So this is what the eclipsing of American power looks like, with the disgorging of so much of its sensitive diplomatic correspondence in one fell swoop. Arguably not since Berlin fell to the Red Army in 1945 has there been a compromise of state secrets as breathtaking as that brought about by Wiki-Leaks. Yet while the drift of much of the ensuing commentary has been that there is not much new in the 250,000 leaked cables, the truth is that the damage to American credibility and diplomacy is incalculable.
看来这就是美国实力衰落的表现:一下子外泄这么多敏感外交函件。可以说,自柏林1945年落入苏联红军之手后,国家机密的泄密规模从未像维基解密(Wiki-Leaks)事件这样惊心动魄。尽管随后很多评论的大意是,在25万份被泄露的机密电报中没有很多新信息,但事实是,它对美国可信度和外交的损害是不可估量的。