Rank the 10 most powerful national leaders in the world

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I read the lists that come out annually from the magazines but most of them are too heavy on CEOs and celebrities, whose actual power I believe is less then they report... if you look at national leaders, who do you believe is the most powerful?

My best guess...

1- Barack Obama
2- Hu Jintao
3- Vladimir Putin
4- Angela Merkel
5- David Cameron
6- Pope Benedict XVI
7- Francois Hollande
8- Manmohan Singh
9- King Abdullah
10- Dilma Rousseff (I had to look up her name, but due to her title)

I compiled this list based on my perceptions of the nation's economic, military, and cultural power. What do you think?

[CLARENCE 2015!]

I mean generally what Vosem put forward- who is the single most powerful individual on the planet... if Putin has more power in his country then Hu Jintao has in his, then I agree with Vosem

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Netanyahu is on the list because of his popularity and Israel's military/intelligence prowess ability to dictate U.S. policy in the Middle East.

I agree with the rest of your list and the placement of Netanyahu on there... there are many things you can say about Israel, but to imply they don't have "military/intelligence prowess" is a hell of a leap