‘I had a dream’: A brief history of Arab dictators and their not so subconscious

Egypt’s strong man Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has revealed that he had a dream 35 years ago that one day he will be the President of Egypt. The interpretation of dreams is a favourite Arab pastime, there’s nothing that we love more than analysing night-time revelations. The more complex the dream the more enjoyment we will derive out of it. Al-Sisi’s is certainly a complex and mysterious dream, and who knows what it could really mean. To that end, Egyptians and other Arabs have set up popular committees and working groups to pour over the dream’s details and explain the meaning of al-Sisi’s vision. Much coffee will be consumed from Casablanca to Muscat in the coming days.

Now al-Sisi can best be described as a reluctant dictator. Quite how reluctant, time will tell. But he is certainly manifesting several of the symptoms we typically associate with Arab dictators. For one thing, there’s the proliferation of his images in public spaces and in the media. Then there’s his lack of inhibition in using force to achieve his political aims. A less known syndrome however is the Arab dictator’s proclivity for experiencing vivid and elaborate dreams that go on to play an important role in the history of the nation. Below we list a selection of the most remarkable Arab dictator ‘I had a dream’ moments.

Saddam Hussein and the Magical Egg

Arab Dictators: A National Geographic Special

Arab Dictator of the Gaddafi
genus, caught in Libya and
unfortunately killed by  people
who don't appreciate nature.

These days, everybody is taking more interest in the environment and concern for biodiversity and the welfare of different species is shared by all sensible people. One of the species that has been facing serious challenges in recent years is the Arab dictator, found mostly in the Middle East and North Africa. This native species with its long beak and decorative plumage has long been admired by nature-lovers across the globe, but its numbers are dwindling unfortunately. While not yet at the point of extinction, we must all do everything we can to ensure its survival. We teamed up with National Geographic to provide you this guide for the Arab dictator and what you can do to help preserve it.

The Arab Dictator Halloween Style Guide

Why not celebrate Halloween in thematic style this year and commemorate the Arab Spring? We’ve put together a list of suggested dictator outfits that could be easily assembled with tips on making the right choice for you. We also provided a handy rating system for glamour and difficulty levels.

Ali Abdullah Saleh

Yemen’s president is one of the least glamorous Arab dictators and is a bad choice. He used to wear dark suits before the explosion that claimed half of his ear and left him badly burnt, but started dressing in more traditional attire since. This phase of his career is more suitable for Halloween but might be a bit in bad taste.

Difficulty: 3/5 Glamour 2:/5