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The diplomats stated that "when cornered, Merkel can be tenacious
but is risk averse and rarely creative."[98].
Iran
Strong Arab distrust for Iran, and encouragement from Arab leaders for a
military strike on the nuclear facilities in Iran.[44][45][46] Saudi King
Abdullah has repeatedly urged the United States to attack Iran's nuclear
facilities.[47] In one diplomatic cable, King Abdullah said it was necessary to
"cut the head of the snake." in reference to Iran's nuclear program.[48][49]
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayed urged the US not to appease Tehran and
said, "Ahmadinejad is Hitler."[50]
King Hamad of Bahrain was quoted in 2009 as saying, "That program [the Iranian
nuclear program] must be stopped. The danger of letting it go on is greater than
the danger of stopping it."[50][48]
Maj-Gen. Muhammad al-Assar, assistant to the Egyptian defense minister, was
quoted in 2009 saying that "Egypt views Iran as a threat to the region."[50]
US intelligence has assessed that Iran obtained from North Korea advanced
missiles (derived from a Soviet design) that are more powerful than publicly
admitted by the United States to be in Iran's possession.[51] These missiles,
designated the BM-25, have a range of up to 2,000 miles (3,200 km).[51][48]
The WikiLeaks documents also show US Defence Secretary Robert Gates believes any
military strike on Iran would only delay its pursuit of a nuclear weapon by 1 to
3 years, the Times reported on its website on Sunday.
The cables also showed that Iran has obtained sophisticated missiles from North
Korea capable of hitting western Europe and the United States was concerned that
Iran was using those rockets as "building blocks" to build longer-range
missiles, the Times said.
The advanced missiles are much more powerful than anything US officials have
publicly acknowledged that Iran has in its arsenal, the newspaper said.
Israel
Israel was ready to attack a nuclear-armed Iran, and saw 2010 as a
pivotal year.[56]
In August 2007, Israeli Mossad chief Meir Dagan suggested to the U.S. to make
use of local fringe groups to try and topple the Iranian regime.[45] WikiLeaks
documents also suggest that Dagan denied plans to attack a Syrian nuclear
facility, just two months before an attack actually happened.[57]
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak consulted with Fatah of the Palestinian
Authority and asked if they could take over control of Gaza Strip after expected
Israeli victory during Operation Cast Lead, but met with refusal.[58]
In a conversation with congressman Gary Ackerman in 2007, Netanyahu said Shimon
Peres had admitted to him that the Oslo peace process he helped initiate was
based on a mistaken premise. Netanyahu said Peres had told him the European and
US assistance to the Palestinian Authority had established a "bloated
bureaucracy, with PA employees looking to the international community to meet
their payroll."[59]
In the same document, Netanyahu described Kadima as a "fake party" and referred
to the Second Lebanon War as "stupid" and criticized the approach of Ehud
Olmert's policies towards the conflict.[59][60]
In one document from April 2007, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was
opposition leader at the time, describes Abbas as a "nice man who means well"
and urges Washington to focus on toppling Hamas through an "economic squeeze"
saying it would be "easier to weaken Hamas than to strengthen Abbas."[61]
In 2008, Condoleezza Rice instructed her employees at US embassies in the Middle
East to secretly collect personal information on Palestinian leaders, and
closely monitor Israeli military and telecommunication capabilities.[62] One
Wikileaks cable shows Rice ordering US diplomats to report on Israeli Military
tactics, techniques, and procedures dealing with conventional and unconventional
counterinsurgency operations.[63]
Italy
Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, was defined by the U.S.
Embassy in Rome as "feckless, vain, and ineffective as a modern European
leader". US diplomatic officials also said that because of his constant partying
he is never well rested.[64]
American officials voiced concerns over Berlusconi's extraordinary closeness to
Putin, "including 'lavish gifts,' lucrative energy contracts and a 'shadowy'
Russian-speaking Italian go-between." Diplomats consider him "to be the
mouthpiece of Putin" in Europe.[43]
North Korea and South Korea
North Korea was behaving like a "spoiled child", according to Chinese officials,
who were prepared to accept Korean reunification under South Korean leadership.
