Reading the Leaders' Minds.(Brief Article)

Vladimir Putin

Sept. 11 represents a golden opportunity to cement Russia's standing in the West. Military types bridle at NATO's using Russian airspace and stationing forces in former Soviet republics. But for Putin it's a no- brainer. The Kremlin has won a bye on Chechnya and has new legitimacy in fighting terrorism in Central Asia-drawing the once wayward "stans" closer to Moscow. As for NATO expansion into the Baltics and beyond, well, that will increasingly depend on what Mother Russia has to say. The trick will be to protect relations with other rogue-ish nations, notably Iran, Iraq and Libya.

Hosni Mubarak

Egypt's president finds it hard not to say, 'I told you so.' He's been arresting, torturing and executing radical (and not-so-radical) Muslim activists ever since they murdered his predecessor, Anwar Sadat, in 1981. Touring Europe last week, Mubarak warned against acting in haste and said Egypt wanted a U.N. mandate. Like other Western-supported potentates in the region, he's also trying none too subtly to use the crisis to put pressure on Israel. But Mubarak has to be worried, too. If he's not asking how his regime helped breed so much violent opposition, others are.

Prince Abdullah

Crown Prince Abdullah, de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, is much more conservative than his ailing brother King Fahd - and less than cozy with the United States. He doesn't support bin Laden. But Washington is wary. His decision to break relations with the Taliban was welcomed, but the prince has been waffling about allowing U.S. air forces to operate from the holy soil of Saudi Arabia. Understandable, considering the Saudis' deep-seated fear of being out of step with the rest of the Arab world. Expect Abdullah's double game to continue, as the kingdom wafts to and fro with prevailing political winds.

Saddam Hussein