Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Julius]

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2007/edition_02-11-2007/Dictators


1) Omar al-Bashir, Sudan

2) Kim Jong-il, North Korea
Last year, Kim Jong-il attracted attention by testing a nuclear bomb

3) Sayyid Ali KhamEnei, Iran

4) Hu Jintao, China
Last year, citizens were executed for such nonviolent crimes as bribery and stealing oil.

5) King Abdullah, Saudi Arabia

6) Than Shwe, Burma (Myanmar)

7) Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe

Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan

9) Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libya



Definitely the nuttiest.

10) Bashar al-Assad, Syria

11) Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Equatorial Guinea
'Obiang seized control of this small, oil-rich West African nation by executing the previous dictator�his uncle."

12) King Mswati III, Swaziland

13) Isayas Afewerki, Eritrea

14) Aleksandr Lukashenko, Belarus
"He won 82% of the vote in the 2006 presidential election, which was not surprising considering that the campaign of his leading opponent, Aleksandr Milinkevich, was so restricted that he was reduced to handing out fliers that gave a phone number where he could be reached for an hour.'

15) Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan

16) Choummaly Sayasone, Laos
"In Laos, it is possible to be arrested for a wide variety of vague, alleged offenses..Premarital cohabitation is illegal, as is having sex with a foreigner."

17) Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia

1 Hosni Mubarak, Egypt

- "Every six years, he stages a rigged election to maintain his position as president."

19) Paul Biya, Cameroon

20) Vladimir Putin, Russia. (Still pulling the strings).



My Vote goes to:
Paul Biya
Cameroon.
Age: 73. In power since 1982.



Independent Cameroon�s first dictator, Ahmadou Ahidjo, resigned after 22 years in power when his French doctors convinced him that he had a terminal illness. He didn�t, but by the time he realized this, his replacement, Paul Biya, was safely in place, and Ahidjo had to flee the country.

[Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee]

Most oppressive Kim Jong Il.

Biggest killer the guy in the Sudan.

Most dangerous Ali Khamani

Most powerful Hu Jin Tao

Most cunning Putin.

[Julius]

Most stupid and verbose, Chavez

[stillnotking]

[Kuros]

So who is the best (or least worst) dictator?

[stillnotking]

[citizen erased]

[Milwaukiedave]

That's a tough one, Omar al-Bashir is really bad. Kim Jong-il is up there as well. If you haven't read The Aquariums of Pyongyang, I recommend you do.

[citizen erased]

at least no one is going with an obvious and boring anti-america rant.

[ED209]

[Julius]

The pattern to inhuman dictators to me seems typically:

a) Neglected poverty-stricken childhood, taunted, bullied or otherwise abused: early exposure to violence and brutality.

followed by

b) signs of intelligence- brilliant early academic achievements.

followed by

c) relentless and cunning rise to power, either through military service or political party.

followed by

d) gradual securing of position until unassailable, involving brutal repression of percieved enemies.

followed by

e) insane and decadent self- aggrandization, hoarding of nations wealth, conferring of extravagant titles, etc, while country's population suffers indescribable hardship.

followed by

f) Support from the west, so long as natural resources are donated cheaply.

[Julius]

You have to hand it to "Emperor" Bokassa though.

[Milwaukiedave]

I just noticed two things about that list. One is that it is a little old and two that Castro isn't on there. Is he not considered a brutal dictator?

[Gopher]

Some admire Castro. I doubt he would appear on such a list. Same goes for Hugo Chavez. Both remain dictators, however.

By the way, if I were non-Hezbollah Lebanese...?

[michael5799042]

Fidel Castro isn't president anymore and Raul hasn't really been president long enough to be in the ranking.

My vote goes to kim Jong Il for letting over a million people starve to death.
I don't think any of the other current dictators are responsible for as many deaths.