"Global diplomatic crisis" sparked by cables: U.N. spied on; Saudis want US to attack Iran; British royalty misbehaves; military incompetence

The Guardian’s coverage of the embassy cables is up: it reports that they’ve already sparked a global diplomatic crisis. Some more juicy revelations:

• The U.S. spies on the United Nations, monitoring its telecommunications and IT systems.

• Saudi Arabia is lobbying us to attack Iran. Israel is ready to go it alone in such an attack, too, presumably with tacit support from at some Arab states.

• There is ‘devastating criticism’ of the British military’s operations in Afghanistan, but Britain is helping keep Iran policy sane.

• A British royal did something ‘inappropriate.’

• The U.S. government has ‘serious political criticisms of’ British Prime minister David Cameron, but the two governments are ‘particularly intimate’ in their dealings.

• Hamed Karzai is motivated by paranoia, and by payment in cash.

• Russia’s government is somewhat in bed with organized crime.

• ANC flunkies kept Nelson Mandela on a tight leash after his release.

The Guardian also has the data for download so you may explore it yourselves.

US embassy cables leak sparks global diplomacy crisis [Graun]