December 10, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Susan and her gang of 'Desperate Housewives' along with the various other shows aired on American televisions have proved to be a hugely successful diplomatic tool, according to a latest report from Wikileaks. The reports reveal that these sitcoms are watched widely in the Middle East. According to the contents of the secret Government cable, which has been released by Wikileaks, these programs have actually influenced and won over a large number of people from the nations, which are known to harbor jihadis' sentiments against the U.S. In fact a source from Saudi Arabia has reported to the U.S Embassy that shows like 'Desperate Housewives', 'Late Night Show With David Letterman', and 'Friends', actually have a greater impact on the people of that country than a Middle East broadcast channel, created by the federal government.

The channel Al Hurra, on which $650 million of the U.S taxpayers money has been spent, is watched only in Iraq and viewership is negligible in other parts of the region. The popular American shows, on the other hand, have generated among the Saudis a genuine interest about the culture of United States, and now a large number of them are enthusiastic about pursuing education in the U.S. The Saudi government controls the media with a strict hand, but it has allowed these American Shows to air on channels with Arabic subtitles, as a measure to tackle the extremism. The Saudis regarded George Clooneys film Michael Clayton, as a heroic example of honesty. All this basically boils down to the fact that considering the success of popular television shows, the channel Al Hurra, funded by the taxpayers money, can be termed as a gigantic failure.

--Sampurn Wire