Congrats to Libyan strongman Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi for making Esquire Magazine’s list of “The Seven Wonders of the Totalitarian World”.

Actually, the political-science major in me cringes slightly at this haphazard use of the term “totalitarianism”, which properly describes only the most repressive and all-consuming political regimes. Not that Gaddafi hasn’t been doing his level-best Stalin, Mao et al impression all these years, but frankly, his dirt-poor satrapy doesn’t have the state resources to do the full totalitarian schtick.

Still, the ostentatious giant sculpture of a golden fist, rising from the earth to snatch and destroy a U.S. fighter jet goes a long way toward covering the requisite public propaganda imagery. Plus, this belligerent Tripoli landmark makes a handy backdrop for not-so-subtle anti-American photo ops with visiting dignitaries (especially French ones).

I’m wondering how much of the annual governmental budget goes toward keeping this thing clear of pigeon droppings…