They estimated they could cope with an influx of 300,000 North Korean refugees
in the event of instability on the peninsula.[65]
The United States and South Korea are planning to reunite the two Koreas, should
the North ultimately collapse.[66]
Pakistan
Grave fears in the United States and Britain over the security of Pakistan's
nuclear weapons programme.[64] Since 2007, the United States has mounted a
highly secret effort, so far unsuccessful, to remove from a Pakistani research
reactor highly enriched uranium that American officials fear could be diverted
for use in an illicit nuclear device.[68]
The Saudi Government is extremely concerned about Pakistan's political
fragility, and have worked hard, through their embassy in Islamabad, to bring
the Pakistani factions together. Saudi relations with Pakistan have been
strained because the Saudis don't trust Zardari and see him and other leading
Pakistani politicians as corrupt.[71]
China
Chinese officials said that North Korea was behaving like a "spoiled
child" and were prepared to accept Korean reunification under South Korean
leadership. They estimated they could cope with an influx of 300,000 North
Korean refugees in the event of instability on the peninsula.[65]
A Chinese official revealed that both public opinion in China and the government
are "increasingly critical" of North Korea, stating that "China's influence with
the North was frequently overestimated."[65]
A Chinese contact told the U.S. Embassy in Beijing that the Politburo of the
Communist Party of China was responsible for instigating the January 2010 Google
hacking incident[37] which was part of a wider "coordinated campaign of computer
sabotage carried out by government operatives, private security experts and
Internet outlaws recruited by the Chinese government"[37] targeting the United
States and its Western allies.[72]
Saudi Arabia
Saudi donors remain chief financiers of militant groups like Al-Qaeda.[73][72]
Saudi King Abdullah has repeatedly urged the United States to attack Iran's
nuclear facilities.[47] In one diplomatic cable, King Abdullah said it was
necessary to "cut the head of the snake." in reference to Iran's nuclear
program.[48][49]
Syria
Increased Syrian arms shipments to Hezbollah despite their claims that new
shipments have ceased.[43]
A Syrian foreign minister was alleged to have fallen for a "tabloid-like story"
regarding the death of Princess Diana. An American ambassador stated that this
displayed the Syrian government's "'stark ignorance' of the outside world." [74]
Turkey
Former Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, during a meeting with
Turkish Foreign ministry undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu, promised to shut
down the controversial Denmark-based Kurdish TV-station Roj TV, in order to
prevent Turkish obstruction to his appointment as Secretary General of NATO.[77]
Turkey complained to British diplomats that Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York,
ruined Turkey's chances to join the European Union by filming a documentary
revealing the plight of disabled children in Turkey. The UK foreign secretary
responded by saying that "as a private citizen, her activities could not 'be
controlled'."[74]
Turkish military officials have pressured the United States for Predator B
drones, to use against Kurdistan Workers Party terrorists in Iraq. Due to
American concerns over a potential rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Turkey, the
"State Department has warned that the purchasing process promises to be 'long
and complex.'"[78]
Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish prime minister, was described by US diplomats as having
"little understanding of politics beyond Ankara" and as surrounding himself with
an "iron ring of sycophantic (but contemptuous) advisors."[47] Although he was
also described as a perfectionist workaholic, who dominates his party. [38]
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates
urged the US not to appease Tehran and said, "Ahmadinejad is Hitler."[50]
Muhammad bin Zayed referred to as MBZ in the cables was supporting the U.S.
decision to sell F-16 aircraft to Pakistan to strengthen Musharraf stressing
that the sale will not alter the balance of strength between India and Pakistan.
[80]
Diplomats in the UAE revealed that the UAE's Muhammad bin Zayed, Jordan's
Abdullah II, and the UK's Charles, Prince of Wales, are "close friends" that
"frequently hunt ? in Morocco and Tanzania."[74]
UAE military officials have pressured the United States for Predator B drones,
to be used in countering Iran. As Iran is known to be developing its own drones,
a UAE general stated "That's why we need it first . . . give me Predator B."[78]
UAE crown prince Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed, referred to as 'MBZ', believes that
an Israeli strike will not be successful in stopping Iran's nuclear program, and
therefore a new plan is required. He also believes that Israel will strike Iran,
causing Iran to launch missile attacks including hits on the UAE and to unleash
terror attacks worldwide. In his view, the map of the Middle East would change.
[81]
Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed is apparently the man who runs the United Arab
Emirates. Officially he is the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and his
only federal title is Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces; in fact he
is the key decision maker on national security issues. He was observed to be
unlike his elder half-brother President Khalifa, who is reported to be a distant
and uncharismatic personage. 'MBZ' has authority in all matters except for final
decisions on oil policy and major state expenditures.[82]
Muhammad bin Zayed suggested that the key to containing Iran revolves around
progress in the Israel/Palestine
issue. He argued that it will be essential to bring Arab public opinion on board
in any conflict with Iran and roughly 80% of the public is amenable to
persuasion. To win them over, the U.S. should quickly bring about a two state
solution over the objections of the Netanyahu government. He suggested working
with moderate Palestinians that support the road map, and forget about the
others as there is no time to waste.[81]
United Kingdom
Criticism of the UK's military operations in Afghanistan.[64]
Secret U.S. military missions flown from a UK base, which Britain alleged could
involve torture.[64]
Inappropriate statements made by British prince, Andrew, Duke of York.[64]
Prince Andrew was noted as saying "The Americans don't understand geography.
Never have. In the U.K., we have the best geography teachers in the world!" [83]
Russia
Alleged links between the Russian government and organised crime.[64].
Allegations that Russia and its intelligence agencies are using mafia bosses to
carry out criminal operations, with one cable reporting that the relationship is
so close that the country has become a "virtual mafia state".
Vladimir Putin, the Russian prime minister, was labeled an "alpha dog." [i.e.
leader of the pack].
Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, was described as "pale" and
"indecisive"[103], playing "Robin to Putin's Batman."[104],
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