All the presidents’ children

Why doesn't Foreign Policy include the errand children of Western political leaders on their "worst ..." this or that lists?

Muammar Gaddafi, 2009. Image credit U.S. Navy photo, via Flickr CC.

The magazine, “Foreign Policy,” which is fast replacing “Foreign Affairs” as the preferred read of US foreign policy types, has a fondness for lists. These they publish on their blog. Like “The World’s Worst Daughters” and “The World’s Worst Sons.” Basically, lists of the errant children of assorted presidents and dictators.These kinds of lists mean nothing of course.

But to the lists we go.

Of course there are Africans on these lists: Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello (daughter of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo) who is, surprise surprise, implicated in a number of corruption cases, and Hannibal Qaddafi, the “hard-partying” son of the Libyan leader.

It comes as no surprises that all the entries come from the old Second and  Third World. Except for Mark Thatcher, the arms-dealing and coup plotting son of the long-retired British Prime Minister, who lives in South Africa.

Remember him. He help plot a coup in Equatorial Guinea, hiring former soldiers who had fought apartheid’s colonial wars in Namibia and Angola. He was also a notorious arms deal. Much earlier, in 1998, he offered loans at high interest rates to black South African civil servants and security personnel like police and armed services members (per the BBC).

Then there are the children of Dick Cheney andGeorge W. Bush twins. I forgot: they are American.

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