It’s not terribly fashionable to feel sympathy for deposed dictators but, you know, it can’t be easy for them. All of a sudden they are on their own, often having to leave at short notice with few choices for boltholes. I mean, Saudi Arabia’s great, I’m sure, but it’s not to everyone’s taste.
It’s probably why they cling on so desperately. If only there was a secure, comfortable location outside the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. It seems an obvious commercial opportunity. You can imagine the marketing. “Mobs at gates; Obama on the phone; feel like there’s nowhere left to run? Well, now there is; because here at Dictator Island we cater to the every whim of a toppled tyrant.
“Nestling gently in the Indian Ocean, it’s a place where ousted autocrats can cool their heels and live out their remaining days free from the stress of persecuting minorities; a place where old hostilities can be forgotten and estranged family members can jet in for a visit without fear of being shot on the tarmac.”