2011-02-22 WikiLeaks in today's media: Cablegate coverage

El País: Estados Unidos presionó a Uribe para hacer una limpia en sus servicios de espionaje (U.S. pressure on Uribe to make a clean intelligence services)

"Estados Unidos presionó en 2009 al entonces presidente de Colombia, Álvaro Uribe, para que hiciera una limpieza a fondo en el Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad (DAS), la agencia de espionaje que depende directamente del presidente del país. Los cables del departamento de Estado filtrados por Wikileaks revelan cómo el embajador de Estados Unidos en Bogotá, William R. Brownfield, amenazó al entonces vicepresidente Francisco Santos con endurecer las relaciones de su país con los servicios secretos colombianos. Santos reconoció que Uribe no comprendía a fondo la gravedad de la crisis y pidió al embajador que hablara directamente con Uribe para convencerle de la necesidad de tomar medidas efectivas respecto al DAS. (The United States pressed in 2009 the then President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, to do a thorough cleaning at the Department of Administrative Security (DAS), the spy agency that reports directly to the president. The State Department cables leaked by Wikileaks reveal how the U.S. ambassador in Bogota, William R. Brownfield, threatened the then Vice President Francisco Santos to toughen his country's relations with the Colombian secret services. Santos acknowledged that Uribe did not understand fully the gravity of the crisis and asked the ambassador to talk directly to Uribe to convince of the need to take effective action on the DAS.)"

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El País: EE UU sospechaba que la reapertura del caso Amia respondía al oportunismo del Gobierno argentino (U.S. suspected that the reopening of the case Amia responded to the Argentine government opportunism)

"La embajada de Estados Unidos en Buenos Aires sospechó que el oportunismo del Gobierno de Cristina Fernández de Kirchner y la ambición del fiscal especial Alberto Nisman determinaron, probablemente, la reactivación hace tres años de las investigaciones sobre el atentado terrorista que, en 1994, destruyó la sede de la Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) en la capital argentina y causó 85 muertos y 300 heridos. (The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires suspected that the opportunism of the Government of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the ambition of the special prosecutor Alberto Nisman determined, probably, three years ago the revival of a research on the terrorist attack in 1994 that destroyed the headquarters of the "Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina" (AMIA) in Argentina's capital and left 85 dead and 300 wounded.)"

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Aftenposten: ASSESSING AL-QADHAFI´S HEALTH

"A [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN] diplomat assessed reports that Muammar al-Qadhafi was suffering from cancer as "unreliable" and speculated that they may have been prompted at least in part by information from a [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN] businessman who claimed regular direct access to al-Qadhafi, but whose actual contact was much more limited and indirect. Separately, a relative of one of al-Qadhafi´s personal physicians told us he was not suffering from cancer, but was hypertensive and borderline diabetic. Al-Qadhafi was described as "a hypochondriac", who insisted that all examinations and procedures be filmed and then spent hours reviewing them with physicians whom he trusted. While the specific nature of his physical ailments remains unconfirmed, it does appear that al-Qadhafi is not entirely well. Contacts [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN] recently told us al-Qadhafi´s schedule of meetings - especially at night - is less intensive than it used to be and that he spends more time resting during the day, complicating the process of scheduling meetings for him."

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Aftenposten: A GLIMPSE INTO LIBYAN LEADER QADHAFI´S ECCENTRICITIES

"Recent first-hand experiences with Libyan Leader Muammar al-Qadhafi and his staff, primarily in preparation for his UNGA trip, provided rare insights into Qadhafi´s inner circle and personal proclivities. Qadhafi appears to rely heavily on [TEXT REMOVED BY AFTENPOSTEN], and reportedly cannot travel with his senior Ukrainian nurse, Galyna Kolotnytska. He also appears to have an intense dislike or fear of staying on upper floors, reportedly prefers not to fly over water, and seems to enjoy horse racing and flamenco dancing. His recent travel may also suggest a diminished dependence on his legendary female guard force, as only one woman bodyguard accompanied him to New York."

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(Image Credit: Dali Rău)