San Francisco (Obama.net)- WikiLeaks has quickly become a thorn in the side of the American government. After releasing much information on their private military files and giving the entire world an inside look into the inner workings of the United States, WikiLeaks is apparently still not done.

Sunday, WikiLeaks started to release some of the over quarter of a million documents they have via various American Embassies throughout the world.

WikiLeaks said that the documents allow the citizens of the world to have “an unprecedented insight into the U.S. government’s foreign activities.”

WikiLeaks leaders Julian Assange has claimed that the new information shows the American government “spying on its allies and the U.N., turning a blind eye to corruption and human rights abuse in ‘client states,’ backroom deals with supposedly neutral countries, and lobbying for U.S. corporations.

Assange, who is a big part behind the release of the biggest assortment of public documents in recorded history, said that the new information really sheds light on the differences between what the American government wants the public to perceive it as, and what it is really like in terms of foreign affairs.

Assange makes the stance that in a true democracy, the citizens “should ask to see what’s going on behind the scenes” and understand what the country is really doing.

On behalf of the White House, Robert Gibbs said, “By releasing stolen and classified documents, WikiLeaks has put at risk not only the cause of human rights, but also the lives and work of these individuals. (diplomats and other officials from America and other states) We condemn in the strongest terms the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents and sensitive national security information.”

Information in the papers is mainly about the Middle East and China.

The information provided by WikiLeaks suggests that many leaders of Middle Eastern states have asked the United States to take on Iran and make sure their nuclear programs come to an end at any cost.

Also included are talks about combating al Qaeda in Yemen.

The removal of uranium that has been enriched from a Pakistani plant is also mentioned.

Talk with other states about taking the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay is in the papers released Sunday.

And finally, the papers discuss the rumor that the Chinese government was part of a huge computer hacking ring earlier in 2010.

With WikiLeaks planning to release documents over the next couple of months dating from 1966 to the beginning of 2010, there is no telling the type of information that might to the light of day.

AP

San Francisco (Obama.net)- North Korea has been the subject of numerous sanctions from the United Nations pertaining to their use of nuclear technology, programs, and weapons. With the hammer coming down on the isolationist state from the United Nations, United States, and other powers in the world, North Korea has remained defiant and has now taken things one step further.

Reports coming from the United Nations indicate that North Korean officials have shared technology about their nuclear missiles and ballistic missiles with numerous states.

A report that was written by seven experts in the international community said that North Korea is playing a big role in “nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities in certain countries, including Iran, Syria, and Myanmar.” The report, which was 75 pages long, urged nations to be cautious of North Korea and the states they are reportedly sharing nuclear technology with.

The information was compiled nearly half of a year ago, but was only released this week. The reason for the six months delay was that China was not happy with the release of the report. China is one of the few trading partners and allies of North Korea, mostly due to the fact that the two nations share a border.

The report claims that North Korea has went around the numerous sanctions placed upon them. To still go about their business, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been covering up their finances with, as the report said, “overseas entities, shell companies, informal transfer mechanisms, cash couriers, and barter arrangements.”

The report also adamantly states that the country led by Kim Jong Il “has established a highly sophisticated international network for the acquisition, marketing, and sale of arms and military equipment, and arms exports have become one of the country’s principal sources for obtaining foreign exchange.”

To go about their business, which was banned by the United Nations, North Korea has used cargo planes to send the military equipment and weapons. In addition, the state is also sending the equipment unassembled to the other defiant states.

North Korea has not seen any new sanctions imposed on them in 2010. However, if the information in the report proves to be factual, the United Nations are sure to take immediate action on North Korea. Any potential sanctions on North Korea are expected to be the strictest and most serious ones ever placed on the states.

CNN

San Francisco (Obama.net)- The fact that there is tension in the Middle East is something that cannot be escaped. After many attempts at peace talks, conflict still persists in the region. Now, the situation is tensing even more as Israel is directly addressing Iran.

The Jewish Federations of North America held their yearly meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana this week. One of the most important guests at the event was Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel.

In his speech to the New Orleans audience, Netanyahu said, “The first requirement of any living organism, of the people of any collective body, is to identify danger in time. The greatest danger facing Israel and the world is the prospect of an nuclear armed Iran.”

The issue of nuclear weapons in Iran is nothing new the United States and the United Nations have both been working to get the Middle Eastern state to disarm for years.

However, Iran continues to be defiant and claim that the nuclear programs are for peace and that they should not have to disarm.

