Taking out key scientists, inventors, and business leaders would probably cause more chaos to future human development than most political leaders. Only problem is we’d need time travel to figure out who’s the most important.
It would certainly *confuse *the hell out of the country, but they won’t start shooting until they know who to shoot at. When they do - and they will - expect some surprisingly rapid progress in the Israeli Lunar Program.
Hmm? Is there a way to assassinate three major political figures in Israel and convince the Mossad that the attack was planed on Mars? Or on Alpha Centauri?
How about non simultaneous deaths? Kill the POTUS, then the next 2 successors. Or kill the head of a country. When the citizens get riled up and suspect another country, kill the other country’s head. That way they’ll both suspect each other.
If you want to create chaos, don’t take out people’s state leaders, take out their religious ones.
Find the three most respected Muslim leaders, off them, bloodshed ensues. Or knock off three prominent Christian leaders. Even if they’re “heart attacks,” people would get suspicious if these three people all died simultaneously, and the ragin’ and killin’ would begin.
Interesting. That would be Prince George as King and Prince Harry as Regent! Party time?
The Koch Brothers and Aliko Dangote
I think you’re on the right logic path but it needs to be clarified. If a leader with fanatic followers or rebels was assassinated then that would ramp up the response. Combine the response with the control of weapons as a multiplier.
So based on that I would go with Kim Jong Un (North Korea), Asif Ali Zardari (Pakistan), and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (Iran) in that order until Iran gets a nuclear weapon.
Yes. Force multipliers are helpful.
Incidentally, the OP’s premise is similar to the plot of Death Note, except the protagonist could kill as many as he wanted to, and the author made him ignore the obvious political angle.
ETA: Simultaneously taking out the main leaders of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria in a public manner would cause all manner of chaos. Maybe in the middle of an OPEC conference.
How about Castro and the two runners-up in Cuba? I imagine the USA would get pretty tied up in knots trying to decide whether or not to step in to keep the peace, or to stomp anybody else who tried to. Sort of an inverted Missiles of October…
George R.R. Martin
Oprah
Jon Stewart / Stephen Colbert (tie)
Cecil Adams, Barbara and David P. Mikkelson
Wouldn’t have much political effect at all. Prince George would be proclaimed King, Prince Harry would be Regent, as already provided for by law, and the monarchy would continue. Since the monarchy does not have much political power, would just cause a bit of a hiccup.