In a year highlighted by some of the worst man-made and natural disasters ever, few news stories stood out as ‘good’ developments. There was of course the 3+ months ordeal of the Chilean miners followed by the dramatic rescue that captivated the world, yours truly included, starved as I am for any semblance of hope.

Yet, without a doubt that news story of the year and continuing into 2011 is WikiLeaks and its bombshell revelations about the US military’s actions in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as heh as the treasure trove of diplomatic cables, of which only a minute percent have been released till now.

In a superb report chock full of links, CBS News deconstructs what WikiLeaks taught us in 2010.

Robert Fisk breaks down all you need to know about the world’s fastest rising star.

Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said today that, “Considering that the demand presented by his excellency [Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas] is just and consistent with the principles upheld by Brazil with regard to the Palestinian issue, Brazil, through this letter, recognises a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders,” it said.

The letter refers to the “legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people for a secure, united, democratic and economically viable state coexisting peacefully with Israel.”

Read more at Al Jazeera

NY Times: The Guantánamo Diaspora

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Hegemony has its benefits. As a hegemon one gets to pass judgment on and have a hand in almost all of the world’s pressing issues. One after the other, Rome, Britain, Spain, Portugal, and the Ottomans have had an opportunity to exert massive control over their spheres of influence while in power. But none of them could even dream of the hegemony enjoyed by the USA. Though it counters verbal resistance and diplomatic tiffs aplenty (an unfortunate byproduct of a freer, more prosperous world), there is no doubt, that the American empire has taken hegemony to its zenith. Even as analysts line up to proclaim its downfall (yours truly one of them), it cannot be denied that Pax Americana continues to exert incomparable control whether we realize it or not. Its dominance is unmatched despite its recent failings.

Peeping into the mind of the monster is a fabled career, those who do it well end up on television news networks for a while before they are vilified and discarded as fringe academics and downright lunatics for supposing that they truly know what is going on within the constantly churning machinery of the American empire.

But today, you and I, and even countless lowly nations who live on the fringes of the American empire, get to see a little bit of the litany of opinions, ideas and plans of the American Empire. We get to see what Pax Americana thinks like, what it sees the world as and how it intends to bring it into order to serve its hegemony even more acutely. Yes indeed, you and I my friends, you and I live in heady times indeed. For we woke up today the same as US State Dept. officials and White House Staffers alike- the imbalances between us common folk and them made a little less off kilter, giving us plain folk a look we could only dream of having a week ago.

The veil of secrecy has parted. Even if just for a second, it has still parted. And out of that tiny slit has come an outpouring of information and back end chatter that is sure to reshuffle world politics forever. From internal rebellions to bruised allies, world politics shifted on its axis today, have no doubt of that. It is one thing for bloggers and analysts to claim that they know what is going on, it is quite another to know for sure what is happening. It is one thing to put your trust in fringe forecasters and cynical academics, no matter how proven their track record, it is quite another to hear the horse speak of its volition. It is one thing to mistrust a country based on ut feelings and quite another to know exactly what it has done to lead you to forever hold it accountable. Have no doubt, that just as you and I, momentarily empowered common folk that we are, will use these records to form our own opinions, so too shall the lesser powers of the world, clinging to these documents as proofs of betrayal and true intentions.

That today marks a shift in world history is indisputable. The shift is not cataclysmic mind you- lets not get too overzealous (for greed binds this group of thieves together and money addresses all misgivings)- but it is historical and not so secret. In time, its repercussions will remain just as secret as the files that led to the unveiling.

WikiLeaks is about to release a massive treasure trove of confidential US diplomatic cables and memos. These documents will cover every major issue in almost every country.

From controversial remarks by the Saudi King on Iran’s nuclear program to honest perceptions about Pakistan’s president and even Nelson Mandela, these documents are about to blow up the diplomatic world and give us a true understanding of how America views the world.

If you are interested in reading these cables, then visit the above site. OWNI is working with WikiLeaks to release an application that will allow for easy browsing of the massive collection of cables. This application is currently being finalized. It will be released soon. Watch OWNI’s live blog for latest details.

India has the world’s third largest Muslim population, and political and economic ties with Arab nations. It is also buying weapons and military expertise from its new friend Israel. 

I cannot say that I have read the complete collection of these writings, but judging from some of the prominent scholars involved, this new initiative by the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) is definitely worth a serious look. It seems quite interesting. 

Looking to combat widespread ignorance about Iran and US policy towards to Iran, USIP asked both Iranian and Western experts, almost 50 in all, to compile brief yet comprehensive overviews on 62 subjects ranging from Iran’s politics, economy, military, foreign policy, and nuclear program.

Its all available for free online HERE and each section also includes downloadable PDFs. You can also support the project by purchasing the book HERE. 

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Al Jazeera | The Riz Khan Show - The Future of Pakistan-US relations

When I launched SFP, I promised myself that I would not focus on just the good stories and the pretty pictures. This blog endeavors to present a fair and complete picture of Pakistan.