Netanyahu then told the crowd that Iran is a supporter of terrorism and is threatening to destroy Israel. Netanyahu also said that the Middle Eastern state claims that the Holocaust never happened.

The Israeli Prime Minister went on to thank President Obama and his administration’s work to sanction Iran and attempt to force them into disarmament.

Netanyahu said that this is the right approach as “containment against Iran won’t work” and force is needed.

Netanyahu went on to again say that the United Nations report that Israel was guilty of war crimes in the times of tension in Gaza are not true. He said that the information is false and that “the authors of the Goldstone Report owe the Israeli army an apology.”

The Prime Minister also said that while it is unfortunate, “for many, Israel is guilty until proven guilty.”

On the topic of peace talks with Palestine, Netanyahu called for the talks to continue without any conditions. Palestine wants construction stopped in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel has not halted its construction plans despite the talks being delayed because of it.

The tensions in the Middle East are not necessarily rising at the moment, but with Netanyahu’s comments on Iran and the delays in peace talks, future problems may occur as patience may begin to run low for all of the parties involved.

AFP/Getty/CNN

San Francisco (Obama.net)- Two of the three hikers who were arrested in Iran one year ago for allegedly illegally entering Iranian territory are now going to stand trial in the Middle Eastern state for their alleged crimes. The trial is set to being on November 6^th. Shane Bauer and Josh Fattall will stand before the Revolution Court in Iran and will be defended by Massoud Shafee.

The two men along with Sarah Shourd were initially arrested in July of 2009. The trio was hiking in the Kurdistan area of Iraq when they accidentally entered Iranian territory at an area where the border was not marked. Iranian officials accused the three of being American spies and immediately took them into custody.

In an effort to show compassion to the rest of the international community, Iranian officials made the decision to allow Shourd to go home in September, but kept the two men in the Evin Prison in Tehran.

The New York Times reported that the recent new batch of WikiLeaks documents say that the three were actually arrested while they were still in Iraqi territory. Furthermore, the claim says that Iranian officials went into Iraq to make the arrests. (View video at bottom.)

Further reports have surfaced adding to the claim that the three were arrested in Iraq. Magazines have reported interviews with witnesses of the arrests and the papers released by WikiLeaks name Iraqi towns, such as Baghdad and Kirkuk, not Iranian cities.

Massoud Shafee has told reporters that despite the Iranian law that court cases are to be public, there are exceptions and that he feels that due to the controversy of this case, it will most likely be private.

The mother of Shane Bauer, Cindy Bauer, said, “We hope things move forward. Of course we know Shane and Josh are innocent and hope they are released before the trial.” She has not had an opportunity to talk to Shane since May.

Switzerland has appealed the trial and demanded the release of Bauer and Fattall.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said earlier this week that American officials see no reasons as to why the two men should be tried in Iran and that the hope is “that the Iranian authorities will exercise the humanitarian option of releasing these two young men.”

After over 15 months of holding the two men captive, Iran is moving too far for the taste of Americans and the demand for the release of the two men and their safe return back to the United States is stronger than ever.

analysis by Newsy.com

San Francisco (Obama.net)-

The Iranian President is being accused of funding nuclear projects for the purpose of military power. Ahmadinejad is denying all such claims. He added that Israel should also be reprimanded for their nuclear programs due to them also not being part of the United Nations Security Council. The Security Council is made up of the five nations who won World War II and thus are the only ones permitted by the UN to have nuclear weapons. Those nations are the United States, Russia, China, France, and England.

The scheduled meeting next month is to be attended by Iran, Germany, and the nations that make up the Security Council.

President Barack Obama has made it a point to reach peaceful agreements with Iran, but vey little progress has been made due to Ahmadinejad’s resistance and defiance.

It can be assumed that part of why Iran is so willing to talk all of the sudden stems from the multiple sanctions placed upon them recently by not only the United Nations, but also President Obama and the United States, as well as the European Union.

Ahmadinejad responded to the sanctions by saying, “they thought they can weaken the Iranian nation through imposing sanctions and posing threats, but Iranians have showed integrity, convergence, and strength.”

In addition, Iran is also making the claims that it has actually been trading more with the members of the Security Council, especially China, since the sanctions were first imposed in March. Iran did lose a large percentage of their imports from the United States.

The meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for November 15^th, is expected to have high implications for the future relations between Iran and the major powers of the world.

If things go well that day, trade with Iran and the movement for Iran to modernize could be underway. However, if things end poorly on that November day, then the threat of Iran’s nuclear powers would continue to grow along with the tensions between Iran and not only the United States, but also the United Nations and the European Union.

