The leaked cables provide a stark assessment of world leaders. French President Nicolas Sarkozy "has a thin-skinned and authoritarian personal style" and is an "emperor with no clothes." Russian President Dmitry Medvedev "plays Robin to Putin's Batman." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is like "Hitler." North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is a "flabby old chap" who suffers from "physical and psychological trauma."
The cover of Germany's leading news magazine, Der Spiegel, shows images of world leaders captioned with Washington's impression of each. Britain's Daily Mail provides a run-down of what America thinks of leaders around the world, saying the leaks had plunged the US "into an unprecedented diplomatic crisis."
But despite the raw assessments revealed by WikiLeaks, analysts do not foresee any lasting damage to international relationships, reported Reuters. French government spokesman François Baroin pledged to support the US. "We are very supportive of the American administration in its efforts to avoid what not only damages countries' authority and the quality of their services, but also endangers men and women working to defend their country," Mr. Baroin told Europe 1 Radio.
