U.S. magazine Foreign Policy in its latest edition ranks North Korean leader Kim Jong-il at the top of a list of "The World's 23 Worst Dictators."
| Can't argue with a single pick ... |
The magazine describes Kim as a megalomanic pervert thug sociopath dwarf "personality-cult-cultivating isolationist" who enjoys fine French cognac, and claims he has spent most of his nation's few resources in developing its nuclear weapons program, while his people have suffered from severe poverty and hunger during his 16 years in power.
It also adds that the communist leader has thrown as many as 200,000 people in prison camps.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who has ruled the African country for 30 years, ranks second. The article says Mugabe, once a liberation hero, has transformed into a murderous despot, arresting and torturing opposition party members and devastating the Zimbabwean economy.
Myanmar's Than Shwe, Sudan's Omar Hassan al-Bashir and Turkmenistan's Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov round out the top five.
The magazine also released its latest Failed States Index in which North Korea ranks 19th along with Niger. The annual report, put forth since 2005 in collaboration with the Fund for Peace, examines 177 countries and measures the degree of instability in 12 sectors including politics, society, economy and security to determine the most troubled and vulnerable nations. |