If the house where Julian Assange of Wikileaks is staying is destroyed by a Predator drone, and the United States denies any involvement … Well, I'll believe them.
One of the most common threads running through the Wikileaks papers is Washington's manic obsession with Iran. In country after country the United States exerts unceasing pressure on the government to tighten the noose around Iran's neck, to make the American sanctions as extensive and as painful as can be, to inflate the alleged Iranian nuclear threat, to discourage normal contact as if Iran were a leper.
"Fear of 'different world' if Iran gets nuclear weapons. Embassy cables reveal how US relentlessly cajoles and bullies governments not to give succour to Tehran," read a Guardian of London headline on November 28. And we're told that Arab governments support the United States in this endeavor, that fear of Iran is widespread. John Kerry, the Democratic head of the Senate foreign relations committee, jumped on this bandwagon. "Things that I have heard from the mouths of King Abdullah [of Saudi Arabia] and Hosni Mubarak [Egyptian president] and others are now quite public," he said. He went on to say there was a "consensus on Iran". (Guardian, December 2) If all this is to have real meaning, the implication must be that the Arab people feel this way, and not just their dictator leaders. So let us look at some numbers.
The annual "Arab Public Opinion Poll", was conducted this past summer by Zogby International and the University of Maryland, in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. A sample of the results:
· "If Iran acquires nuclear weapons, which of the following is the likely outcome for the Middle East region?" More positive 57%, Would not matter 20, More negative 21.
· Amongst those who believe that Iran seeks nuclear weapons, 70% believe that Iran has the right to its nuclear program.
· "In a world where there is only one superpower, which of the following countries would you prefer to be that superpower?"
France 35%, China 16, Germany 13, Britain 9, Russia 8, United States 7, Pakistan 6.
· "Name TWO countries that you think pose the biggest threat to you." Israel 88%, US 77, Algeria 10, Iran 10, UK 8, China 3, Syria 1.
Dh’ fhàg Uilleam Blum Roinn Stàite na SA ann an 1967, a’ leigeil seachad a mhiann a bhith na Oifigear Seirbheis Cèin air sgàth ’s gun robh e an aghaidh na bha na Stàitean Aonaichte a’ dèanamh ann am Bhietnam. Thàinig e an uair sin gu bhith mar aon den luchd-stèidheachaidh agus luchd-deasachaidh an Washington an-asgaidh Press, a 'chiad phàipear-naidheachd "eile" anns a' phrìomh-bhaile.
Tha Blum air a bhith na neach-naidheachd neo-cheangailte anns na Stàitean Aonaichte, san Roinn Eòrpa agus ann an Ameireaga a Deas. Nuair a dh’fhuirich e ann an Chile ann an 1972-3, a’ sgrìobhadh mun “deuchainn sòisealach” aig riaghaltas Allende, agus an uairsin mar a chaidh a sgrios ann an coup a chaidh a dhealbhadh le CIA, a bhrosnaich com-pàirt pearsanta agus ùidh eadhon nas àirde anns na bha an riaghaltas aige. bha e a’ dèanamh ann an diofar cheàrnaidhean den t-saoghal.
Ann am meadhan nan 1970n, bha e ag obair ann an Lunnainn còmhla ris an t-seann oifigear CIA Philip Agee agus a chompanaich air a’ phròiseact aca gus luchd-obrach an CIA agus na rinn iad a nochdadh.
An leabhar aige air poileasaidh cèin na SA, Marbhadh dòchas: Eadar-theachdan Armailteach na SA agus CIA bhon Dàrna Cogadh, a chaidh fhoillseachadh an toiseach ann an 1995 agus air ùrachadh bhon uair sin, air cliù eadar-nàiseanta fhaighinn. Dh'ainmich Noam Chomsky e "Fad is air falbh an leabhar as fheàrr air a' chuspair."
Ann an 1999, bha Blum air aon den fheadhainn a fhuair duaisean Project Censored airson “naidheachdan barraichte” airson a bhith a’ sgrìobhadh aon de na deich sgeulachdan caisgireachd as fheàrr ann an 1998, artaigil air mar, anns na 1980n, a thug na Stàitean Aonaichte an stuth dha Iorac. leasachadh comas cogaidh ceimigeach agus bith-eòlasach.
Leabhar Blum Stàit Rogue: Iùl air an aon chumhachd aig an t-saoghal, fhoillseachadh ann an 2000, agus ùrachadh ann an 2005. Chaidh a sgrìobhadh mar fhreagairt air bomadh Iugoslabhia ann an 1999, a chaidh innse dhuinn, a chaidh a dhèanamh airson adhbharan daonnachd. Tha an leabhar gu dearbh na mhion-leabhar mòr-eòlais de na gnìomhan neo-dhaonnach a rinn riaghaltas nan SA anns an leth-linn mu dheireadh. Tha e air eadar-theangachadh gu còrr air dusan cànan.
Ann an 2002, nochd eas-aonta Blum's West-Bloc: A Cold War Memoir. Ann an 2002-2003, bha Blum na neach-colbh cunbhalach airson an iris The Ecoologist, a tha air fhoillseachadh ann an Lunnainn agus air a sgaoileadh air feadh na cruinne.
Ann an 2004, chaidh Freeing the World to Death: Essays on the American Empire fhoillseachadh. Gheibhear grunn aistean Blum air-loidhne aig Znet, Counterpunch, Dissident Voice, agus mòran làraich eile.
Bidh Blum a’ sgrìobhadh cuairt-litir mhìosail, The Anti-Empire Report, a thèid a chuir an-asgaidh gu neach sam bith a dh’ iarras e air post-d.
