Is King Abdulla of Saudi Arabia a dictator?

[unkachuck]

Poll question: Is King Abdulla of Saudi Arabia a dictator?

[sharesunited]

1. But he shares that with the clergy.

Never forget that this is the epicenter of the muslim faith.

Custodians of Mecca and Medinah.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. By one definition, no.

Dictator: a person exercising absolute power, esp. a ruler who has absolute, unrestricted control in a government without hereditary succession.

Saudi Arabia is an hereditary monarchy.

The word you are searching for is a despot.

[ButterflyBlood]

3. So is Kim Jong-il not a dictator then?

He inherited his position from his father.

[Ozymanithrax]

10. I only mentioned one definition. Words are slippery things at times. n/t

[gateley]

4. Despot will do. And a slimy, underhanded, shifty son of a bitch. And terrorist supporter. nt

[yurbud]

5. Does a duck fart underwater?

[Dennis Donovan]

8. Technically, no...

A duck's anus, when afloat, is just above the waterline. However, if a duck has just eaten, the anus would be even with the waterline. So, if you see a duck being propelled across the water seemingly without effort, it means he just ate Taco Bell.

:silly:

[yurbud]

9. I didn't expect my expertise on duck flatulence to be challenged on DU!

I salute you on your greater attention to fowl sphincters.

[bigwillq]

6. Close enough (nt)

[white_wolf]

7. I'd say no.

King Abdulla is one of the last, if not the last example of an absolute monarch and the Divine Right of Kings. Interesting to look at it from a historical perspective even if he is a tyrant.