Media watch: Heads of states and nuclear assets

Local media discusses implications of the WikiLeaks revelations with respect to Pakistan's relations with its friends.

Media watch is a daily round-up of key articles featured on news websites, hand-picked by The Express Tribune web staff.

Diplomatic bombshell

The disclosures of the US attempt to remove highly enriched uranium from the Pakistani reactor confirm the suspicions of certain political circles in Pakistan that the US has an eye on our nuclear assets, and while doing everything it can to strengthen India, defence-wise and economically, at the same time, it wants to enfeeble Pakistan. That would not only fulfil the hegemonic designs of India in the region and “solve” the Kashmir dispute, the bone of contention between the two, but  also help promote the US strategic ambitions vis-à-vis China. (nation.com.pk)

Unvarnished truths

We now know what King Abdullah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia really thinks of our president, namely that he sees him as the ‘single greatest obstacle to that country’s progress’ and that ‘when the head is rotten it affects the whole body’. This comes from the ruler of a state that we have long regarded as a close ally, a supporter in our hour of need. It may be that King Abdullah’s references were purely personal, and should not be taken as a general view of Pakistan as a whole. (thenews.com.pk)

WikiLeaks shake the ‘ummah’

On another note, many people in the Muslim world still believe in the erstwhile concept of a Muslim ‘ummah’. Nothing could be further from the truth. All the Muslim states are interested in protecting their own vested interests rather than looking out for each other. This was proved by a shocking revelation that Saudi Arabia had urged the US to attack Iran and end its nuclear programme. (dailytimes.com.pk)

Not so leaking WikiLeaks

As for the United States' misplaced concern about Pakistan's nuclear assets, there have been discussions between the two countries, often reported by the media. Given that Pakistan has raised layers of impregnable security barriers, it never embraced American perceptions that these assets can fall into wrong hands. The cypher to the State Department sent by Ambassador Patterson in May 2009 must be correct, but only to the extent that Pakistan refused a scheduled visit to some unidentified nuclear facility. (brecorder.com)

WikiLeaks

Closer to home, King Abdullah can simply deny the statement about the Pakistani President. The way patriotic Pakistanis can deny having ever said that President Zardari, despite his flaws, is the democratically elected leader of his people, an attribute the current Custodian of the Two Mosques can never have. (pakistantoday.com.pk)

US must come clean

Governments across the globe now must get ready for a popular backlash because information that was meant for the eyes and ears of policymakers is now public. But basically it is America which is in the eye of the storm. It must come clean on issues which are bound to agitate peoples and governments across the world, especially in this region. (dawn.com)