The US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks also undermined the position of the US ambassador to Libya, Gene Cretz, who wrote most of them. One of the cables from September 2009 provided detailed personal information about Colonel Qadhafi, claiming that he "relies heavily" on a Ukrainian nurse, "described as a 'voluptuous blonde'". It added that he "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". A separate cable said: "Muammar al-Qadhafi has been described as both mercurial and eccentric, and our recent first-hand experiences with him and his office demonstrated the truth of both characterizations". More critically, in response to the Libyan government's actions in the affair involving the alleged Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, Mr Cretz said that "the regime remains essentially thuggish in its approach".

Following the release of the cables, the Libyan government complained to the US administration and, in January, Mr Cretz was recalled to Washington. Given the regional tensions, it is unlikely that Libya will make too many more demands of Washington. Events in Tunisia and Egypt have shown that the survival of the incumbent regime is heavily reliant on US government support, and Colonel Qadhafi will understand that he needs to keep relations warm right now. That said, were he to come under political pressure, it is highly likely that the US would distance itself from him very quickly.