1. Jean Bertrand Aristide : Will take Golo's word for it. More fun in
Iraq and who cares about Haiti anyways.
2. Saddam Hussein : Should be on his way out, according to some people here and there. Whether what comes after will be
better or worse remains to be seen. I don't think Bush will do
it for economy and I don't buy the oil card. The Arabs need the
US a lot more than the US needs the Arab oil, at least until
China gets up there - which they should within the next 15
years. ( Learn mandarin. NOW! ) Hussein is a bad guy as bad
any though, plays hard ball as they say. Iran is a more likely
new ally to the US in the area methinks.
3. Yasser Arafat. Should have gone ages ago so you never know
with him. A respectable third spot for him. A Palestinian state will serve what purpose??????????????????????
4. Hipolito Mejia. Never heard much nice about him from people
that should know. Seems to lack the popular support some
other Latin American leaders enjoy. Local hero doing well for
himself and country on a decent 4th.
5. Hugo Chavez
6. President elect Lula
7. President Toledo
8. President Dualde
Hard to say with this bunch. Hope Argentina gets sorted
under Duhalde.. note the spelling
.. as I'm quitting my MA in
London and will be looking for pastures new, maybe in BsAs.
9. Fidel Castro : Got a bad cough so should be gone within the
next five years. Too bad, I somehow got a soft spot for this
guy. ( Despite being a cold, cynical capitalist. )
10. Hosny Mubarak : Healthy-looking sucker, ain't he?
Strange thing, the social differences in some of these countries and in a lot of others are bigger than they were between social classes in France in 1789.. Still viewer-friendly
revolutions are few and far between. Too bad, but I hope it
will pick up at some stage.
I'm one of those that haven't got much of a problem with the
IMF or the World Bank..
Comment: Hussein as a US ally wouldn't make any terrorist lay
down his arms, least of all Bin Laden. Hussein's regime is one
of those Bin Laden would oppose. It's a "civil war" between
rulers like Hussein and radical islamists like Bin Laden is what
USA has become a part of. Anyways, those were the votes of
the Norwegian jury, I'll shut it for now.