AFP/Getty Images

San Francisco (Obama.net)- Thursday, the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, traveled to Beirut, Lebanon. While there, President Ahmadinejad spoke highly of the Lebanese state and spoke negatively of Israel. While there, he called for the eradication of the Jewish community.

Ahmadinejad in no uncertain terms said that the “world must know the Zionists are to be gone.” He them praised the citizens of Bint Jbeil for making “the Zionists taste the bitter taste of defeat.” He went on to say that the Jewish people must surrender “to the will of the people and to return to their first homes.”

The Iranian leader continued praising Lebanon for battling Israel. The crowd responded positively by applauding the President heavily.

Ahmadinejad said that the Israeli’s “must know Bint Jbeil is holding its head up and will stand until the end against enemies.”

Men and women packed the speech location hours prior to the event, which quickly turned into a sea of people showcasing the flags of Lebanon and Iran. As one of the few world leaders that sides with Lebanon in their battle against Israel, Ahmadinejad is seen as a hero to the Lebanese.

Ahmadinejad and Iran gave Lebanon most of the aid they needed following the 2006 war with Israel to rebuild the state’s infrastructure and buildings.

Security at the event was high. Military planes were flying over the stadium to ensure safety in the sky as other guards were on the ground.

Thursday also saw Ahmadinejad meet with Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah. The meeting took place in Beirut’s Iranian Embassy. It was reported that Nasrallah gave Ahmadinejad a weapon that was taken from a soldier from the Israel military.

Nasrallah also gave a speech in 2000 at the same location in Bint Jbeil to announce victory when the Israeli military left Lebanon.

Ahmadinejad also called out the United States and its allies on the wars in the Middle East. The Iranian President said, “What have the Western countries done in Afghanistan? Ask them where are those terrorists. Where in Afghanistan are they hiding? Everything has been ambiguous. But through propaganda and through the media, they have portrayed themselves as liberators.”

At a time when the world has already begun to lose its patience with Iran and its leadership, Ahmadinejad has taken things another step too far. With the state already heavily isolated from most of the free world, with the recent comments calling for the end of the Jewish state, there is sure to be more anger towards Iran.

Jackson/AP

San Francisco (Obama.net)- In front of the United Nations, the President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the events of September 11^th, 2001 were the fault of the United States. As a result, many members of the United Nations simply stood up and walked out of the room in order to express their disapproval of the Iranian leader.

Friday, Obama came out to shoot back at the Iranian President who is no stranger to conflict with the United States. Obama started out by simply stating, “It was offensive. It was hateful.”

Obama then said, “for him to make the statement here in Manhattan, just a little north of ground zero, where families lost their loves ones, people of all faiths, all ethnicities who see this as the seminal tragedy of this generation, for him to make a statement like that was inexcusable.”

Some officials speculate that the purpose of Ahmadinejad’s actions on Thursday were an attempt to change the headlines from the current negative press that Iran is getting.

Ahmadinejad also plainly spoke poorly about Washington, the American government, and capitalism. Then he capped off his already negative and hateful speech with his remarks about 9/11. He claimed that “some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack.”

Ahmadinejad then said that the purpose of the self-attack was to turn around “the declining American economy and its scripts on the Middle East in order to save the Zionist regime. The majority of the American people, as well as most nations and politicians around the world, agree with this view.”

Following those statements, delegates from the United States, Spain, Uruguay, Belgium, Sweden, Britain, and Australia left the room.

The Iranian leader then pointed to the fact that millions have lost their lives due to American military conflicts over the last decade since the September 11 attacks.

Many in Iran are happy with the President’s assertions and say that his words represent their feelings and thoughts as well.

With tensions already high between not only the United States and Iran, but also the majority of the free world and Iran, President Ahmadinejad is only making matters worse him as he continues to offend and disrespect the United States and the majority of the international community.

As President Barack Obama has been hard at work trying to improve relations with Iran and turn them into a positive member of the international community, the leaders of the state continue to make any resolutions and positive futures very unlikely.

Chernin/AP

San Francisco (Obama.net)- For an outstanding total of 410 days, Sarah Shourd was in a prison in Iran. Shourd, along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were imprisoned one year ago as they were hiking along the Iranian border. They were hiking on the Kurdistan area of Iraq when they supposedly came into Iraq.

Sunday, Shourd was examined by doctors after her release and was informed that she is currently “physically well.”

