Woke up this morning to the news that North Korean Dictator, Kim Jun Il, died of a heart attack at age 69.
By my own account, that makes three major players in the world of terrorism/despotism/just plain evil that bit the dust this year.
Osama Bin Ladin was killed during a covert U.S Navy SEALS/CIA operation May 2nd, 2011.
After months of protests, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed. He was captured by members of the Lybian National Liberation Army after his convoy was attacked by NATO warplanes. He was beaten to death. He was infamously known as being complicit, if not wholly endorsing, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 which resulted in the deaths of 270 people.
The CNN coverage North Korean citizen's reactions to Kim Jung Il's death is interesting.
"Our leader endured all the hardships," one mourner told state-run Korean Central News Agency in a televised interview. "I can't believe it. Our leader, he's still with us."
"He has loved us so much. We weren't able to repay him," one mourner said. Another said, "It's too much! It's too much! Leader, please come back. ... You cannot leave us. We will always wait for you, leader."
Is it really surprising? The Kims controlled all media, police, and military. Information did not flow freely in or out of the country. Their entire way of life, how they do things, what they believe, are manipulated and controlled by the Kims. In a way, the man known as "dear leader" was, essentially, God to them.
Even the announcement of his death to the populace was a controlled event, designed to further his legacy after his passing. The announcement on North Korean national news service a full 48 hours after he died was the following:
"The network said Kim died of "overwork" while "dedicating his life to the people." And the official news agency KCNA said Kim suffered "great mental and physical strain" while on a train." (source: CNN December 19 2011).
He is to be succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, dubbed the "great successor".
The control of power shown by the Kim's over the North Korean people reminds me a lot of a cult.
Except this cult has nuclear capabilities.
Food for thought.
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