel, Lebanon and Iran.
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EUROPE and AUSTRALIA
MPAA pushes Australian copyright case
Delimiter has published an article on a Canberra embassy cable containing remarks on an ongoing court case between the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) and a local ISP iiNet over iiNet customer infringement of copyright. The cable reveals that the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was the “prime mover” behind the case, and an MPAA executive had discussed the case with the U.S. ambassador. The executive explained that the MPAA was keeping a low profile in order to promote the image of Australian equity being involved.
Australian defence shield
Speaking to the U.S. ambassador to Australia in 2009, senior defence official Mike Pezzullo explained that parts of a Defence White Paper released the same year was designed to reduce opposition within the Australian Labour Party to a missile defence shield in the country, Sydney Morning Herald reports. Pezzullo went on to explain that then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd would not, however, be swayed from his intention to pursue the defence shield.
Weak Australian air security
Weak Australian air security
A cable cited by Crikey shows that Australia nearly lost its top air security rating in 2009, having scored a very poor result on a security audit by the US Federal Aviation Administration. According to the cable, Australia escaped the downgrade only by making promises reforms, which the country’s authorities are still struggling to meet.
Russian influence in Belarus, Europe
Cables cited by Wikileaks media partner Respublika describe U.S. views on Russia’s relations with surrounding countries. Russian energy is described as a major source of Russian influence. Visiting the Czech Republic, Joe Biden suggested that Russia’s behavior could be radically changed if Europe were to reduce its energy dependency on the country.
U.S. influence over Spanish cinema
El Mundo cites cables revealing U.S. efforts to stifle attempts by the new socialist government in Spain to strengthen its national film industry in 2004 . Embassy representatives met with a number of high-ranking officials, including the director of the Spanish Institute of Cinematography, in order to prevent measures that would be harmful to U.S. interests.
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AMERICAS
Canada troop presence in Afghanistan
Cables sent from Ottawa show that U.S. officials in 2008 for the first time that the U.S. would appreciate continued presence of Canadian troops in Afghanistan after 2011, reports. Both liberals and conservatives in the country were, however, unenthusiastic about the prospect of extended presence in the country, something which would make it “tough slogging for any (change) of course to the current end-date of the combat mission in 2011″.
Ecuador sent troops to Iraq to curry favour with Bush
An article from El Faro reports that although publicly El Salvador President Antonio Saca said that troops were being sent to Iraq by the UN’s request, a 2006 cable reveals that the President privately felt the need to support the war in order to develop a close relationship with the Bush administration. Other cables confirm that the majority of the El Salvadoran public was against Salvadoran participation in Iraq, hence making Saca’s move politically risky. The President is quoted as saying, “We are not in Iraq because of the United Nations, but rather because we support the U.S…”
In another El Faro article on El Salvadoran troop support in Iraq, U.S. ambassador Douglas Barclay is reported to have negotiated directly with the National Conciliation Party (PCN) in order to ensure the votes needed from the El Salvadoran Parliament for deploying troops to Iraq. The U.S. involvement occured amidst growing unpopularity for El Salvadoran presence in Iraq during 2006.
Argentina and U.S. negotiated carbon tax cuts
El Cronista reports a meeting between Argentine businessman Carlos Bulgheroni and a U.S. ambassador, recorded in a February 2008 embassy cable. Bulgheroni complained about the tax on oil exports, saying it was a disincentive for oil exploration; the ambassador agreed to launching negotiations for removing the tax on hydrocarbon exports.
U.S. monitored leftist tendencies of Paraguay officials
An article on a 2005 cable reveals U.S. concern over the participation of then Congressman Rafael Filizzola and Minister of Fernando Lugo in a joint Venezuela-Paraguay discussion of the Bolivarian revolution.
Dominican Republic: Drug-fighting tactics and U.S. aid
Noticias SIN reports on a cable that discusses the negative U.S. reaction to a Dominican Republic bill proposed for destroying aircraft suspected of drug trafficking. The ambassador said that if the law were approved, the U.S. would cease to supply intelligence and military aid to the Dominican Republic.
Former Bahamas minister of foreign affairs deplores influence of other ministers
In 2004, then Bahamas Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell in conversations with the U.S. ambassador expressed criticism of the decision making process in the of country, The Tribune reports. Mitchell is reported to have complained that the Bahamas government was inefficient, due to the fact that unlike in other commonwealth countries, “any minister can intervene and express a view on any issue before the government.”
U.S. seeks to override Cuban internet filtering
In a cable cited by Cubasi.cu, the U.S. ambassador in Havana reports on his efforts to investigate the accessibility to foreign websites in the country. He writes that the embassy “welcomes input from Washington, where ongoing work on programs to evade Internet filters may have relevance here.”
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AFRICA
South Africa: ANC has become more like the regime it helped overthrow
Times Live writes on a U.S. embassy cable from January 2010 assesses the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, which first won democratic elections in 1994 after decades of struggle against apartheid. The cable states that the ANC has become increasingly anti-democratic and closer to the regime it replaced, citing the Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM) protest movement against ANC and President Jacob Zuma’s intolerance of free speech.
Tsvangiri called for U.S. intervention
The Zimbabwe Guardian cites a 2002 letter sent by Morgan Tsvangirai to George Bush, calling for the institution of a UN-led program for dealing with the crimes of Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai, who has since become prime minister, has repeatedly denied writing any such letter. The same year, the U.S. moved to adopt sanctions against Zimbabwe, under the controversial Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act.
U.S. support for Gaddafi
An article on various cables from Libya in over the past few years outlines the U.S. relationship with Gaddafi and his government prior to the revolution. One cable shows that two years ago, US Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Susan Collins, and Joe Lieberman met with Gaddafi on very friendly terms and discussed Libyan military affairs and U.S. assistance. Just before Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a Libyan convicted of bombing of Pan Am flight 103, was released from prison, Senator McCain assured Gaddafi that the issue would be dealt with discreetly. And other cables reveal that the U.S. focus throughout 2008 and 2009 was on U.S. oil interests in the region, rather than the public discontent of the Gaddafi regime.
Telekom’s influence in South Africa
Telekom’s influence in South Africa is discussed in an article on a 2009 cable which reported a meeting of AT&T, Cisco, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Qualcomm executives. The executives discuss how the initiatives of companies SEACOM and Dark Fibre Africa had fiber-optic broadband capacity, but complained that Telkom was blocking similar local initiatives to lay more fiber-optic cables.
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Spreading Genetically Modified Organisms
Truthout reports on a number of cables showing how U.S. diplomats have been pushing for the spread of GMOs. Running the errands of large corporations such as Monsanto and GE, Diplomats in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia organize PR stunts and move to implement harsh sanctions on countries that refuse to introduce GMOs of U.S. businesses.
Kenya’s Daily Nation cites a cable describing how the U.S. managed to push the country’s parliament to accept the introduction of GMOs. According to the U.S. diplomat, a USAID-funded program was used to build support among decision makers and in national institutions, which were thenmobilized to lobby for the products.
A cable sent from Sofia shows that the U.S. had provided financial backing for GMO proponents in Bulgaria, Novinite reports. The embassy reports that gaining the support of key political leaders could help sway public support in favour of GMOs.