Shourd told reporters that she appreciated the compassion of both Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for releasing her. She said, “It is my deepest hope that the world will not let this humanitarian gesture…go unrecognized. I believe this decision is a step in the right direction for all of us.”

She then, along with the mothers of both Bauer and Fattal asked for the release of the two young men.

Shourd returned to the United States on Sunday. She came to Washington from Dubai. She was in Dubai after being in Oman for a short time. Originally she was to be in New York, but flights were unavailable for her. They then went to New York via automobile along with Fattal’s brother and mother, as well as Bauer’s mother.

Shourd told the media, “Shane and Josh don’t deserve to be in prison one day longer than I do. We committed no crime and we are not spies. We in no way intended any harm to the Iranian government or its people and believe a huge misunderstanding led to out detention and prolonged imprisonment.”

Shourd went on to say that going onto the plane and being on her way home was a fantastic feeling, but it was bitter sweet as she was not with her friends.

After the speech, Shourd answered no questions.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced on Sunday that he now expects the United States to release 8 Iranians currently held in custody. He also said that Bauer and Fattal will both have to face the Iranian legal system and meet their fate that way as he cannot simply release them. He did say that he would “make a recommendation” though.

As Iran did make one gesture that is positive in the international community, they are still threatening the lives of two Americans. At a time when relations between the United States and Iran are in high tension, there is no doubt that Iran’s actions are not benefiting the situation in any way.

Reuters

San Francisco (Obama.net)- The potential problem of weapons of mass destruction has been on the top of the minds of American government officials for years. Ever since the invention of nuclear weapons, the dangers presented by the weapons have influenced political decisions and relations between states heavily. Iran has been banned from possessing nuclear weapons for years as the weapons are only permitted to be maintained by members of the United Nations Security Council.

Iran has still been proceeding with plans to start harnessing nuclear power. Iranian officials assert that the nuclear technology will be used solely for peaceful reasons, such as providing electricity to their people.

The city of Bushehr is the first nuclear plant in Iran to begin to be fueled in Iran.

The fueling process was overseen by officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as government officials from Iran and Russia.

Iranian officials say that it will be at least two months before the electricity will begin to be produced and be available for use by the Iranian people.

President Barack Obama recently sanctioned Iran for their use of nuclear technology as the United States, the United Nations, and other members of the international community all believe that the power may be used for nuclear weapons in the future.

However, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei believes that Iran has all the right in the world to have nuclear energy plants.

Robert Gibbs, the White House spokesperson, has said that Iran does not need to make its own nuclear energy because, as evidenced by Russia’s assistance on Saturday, Iran can simply get the power from Russia and other states to provide electricity for its people.

Iran’s actions have led to the blacklisting of numerous banks, businesses, and individuals in the state by the rest of the international community. The Iranian economy is expected to drop due to the lack of international business that will result from the sanctions.

While the majority of the world does not approve of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, time will tell whether or not the nuclear power will only be used for peaceful reasons, or if nuclear weapon construction is in the Middle Eastern state’s future.

San Francisco (Obama.net)- One year ago on Saturday, three American hikers traveling by the border between Iraq and Iran were captured and taken into custody by Iranian officials. Among all of the tensions between Iran and the United States of America, this issue is one that is affecting less people than the nuclear weapons programs of Iran, as well as Iran’s treatment of its own citizens on a daily basis, but President Barack Obama is not letting the issue go just because it only involves three people.

President Obama is once again demanding that the Iranian government release Sarah Shourd, Josh Fattal, and Shane Bauer and allow them to come home to the United States. Obama is making it clear that this situation is above the other disagreements between America and Iran as unlike disputes over nuclear weapons, this is an issue of human rights.

As Obama said, “this is a humanitarian imperative, as these three young people are innocent of any crime.” The three hikers were simply walking through the Kurdistan area of Iraq and allegedly crossed the border.

Iranian officials are claiming that the three young people are not just hikers, but are rather American spies. As a result, Iran’s government is talking about trading the three for Iranian’s being held in custody in the United State.

Obama responded, “I want to be perfectly clear, Sarah, Shane, and Josh have never worked for the United States government.” Obama proceeded to tout the quality of people that the three are and how they simply went to the Middle East in order to explore a region that they liked.

Obama disclosed that the mothers of the three captives were allowed to come to Iran and see their children in prison. Obama expressed his sympathy for the families of the hikers, especially their mothers during the visit.

As the midterm elections are coming on fast and other issues continue to cause the President of the United States great stress and take up much of his time, Obama still knows that he has to do right by the three hikers and their families and at least try to work with Iran for their release.