Leaked cable:
https://theintercept.com/2023/08/09/imran-khan-pakistan-cypher-ukraine-russia/
IK being charged by attempting to disclose the secret cable:
Wow. So i read the full transcript. A few points.
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We don’t know where this document originated and the intercept has not authenticated it (they at least claim as much)
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Nothing Lu said is out of line. Which part do you take umbrage with? Khan is definitely putting his spin on this.
It’s pretty much been confirmed because Imran Khan released parts of the message that match the version the intercept received much later, of which I already pointed out he was charged with breaking the state secrets law.
Lu was very set on wanting Imran Khan gone via the NCV. This cable wasn’t meant to negotiate anything with Imran Khan or even tell him to rectify his stance on Ukraine. He said clearly that ties with Washington deteriorated and would only be restored if IK was removed.
More importantly, the cable was directed towards the Pakistan army who has the ultimate power in Pakistan (and incidentally has been bribed several times before). They did as they were asked and helped the NCV succeed by helping the opposition bribe and coerce party members to swap sides overnight. Then, they swiftly arrested IK, banned PTI as a political party, tortured and killed their party members, assassinated some journalists, shutdown the internet, banned Twitter, and called it a day.
It’s nothing new for the USA or even Pakistan, it’s just that this was probably the first grassroots populist party in Pakistan to ever get a chance at running the country and it lasted all but 5 seconds because that invovled the idea of foreign sovereignty which is something the USA doesn’t like.
They can and will use whatever means necessary to keep their leverage in the global geopolitical scene.
I read the content of the transcript. A lot of leaps are being made from one diplomat’s statements. Lu simply said they don’t want to cooperate with a leader that is rubbing shoulders with Putin and it’s perfectly reasonable considering a) Pakistan is the recipient of US foreign aid b) Putin is doing his best to annex every territory around Russia that he can before anyone stops him. Whatever Pakistan did to oust him needs further proof that it is directly caused by US interference. I haven’t seen that yet.
Edit: you know what guys; this one politicians claims and a random cable is all we need. No further proof needed. American imperialism genocide colonialism western hegemony – did I get all the poli-sci 101 buzzwords in yet or did I leave any out? Someone needs to create an ‘america bad’ phrase generator already. That is the sum of discourse on Lemmy after all.
