Karzai portrayed as corrupt and erratic

Diplomats describe Afghan president as weak, indecisive, paranoid and beholden to criminals to maintain power

• Panic after presidential elections revealed

MPs and scholars 'on Iran payroll'

US embassy cables reveal Tehran's alleged efforts to influence Afghan politicians, religious scholars and Taliban militants

• Surrender the only option offered to Taliban
• Foreign contractors hired Afghan 'dancing boys'

Colossal scale of capital flight detailed

Ambassador in Kabul reports pervasive 'wealth extraction' by establishment and apparent powerlessness of US to stop it

• US convinced Karzai half-brother is corrupt
• Germany accuses US over 'missing' Afghan funds

Brown an 'abysmal' prime minister

US wrote off Brown after first year as PM and blamed him for 'post-Blair rudderlessness' which had Labour figures in despair

• US take on Brown's potential successors
• What Washington thought of the Labour hopefuls

UK overruled on Lebanon spy flights

Americans dismissed 'bureaucratic' Foreign Office concern that Lebanese Hezbollah suspects might be tortured

• Secret deal let Americans sidestep cluster bomb ban

Russia armed Georgian separatists

Grad missiles given to rebels in South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Russian campaign to undermine Georgia, US dispatches claim

• Moscow mayor's 'pyramid of corruption'

US has lost faith in Mexico on drugs

American diplomats paint scathing picture of Mexican army, branding it as unfit to combat drug traffickers

China wants Korea reunification

Chinese officials speak after Guardian US embassy cables reveal Beijing is leaning towards acceptance of reunification under Seoul's control

• How China lost patience with North Korea

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