Sic semper tyrannis

Some thoughts on past treatment of perpetrators of genocide, by Neo-Neocon.

AND more thoughts by Niall Ferguson in the Telegraph, to the effect that sic raro tyrannis better describes the reality of modern history:

Only a minority of modern dictators have been executed for their crimes. The most bloodthirsty of all, Stalin and Mao, died in full possession of their powers, if not their faculties. Franco pulled off the same trick. Hitler cheated the hangman with a bullet in the bunker. Pol Pot lost power, but was never brought to justice and died in his bed, as did Idi Amin. . .

For a dictator to end his life hanging from a rope, or facing a firing squad . . . requires a rather rare combination of wickedness and stupidity . . .

Posted by David on December 30, 2006 12:11 PM