# What all dictatorships hurt the families or children of political opponents **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 30, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-dictatorships-hurt-the-families-or-children-of-political-opponents/639377 "2012-10-30T23:32:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-dictatorships-hurt-the-families-or-children-of-political-opponents/639377/1 "2012-10-30T23:32:09Z")
I know in Iraq it was common to torture the families and children of political opponents under Saddam. I know it is still common in North Korea. But aside from those countries, what other countries do things like that (especially to children)? I have heard Syria is doing this. Are there other regimes that behave this way? I would assume only the worst of the worst behave like that. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-dictatorships-hurt-the-families-or-children-of-political-opponents/639377/2 "2012-10-30T23:53:45Z")
They are far from the worst of the worst, but get on the wrong side of China and your family is in trouble. It could be as mild as your nephews mysteriously not getting into college despite good test scores, or as severe as prison sentences. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-dictatorships-hurt-the-families-or-children-of-political-opponents/639377/3 "2012-10-31T01:26:02Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I know in Iraq it was common to torture the families and children of political opponents under Saddam. I know it is still common in North Korea. > > But aside from those countries, what other countries do things like that (especially to children)? I have heard Syria is doing this. > > Are there other regimes that behave this way? I would assume only the worst of the worst behave like that. The US in its foreign policy has long acted like that. Threatening, torturing or killing people’s family members and children is one of the tactics recommended by the US for its puppet regimes at what used to be called the “School of the Americas”. And of course, our “kill anyone who interacts with a target” drone killings amount to this. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-dictatorships-hurt-the-families-or-children-of-political-opponents/639377/4 "2012-10-31T03:15:01Z")
Not surprisingly, the two big dictators, Hitler and Stalin, both practiced “collective penalties” against the family members of people who they deemed enemies of the state. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-dictatorships-hurt-the-families-or-children-of-political-opponents/639377/5 "2012-10-31T16:52:03Z")
Does Israel still practice “collective punishment” against the families of suicide bombers? They’re not a dictatorship, but it’s within the spirit of the OP. “Honey, we’ve got to leave our house now. Your crazy uncle Ahmed blew himself up in Tel Aviv, and the bulldozers will be here in 5 minutes.” ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-all-dictatorships-hurt-the-families-or-children-of-political-opponents/639377/6 "2012-11-01T02:59:05Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Does Israel still practice “collective punishment” against the families of suicide bombers? They’re not a dictatorship, but it’s within the spirit of the OP. > > “Honey, we’ve got to leave our house now. Your crazy uncle Ahmed blew himself up in Tel Aviv, and the bulldozers will be here in 5 minutes.” I fail to see how this is torturing families of political opponents.