And if you are looking for such a picture, then this episode of Al Jazeera’s Riz Khan Show is a must-watch. It presents a nuanced and brutally honest image of the country, an image which I think is important to present despite its harshness.

Make no mistake about it, America is fighting another war and it is on Pakistani soil.

The beauty of the plan though is that the war remains undeclared. The US government does not elude to it, talk about it, or publicly boast about. They just go about their business and do it. The media talks about it openly though, or at least it openly talks about the aspects it knows about, i.e. the drone attacks. All other missions, plans, and strategies remain invisible and unheard of.

The drone war that America is waging on Pakistan is done with the Pakistani government’s help and approval. It is a government which like many others in the past, has done everything in its power to keep foreign troops off Pakistani soil. However, this time around, which such clear evidence that Pakistan is now home to the brains behind the Taliban and numerous other militant groups, it was simply impossible for the Pakistani government to successfully stave off an invasion, even if it was just a ‘smart’ aerial one. For the Pakistani government it was a face-saving measure since its cooperation with the US is not discussed openly and in return it has the guarantee that US army servicemen won’t cross the Afghan border into Pakistan. On the US side, with a fledgling economy, a stretched military budget, war fatigue amongst troops, and a nation-wide unwillingness to join another war, this pseudo-smart aerial war waged by mechanized drones is an ideal scenario. It helps the Americans take quick and decisive actions within Pakistan without endangering a single American life. US soldiers control drones from American soil and kill Pakistanis and militants on another continent without breaking a sweat.

This pseudo-war is a battle of convenience, enabled by technology and a pliable, non-questioning media.

Now though, reports are emerging, and not being denied by the US government mind you, that the CIA has amassed a 3000 man strong covert operations team in Afghanistan which is conducting stealth operations inside Pakistan.

In a recent Washington Post piece, which talks about Bob Woodward’s book, “Obama’s Wars”, the newspaper reports on one of his findings:

“The CIA created, controls and pays for a clandestine 3,000-man paramilitary army of local Afghans, known as Counterterrorism Pursuit Teams. Woodward describes these teams as elite, well-trained units that conduct highly sensitive covert operations into Pakistan as part of a stepped-up campaign against al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban havens there.”

In response to the reports, The Huffington Post quotes the Pakistani Army’s spokesperson, Major General Athar Abbas, as saying that:

“We do not allow any foreign troops or militia to operate on our side of the border… There are no reports of any such incident, and, should it happen in future, they will be fired upon by our troops.”

Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas’ placation cum threat aide, the emergence of this report and the affirmation by multiple (albeit confidential) sources as per media outlets ranging from Al Jazeera to National Public Radio (NPR) is a grave sign indeed. Grave in the sense that it means there is a war going on without a doubt now- whether the operatives are wearing civilian clothes or American military uniforms is of little consequence in practical terms as long as they are taking orders from the American intelligence agencies. The second grave concern is the risk this poses to the fragile (and yes, corrupt and farcical) democracy of Pakistan, which is sure to come under enormous strain due to this news. And lastly, the gravest concern is for the sake of emerging conflicts everywhere as the world moves into the future.

This conflict is a significant shift in the way war is conducted. It has never been seen before on such a large scale, carried out incessantly over many months. It does not fit the bill of what we know as ‘covert’, but that label has been attached to it because the truth is that we don’t have any other label for it. This has simply never happened before.

For you see, America’s drone war is not sanctioned by Congress. And of course, neither is this latest covert paramilitary offensive. No public bill and/or policy document has been discussed in Congress about these two acts of war upon another sovereign nation. The view, presumably, is that since there are no American soldiers at risk, why bother. Hence the war is unconstitutional not just in Pakistan, but also in America, and of course as per the United Nations. The combined offensive breaks every iota of international law. It is illegal, underhanded, unconstitutional, and remains undeclared to this day.

If one of the leading powers in the world can just decide one day to start bombing another nation and sending in covert forces to carry out missions in that country (no matter how well-intentioned) without its actions falling under the jurisdiction of any law within its own constitution or international law simply because its war is not officially declared or owned up to, then where does that lead us to in the future?

Shall China start attacking Taiwan and remain unchallenged by the world on its actions because it chose to not share its war plans with anyone? Can Venezuela carry out attacks within Colombian borders for months on end without it being rebuked under any official measure at the UN because it is using covert paramilitary troops who don’t wear a Venezuelan flag patch on their uniforms?

This war is happening. And some believe it should happen. Its need is not what I am arguing. Its method is my point of concern at this time. The laws, people, and tactics that are enabling such a grave action to take place outside the bounds of anything we consider lawful needs to be addressed before we start talking about the need of any such action. Failure to address the issue, as has been the case up to now, is tantamount to supporting such an unlawful conflict. It is a tacit approval now and in the future that we are fine with such perverse shows of force and underhanded conflicts, that we will look the other way while governments make such decisions without asking permission from their own democratic apparatus and/or the international community.

Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines investigates The other debt crisis: Climate debt

The climate crisis in Bolivia is not a headline or an abstraction - it is playing out in people’s lives in real time.

Melting glaciers are threatening the water supply of the country’s two biggest cities. Increasing droughts and floods are playing havoc with agriculture.

So it is no surprise that in climate negotiations, Bolivia is emerging as a leader in the global south - advancing both radical solutions and analysis that make rich countries distinctly nervous.

This episode travels to Bolivia to explore the country’s climate crusade from the inside.

Hat Tip: Al Jazeera

This is an excellent read. I imagine that if a Zionist was to come across this article, they would immediately fall back on the tried and tested defense that such words are anti-semitic. They are not of course; what they are is fact-based, and the sooner Israel comes to acknowledge their true significance, the faster we can get on with the peace-making.

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Several years ago, I suggested in my students’ union newspaper that Israel shouldn’t exist. I also said the sympathy evoked by the Holocaust was a very handy cover for Israeli atrocities. Overnight I became public enemy number one. I was a Muslim fundamentalist, a Jew-hater, somebody who trivialised the memory of the most abominable act in history. My denouncers followed me, photographed me, and even put telephone calls through to my family telling them to expect a call from the grim reaper.

Thankfully, my notoriety in Jewish circles has since waned to the extent that recently I gave an inter-faith lecture sponsored by the Leo Baeck College, even though my views have remained the same. Israel has no right to exist. I know it’s a hugely unfashionable thing to say and one which, given the current parlous state of the peace process, some will also find irresponsible. But it’s a fact that I have always considered central to any genuine peace formula.

Certainly there is no moral case for the existence of Israel. Israel stands as the realisation of a biblical statement. Its raison d’être was famously delineated by former prime minister Golda Meir. “This country exists as the accomplishment of a promise made by God Himself. It would be absurd to call its legitimacy into account.”

That biblical promise is Israel’s only claim to legitimacy. But whatever God meant when he promised Abraham that “unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the Euphrates,” it is doubtful that he intended it to be used as an excuse to take by force and chicanery a land lawfully inhabited and owned by others.

It does no good to anyone to brush this fact, uncomfortable as it might be, under the table. But that has been the failing with Oslo. When it signed the agreement, the PLO made the cardinal error of assuming that you could bury the hatchet by rewriting history. It accepted as a starting point that Israel had a right to exist. The trouble with this was that it also meant, by extension, an acceptance that the way Israel came into being was legitimate. As the latest troubles have shown, ordinary Palestinians are not prepared to follow their leaders in this feat of intellectual amnesia.

Israel’s other potential claim to legitimacy, international recognition, is just as dubious. The two pacts which sealed Palestine’s future were both concluded by Britain. First we signed the Sykes-Picot agreement with France, pledging to divvy up Ottoman spoils in the Levant. A year later, in 1917, the Balfour Declaration promised a national home for the Jewish people. Under international law the declaration was null and void since Palestine did not belong to Britain - under the pact of the League of Nations it belonged to Turkey.

By the time the UN accepted a resolution on the partition of Palestine in 1947, Jews constituted 32% of the population and owned 5.6% of the land. By 1949, largely as a result of paramilitary organisations such as the Haganah, Irgun and Stern gang, Israel controlled 80% of Palestine and 770,000 non-Jews had been expelled from their country.

This then is the potted history of the iniquities surrounding its own birth that Israel must acknowledge in order for peace to have a chance. After years of war, peace comes from forgiving, not forgetting; people never forget but they have an extraordinary capacity to forgive. Just look at South Africa, which showed the world that a cathartic truth must precede reconciliation.

Far from being a force for liberation and safety after decades of suffering, the idea that Israel is some kind of religious birthright has only imprisoned Jews in a never-ending cycle of conflict. The “promise” breeds an arrogance which institutionalises the inferiority of other peoples and generates atrocities against them with alarming regularity. It allows soldiers to defy their consciences and blast unarmed schoolchildren. It gives rise to legislation seeking to prevent the acquisition of territory by non-Jews.

More crucially, the promise limits Israel’s capacity to seek models of coexistence based on equality and the respect of human rights. A state based on so exclusivist a claim to legitimacy cannot but conceive of separation as a solution. But separation is not the same as lasting peace; it only pulls apart warring parties. It does not heal old wounds, let alone redress historical wrongs.

However, take away the biblical right and suddenly mutual coexistence, even a one-state solution, doesn’t seem that far-fetched. What name that coexistence will take is less important than the fact that peoples have forgiven and that some measure of justice has been restored. Jews will continue to live in the Holy Land - as per the promise - as equals alongside its other rightful inhabitants.

If that kind of self-reproach is forthcoming, Israel can expect the Palestinians to be forgiving and magnanimous in return. The alternative is perpetual war.

The author, Faisal Bodi, is a Muslim journalist.