I really wonder which Libyan dictator was killed this past week. There is a variety of choices. Let’s see, there’s Khaddafy and then there is Qadafy. There also was Gadhafi, but then there was also Kaddafy. Did the rebels really get their man? Who knows? The bottom line is one more nut case is no longer with us, but rest assured there will be another one some day to fill the empty shoes of this departed soul.

Throughout history these idiots crop up and it is up to the rest of the world to get rid of them, but often it is not soon enough Hitler and Mussolini come to mind as two of the all-time worst dictators.

Unfortunately, there is no DNA test that can be performed to ferret out potential dictators. The world would be better off if there were. The people and resources that have been consumed over the centuries to eradicate these vermin from committing their atrocities on the world are simply incalculable.

There does seem to be a pattern these dictators follow, though. They all have expansive, even palatial residences, none of which a sane man could truly call a home. These residences seem to be huge and hollow, with gaudy halls that look more like a ludicrous echo chamber than any kind of a home. They all look like they should have a vacancy sign hanging somewhere outside. Renting them out might help pay for them in the long run.

These dictators are not content to have just one of these monstrosities as a home. Rather they must have several in different areas so as to reassure themselves that they control all of a given territory. The more opulent the better seems to be the catchphrase for dictators’ homes.

The tragedy about these domiciles is that the cost of building them has sucked the lifeblood out of the citizens. Beyond taking their money, they have taken their pride and sense of country from them as well. The people become total slaves to the dictator of the day.

Heaven only knows how much of the country’s money has been rat holed in some hidden bank solely for the use of the dictator’s every whim. As a result, the people suffer from a lack of basic needs such as clean water, sewers, electricity, roads, schools and other infrastructure needs the rest of us take for granted.

Poverty usually is a given in countries ruled by a dictator. Communist Russia was famous for denying adequate food to the populace. If you weren’t a member of the Communist Party, your food not only was substandard but in short supply as well.

Unfortunately, even though dictators in countries such as Egypt and Iraq have been eradicated, we still have dictators in Syria, Iran and North Korea that need to be dealt with. We still have our involvement in Afghanistan to deal with as well.

There also seems to be an African problem that needs our attention as President Obama has sent 160 special ops troops to that region. Is this the start to another Vietnam-type war? Time will tell.

Yes, it’s admirable that we are pulling all our combat troops out of Iraq. Maybe our national debt can reconcile itself somewhat, but don’t hold your breath. Rest assured some other up-and-coming idiot will appear and we will have to send our troops, money and other assets to clean up the mess he has created.

Our allies will probably send their token support in the form of some of their assets, but the good old US of A will be the ones providing the bulk of the support in the world’s next mess created by the next dictator of the day.

Larry Wilson is a 50-year resident of Sparks and a retired elementary school teacher. He can be reached at lawilson16@aol.com.