[International Herald Tribune, France]

 

 

Al Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudis Must Ask: Who Benefits from the WikiLeaks Disclosure?

 

"The question that one must forcefully pose, regardless of the veracity of these documents - or lack of it, is: What party benefits from a leak of such a huge number of documents? And then we can also ask: Was an intelligence agency behind this leak, or is it purely a journalistic effort?"

 

Dr. Hashim Abd Hashim

                                           

 

Translated By James Jacobson

 

December 3, 2010

 

Saudi Arabia - Al Riyadh - Original Article (Arabic)

There are no more "secrets" in this world. Before the public, the "alarm" was registered by governments. Before the media, it was registered by intelligence organizations and their global tools. Among those who fear or are skeptical of the information - or are eager to keep it in a secret room, in silent minds, or locked away in computers - there is a need to be convinced.

 

This shift in understanding, perception and conviction occurred after a series of documents were published by the so-called WikiLeaks.

 

The question that one must forcefully pose, regardless of the veracity of these documents - or lack of it- is: What party benefits from a leak of such a huge number of documents? And then we can also ask: Was an intelligence agency behind this leak, or is it purely a journalistic effort?

 

The fact that one cannot escape, whatever the professionalism of this Web site and whatever the degree of specificity it provides, is that the issue at hand is much bigger than the professionalism and capabilities of WikiLeaks.

 

Thus, I believe it has become acceptable to ask whether there are one or several intelligence agencies behind the leak … even if that gives rise to even more pressing questions. For example, what is the nature of the interests that hide behind the establishment of this entity and the publication by such an entity or intelligence agencies of these documents in the manner we have seen?!

 

These questions seem logical and legitimate, because with this leak, the "information war" between nations seems to have reached a climax. And by this I mean the struggle between the intelligence services of the great powers and those in the Middle East, at the forefront being Israel, Iran, Turkey and Syria.

 

Every nation tries to obtain the greatest amount of information about their adversaries and attempts to disseminate data that will harm or destroy their interests in the region and the world. What this amounts to, is that such agencies, with their tremendous capabilities, are able to recruit people, even within the countries mentioned in these documents, to obtain the information that have acquired - and then proceed to leak and publish it.

 

As far as the impact of the game, this is just the beginning. There will be more such leaks. These will hit the world like an earthquake and destroy bilateral relationships, existing policies and mutual interests between nations, not only in our region but around the world.

 

This is a potentially very damaging matter and will lead to a severe disruption for many countries. This type of information must be read with extreme caution, because its publication is intended to achieve the greatest degree of disruption of international relations, shattering the trust among nations and peoples toward one another. Won't it help such parties achieve what they want, if we offer up our countries and peoples to such tremendous psychological shock and begin to deal with one another - even within our agencies and public lives - in such a confusing and suspicious manner?!

 

 

SEE ALSO ON THIS:

FAZ, Germany: Ahmadinejad's Chief-of-Staff Calls WikiLeaks Cables 'Lies'

Guardian, U.K.: Cables Portray Saudi Arabia as a Cash Machine for Terrorists

El País, Spain: Cables Expose Nuance of U.S. Displeasure with Spain Government

El País, Spain: WikiLeaks: The Assault on 'Big Brother' Begins

El País, Spain: Thanks to WikiLeaks' Disclosure, Classical Diplomacy is Dead

Guardian, U.K.: Saudi Arabia Urges U.S. Attack on Iran

Hurriyet, Turkey: Erdogan Needs 'Anger Management' Over U.S. Cables

Saudi Gazette, Saudi Arabia: WikiLeaks Reveals 'Feeling, Flawed' Human Beings

Frontier Post, Pakistan: WikiLeaks Reveals 'America's Dark Face' to the World

The Nation: WikiLeaks' Release: An Invaluable Exposure of American Hypocrisy

Buenos Aires Herald, Argentina: Without Hypocrisy, Global Ties Would Be Chaos

Kayhan, Iran: WikiLeaks Release a 'U.S. Plot to Sow Discord'

El Universal, Mexico: WikiLeaks and Mexico's Battle Against Drug Trafficking

Toronto Star, Canada: WikiLeaks Dump Reveals Seamy Side of Diplomacy

Guardian, U.K.: WikiLeaks Cables, Day 3: Summary of Today's Key Points

Guardian, U.K.: Leaked Cables Reveal China is 'Ready to Abandon' North Korea

Hurriyet, Turkey: American Cables Prove Turkish Claims on Missile Defense False

The Nation, Pakistan: WikiLeaks: An Invaluable Exposure of American Hypocrisy

Kayhan, Iran: WikiLeaks Revelations a 'U.S. Intelligence Operation': Ahmadinejad

Novosti, Russia: 'Russia Will be Guided by Actions, Not Leaked Secrets'

Guardian, U.K.: Job of Media is Not to Protect Powerful from Embarrassment

ANSA, Italy: WikiLeaks: 'No Wild Parties' Says Berlusconi

 

 

The situation is very difficult, extremely critical and far more complicated that anything we've confronted before.

 

But at the same time, this requires a particular brand of realistic thinking about our confidence in ourselves and our nation. Our agencies must not waiver. We have to expect the worst from this and yet we mustn’t let it affect us. This must not be permitted to disturb our way of thinking. But we have to realize that this is the reality of international relations and the nature of the politics of our age. We have to expect more such challenges. We must confirm that much of this information was tampered with, and that those who helped provide the information day to day [to the U.S. State Department], for a variety of reasons, may not have been acting constructively. 

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

 

If we look at some of these documents and ask ourselves who benefits from leaking and publishing them, despite the harm that this might cause some parties and people, we will reach the ultimate goal of finding out who is behind this new war.

 

In the end, we'll have to have our eyes and minds much more open. If not, next time the consequences will be even more dangerous - a corruption of conscience.

 

"He who doesn’t make mistakes, doesn’t fear. And he who doesn’t fear, doesn’t tremble. And he who doesn’t tremble, is ultimately deserving of life."