# Who are today's Idi Amins? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2015, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106 "2015-10-19T05:26:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/1 "2015-10-19T05:26:01Z")
Which countries’ leaders of today (past 20 years or so) will make it into the “world’s most brutal and/or insane leaders ever” books in 20 years? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/2 "2015-10-19T05:30:12Z")
North Korea has to be right up there, if not number one. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/3 "2015-10-19T05:37:13Z")
I both agree and disagree with **MrDibble**. The current NK _regime_ is undoubtedly right up there in the list of brutal and/or insane regimes. However, Kim Jong-un himself is just some guy who has been born into a slot in that regime, and probably couldn’t do much to change it if he wanted to. At least as far as I have heard he is not particularly more brutal or insane than the status quo he inherited; which is not to excuse him as such but I don’t think he rates alongside megalomaniac psychopaths like Amin. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/4 "2015-10-19T06:00:14Z")
Mugabe should be there. Although his death count is “low” for a brutal dictator, he has the distinction of taking what should be one one the richest countries in Africa and turning it into a basket case through insane economic policies. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/5 "2015-10-19T08:27:06Z")
From what some Canadian friends tell me, Stephen Harper. Rob Ford may even come closer. What the hell happened to Canada?! I think Idi Amin’s legacy is that when he was in power, most westerners and outsiders saw him as a clown and object of ridicule; after his overthrow, he became a byword for complete misrule and ceased to be a joke. I think the Kim regime in North Korea might fit this description someday, though it is not easy to make light of their nuclear arsenal. Robert Mugabe might be, though right now, he at least seems to be immortal. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/6 "2015-10-19T09:02:04Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > I think Idi Amin’s legacy is that when he was in power, most westerners and outsiders saw him as a clown and object of ridicule; Umm… not people who knew or mattered: > [@Wikipedia](#): > > After Amin’s death, David Owen revealed that when he was the British Foreign Secretary, he had proposed having Amin assassinated. He has defended this, arguing: “I’m not ashamed of considering it, because his regime goes down in the scale of Pol Pot as one of the worst of all African regimes” ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/7 "2015-10-19T12:07:29Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I both agree and disagree with **MrDibble**. The current NK _regime_ is undoubtedly right up there in the list of brutal and/or insane regimes. However, Kim Jong-un himself is just some guy who has been born into a slot in that regime, and probably couldn’t do much to change it if he wanted to. At least as far as I have heard he is not particularly more brutal or insane than the status quo he inherited; which is not to excuse him as such but I don’t think he rates alongside megalomaniac psychopaths like Amin. You don’t think using Ack-acks at 100m for execution counts as brutal or insane? ---
**Author:** ![solosam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@solosam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solosam)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/8 "2015-10-19T12:29:38Z")
Surprised Assad hasn’t shown up yet… But I suppose he is rationally evil rather than unpredictable and insane. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/9 "2015-10-19T12:34:22Z")
As is the case in everything historical, it will depend on who the victors are, who make the list, and what the currently fashionable criteria will then be for inclusion. For example, only very recently, has there ever been any talk about King Leopold of Belgium, who is now considered one the worst of his era. If Saddam Hussein were alive today, he would have a decent chance of winning a freee and fair election in Iraq, but there is a legacy that is well stacked against him. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/10 "2015-10-19T12:38:09Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > You don’t think using Ack-acks at 100m for execution counts as brutal or insane? Insane yes. Brutal - not any more so than any other firing squad. In fact I would suggest it might be considered **less** brutal than a conventional firing squad; certainly next to no chance of you feeling anything. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/11 "2015-10-19T13:05:12Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > You don’t think using Ack-acks at 100m for execution counts as brutal or insane? Definitely brutal and insane - but it’s \*systematic \*brutality and insanity, and not an outgrowth of the leader’s personality like it was with Amin. Blaming Kim for North Korean despotism would be like blaming Botha for apartheid; in both cases, it goes much deeper than just one man. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/12 "2015-10-19T13:13:31Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > From what some Canadian friends tell me, Stephen Harper. Rob Ford may even come closer. What the hell happened to Canada?! You really want to compare Harper and Ford to Idi Amin or Kim? Or was it just a (rather stupid) throwaway comment? ETA: Harper has twice been elected as Prime Minister, the second time with a majority. To me that indicates his critics (a minority) can often do no better than to call him names. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/13 "2015-10-19T13:36:51Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Definitely brutal and insane - but it’s \*systematic \*brutality and insanity, and not an outgrowth of the leader’s personality like it was with Amin. Blaming Kim for North Korean despotism would be like blaming Botha for apartheid; in both cases, it goes much deeper than just one man. Killing your uncle for no good reason seems fairly brutal and insane to me. He’s apparently killed more of his inner staff than any other North Korean dictator has. BTW, since he is worshiped by the masses as a god I think he could set up any kind of government he wanted to… but if it ain’t broke. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/14 "2015-10-19T13:44:31Z")
I think that another factor which distinguishes the likes of Pol Pot and Amin from the rest, is that they liked to get up close and personal with torture and killing. I have never seen it suggested that Assad or Kim do that. It’s one think to shout “Off with his head.” Anther thing entirely to pick up a sharp implement and do it yourself. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/15 "2015-10-19T15:15:20Z")
Equatorial Guinea’s president-for-life [Teodoro Obiang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teodoro_Obiang_Nguema_Mbasogo) is probably a contender. ---
**Author:** ![Cardboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Cardboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardboard)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/16 "2015-10-19T15:20:55Z")
I know very little about him and can’t even think of his name, but what about the guy from Eritrea? And there is another African guy … Jummah? … who says he has special healing powers. My goodness what country is he from … it’s that little sliver of a nation in Senegal. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/17 "2015-10-19T16:34:07Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Killing your uncle for no good reason seems fairly brutal and insane to me. He’s apparently killed more of his inner staff than any other North Korean dictator has. To be fair, given the people we’re talking about it’s more than likely the case that some of them were plotting to bump off Kim Jong Un. Reference Stalinist Russia, Maoist China, or any other communist nation you care to name for examples of this sort of intrigue. It’s pretty much a real-world _Game of Thrones_. In the end, I can’t bring myself to be too hard on Kim Jong Un. Unlike most other dictators, he didn’t choose his lot. Not that I don’t think he’s an awful person. He is. And I have nothing but the deepest contempt for people like Dennis Rodman who like to cavort with him. There’s a part of me that hopes his next visit coincides with a coup, and Rodman winds up staring at the business end of one of those AA guns. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/18 "2015-10-19T16:51:10Z")
> [@syncrolecyne](#): > > From what some Canadian friends tell me, Stephen Harper. Ya gotta love SDMB for comments like this. Fourth post nominates Harper as among the “world’s most brutal and/or insane leaders ever” and a worthy parallel to Idi Amin. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/19 "2015-10-19T16:55:18Z")
What about the likes of Islam Karimov? ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106/20 "2015-10-19T16:55:46Z")
I think it’s important to remember that Harper’s reign of terror has been enabled and enacted by the Canadian people. See my new book, “Harper’s Willing Executioners.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-todays-idi-amins/735106.md?page=2)