Who's Who in WikiLeaks

The world leaders embarrassed by Cablegate.

BY MAX STRASSER | DECEMBER 2, 2010

HOSNI MUBARAK (AND OMAR SULEIMAN)

For almost 30 years, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been one of Washington's favorite strongmen in the Middle East, while episodically allowing for a measure of "democracy" at home. But according to a May 2008 cable, he's not all that convinced the model works. Mubarak told a visiting U.S. congressional delegation to Egypt that it should give up on the idea of democracy in Iraq. "Strengthen the [Iraqi] armed forces, relax your hold, and then you will have a coup. Then we will have a dictator, but a fair one. Forget democracy, the Iraqis are by their nature too tough," Mubarak said, according to the cable. Mubarak's right-hand man, intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, also makes repeated appearances in the leaked State Department cables, bragging about his intelligence operations in Gaza and even Iran.

Astrid Riecken/Getty Images

 

Max Strasser is an editorial researcher at Foreign Policy.

DJJD

9:48 AM ET

December 3, 2010

Berdimuhamedov

It would help if the editors indicated of which country this man is president.

 

P.J. AROON

8:15 PM ET

December 6, 2010

Turkmenistan

Thanks for the suggestion. I've updated the text.

(P.J. Aroon, FP copy chief)

 

AARKY

7:51 PM ET

December 3, 2010

Do they really have "National Enquirer" in all those countries?

It looks like where the CIA spy got most of their information on all these leaders. They all read like something from National Enquirer. The complete description of the wedding party by a corrupt Russian is still the most hilarious. It reminds me of the Chelsea Clinton wedding for ostentatious display, but with all the Russians carrying guns.

 

HUCKLEBERRY_FINN

2:22 PM ET

December 12, 2010

yeah, the Soprano-style

yeah, the Soprano-style wedding with a thick accent lol
however, the entire hype around Assange bothers me — after all he just did his job as journalist, or did he not? He " published information obtained from the source, which he has a right to keep secret" © (from here — http://bit.ly/e518fn)

 

BIRDFLEW

11:26 PM ET

December 3, 2010

People magazine for globalists

There's some lovely gossip in amongst these cables, but where's the substance? Plastic surgery? Weddings? The regressive attitude of the royals?

Please.

This makes the State Department look like it would be at home on a high school playground.

There's nothing particularly harmful in these documents, however that won't deter the US from using them as a catalyst to further their agenda. Who would've pictured the Land of the Free getting a lecture from Pravda on their antagonism towards free speech! It'd be hilarious if it weren't such a shame.

And Israel comes out smelling like roses, while Iran cops the brunt of the negativity? Fancy that. What a lucky set of circumstances for Israel.

 

DDSNAIK

2:25 PM ET

December 6, 2010

Checking Netanyahu

If, as stated, Netanyahu believes that 75% of Iranians oppose their rulers, then how could he call for bombing/invading Iran in a catchall manner ? Military action like that surely would lay waste to many more innocents than the supposed evildoers, no ?

I'm not taking sides (not in this string, anyway) but some nuance or consistency would be nice. Of course, these excerpts are paraphrased by someone, who who knows what's getting lost in translation...

 

DDSNAIK

2:27 PM ET

December 6, 2010

SO who knows, not who who knows

Me promise me know how to speak good

 

FARNAZ

5:56 AM ET

December 10, 2010

Checking Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, UAE, Syria, Lebanon, Yemn

I think you may not have been following the WikiLeaks revelations closely. As for me, when Assange got back on the net, I went to the site and downloaded the archives, all of which he made available to all of us. It took all of 1 second. You might want to do the same.

At all events, it has also been reported worldwide at this point that Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Yemen have been pressuring the United States to enlist Nato to BOMB Iran. Not so subtly, it has been suggested by the foregoing nations that an alternative would be to pressure Israel to do it.

I would not place too much credibility in any WaPo owned subsidiary such as this. Recall that WaPo was not given WikiLeaks and that the Guardian and other publications refused WaPo Media Corporation's request for them.

Without the actual documents, all WaPo could do was take Netanyahu at face value via his "surprise" that the Arab nations wanted to bomb Iraq. Let us get real. This is the Middle East we are talking about and we are talking about Netanyahu. If he was surprised, I am a Hindu princess. Al Jazeera knows this. Iran Times knows this.

Only WaPo does not. I'd suggest you download the Leaks if you are interested in learning the facts such as they have been communicated by the players. There is no rush though. They will never be removed. Will always be available via usenet, which our government knows....

 

KUMHO

6:30 AM ET

December 19, 2010

Thanks

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DANTHEMAN3

3:46 PM ET

January 1, 2011

Very interesting

The whole deal with Assange is pretty insane. Sometimes it can be also scary. Thanks for the great read.

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