World's Worst Dictators -- 2007 Edition
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A quick note that Parade Magazine has updated its list of the world's worst dictators.
Some hasty stitches:
--With the exception of Fidel Castro, who for some reason fell off the list (wishful thinking?), all the additions to this year's list (e.g., Putin) were only additions because previous dictators died (e.g., Hussein, Niyazov). No dictator ever becomes an ex-dictator, only a dead dictator.
--As always, several dictators get a pass from the United States because they are "valuable trading partners" (e.g., Hu, Abdullah).
--Others, meanwhile, are embraced by us as "trusted allies in the War on Terror" (e.g., Musharraf, Meles).
--Nearly half the dictatorships are in Africa. Plus ça change...
--Homosexuality is a crime in thirteen of the twenty dictatorships; it is punishable by death in five. (Note that North Korea insists that homosexuality is strictly a "capitalist" phenomenon and therefore simply does not exist in that country -- hence anti-gay laws are "unnecessary.")
(Via Perfect Substitute.)
Some hasty stitches:
--With the exception of Fidel Castro, who for some reason fell off the list (wishful thinking?), all the additions to this year's list (e.g., Putin) were only additions because previous dictators died (e.g., Hussein, Niyazov). No dictator ever becomes an ex-dictator, only a dead dictator.
--As always, several dictators get a pass from the United States because they are "valuable trading partners" (e.g., Hu, Abdullah).
--Others, meanwhile, are embraced by us as "trusted allies in the War on Terror" (e.g., Musharraf, Meles).
--Nearly half the dictatorships are in Africa. Plus ça change...
--Homosexuality is a crime in thirteen of the twenty dictatorships; it is punishable by death in five. (Note that North Korea insists that homosexuality is strictly a "capitalist" phenomenon and therefore simply does not exist in that country -- hence anti-gay laws are "unnecessary.")
(Via Perfect Substitute.)
Related Posts (on one page):
- World's Worst Dictators -- 2007 Edition
- One Down, How Many to Go?
Posted by Kip on
13 February 2007
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