The U.S. and the U.K. have maintained a diplomatically symbiotic relationship, to all appearances, for decades, but yet another WikiLeaks cable cropped up to harsh that friendly mellow late this week. Let the official backpedaling commence. –KA

The Independent:

Leaked diplomatic cables show that within weeks of the appointment of Ivan Lewis as a junior foreign minister in 2009, US officials were briefing the office of Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, about rumours that he was depressed and had a reputation as a bully.

They also were desperate for more information on Mr Lewis’s relationship with David Miliband, the then foreign secretary, and other senior Foreign Office staff.

A cable said Mrs Clinton’s office was keen for more information about “how Lewis works with Foreign Secretary Miliband and the FCO staff”. Mr Lewis was appointed as minister of state in the Foreign Office on June 10, 2009.

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