Sunday, November 20, 2011

When The Dictators Fall


The year is 2011, well past the first decade of the 21st century. We have supposedly come a long way from the days of kings and princes, and transformed into the modern world of presidents and prime ministers, where people are to choose their leaders by an instrument called election. Yet, he was a prince, designated to be the successor of his father, who had deposed a king only to assume the role himself, although called himself the President of his country.

The young prince had his education in the London School of Economics, earning a PhD, and had earned the reputation of a modern day reformer by engaging himself in benevolent acts. But when the time came that would test his mettle, he turned a faithful obliging supporter of his dictator father taking part in crushing his own people.


He was a brave leader, who announced on national television that he would fight for his country till the last drop of blood drains his body. He was full in vim and vigor, resolute in his promise, yet, when his captors zeroed on him he meekly surrendered without firing a single bullet. Like an obedient servant he complied with the order of his captors, and let them take over several Kalashnikov rifles and a hand grenade—he was the prince charming Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the most brazen son of Cornell Gaddafi.

“At the beginning he was very scared. He thought we would kill him,” said Ahmed Ammar, one of the 15 Libyan fighters who captured Saif al-Islam.

Afraid? This rubble rousing patriotic Lion-of-Libya afraid of a few young ragtag army of ordinary Libyans? Did he not say in his own words that he would fight to the last? Did he not promise to squash the freedom fighters like bugs?

Saif al-Islam was caught in the dark of night, fleeing his country in a Toyota Land Cruiser, with a few accomplishes, following in another vehicle. This is how the end came of a mighty man!

Saif al-Islam proved once again that people like him are just plain cowards, whose strength is derived from the support of their henchmen. Once they are isolated, they are paper tigers!

His father, Muammar was found taking shelter in a drainage pipe, when captured. Another Arab hero Saddam Hossain was pulled out of a rat hole—these are supposedly legendary Arab leaders, whose end was more cowardly than legend-like.

It is said, the larger they are, the harder they fall. Most dictators finally meet violent end, at the end though they fall like chickens than lions.

If there are any true heroes in the Arab lands, they are on Arab streets, braving the assault of professional armed goons. They are the people who are demonstrating for their rights, for their freedom, walking on streets in their broken bodies. They carry the one's who are fallen by army bullets, to safety, and keep walking, braving all brutality. These Arab heroes are inspiration to the whole world. More and more people worldwide are following in their foot steps, in far off lands.

All people can be subjugated for sometime, some people can be subjugated for all time, but all people can not be subjugated for all times!

First published on Technorati