Amy, at The Fifty Minute Hour, asks why thugs like Idi Amin live out a cush life instead of spending it spread out on a hill of fire ants(my words, not hers):

The current theory among many Ugandans is that there’s a Muslim conspiracy to protect dictators afoot:

“Why no extradition and trial? One Ugandan theory argues that the Saudis simply will not let an African Muslim potentate be toppled, tried and convicted by a predominantly Christian African state. That’s an argument loaded with religious and ethnic explosives, too hot and politically incorrect to touch. However, East Africans I know believe it. Post 9-11, it may not seem so outlandish.”

The argument, true or not, raises an obvious question. Why is the international community willing to bow to the will of Saudi Arabia on the issue of human rights in Africa? The Saudis certainly have an opinion as to what should happen to dictators like Amin, but why does their view prevail?

Read her interesting answers here. Andrew Case, in the comment thread, suggests what I think may often be the answer: the unbothered retirement was the payoff for the thug(s) to step down.

This has been going on for a bit and I missed the headlines in US papers and haven’t been as diligent as I should be reading blogs from down under (up to them). July 22:

The first contingent of the biggest Australian force deployed in the Pacific since World War II left yesterday for a dangerous and uncertain mission in the Solomon Islands.

I’ll be the first to say that I don’t understand all the issues. Here is a bit of background:

The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society.���

It does, though, look like the Australian govm’t has been taking lessons from the bushies and learning them well. First, from Rob Schap on preemption:

It’s all there then. The raising of the possibility of terrorist bases later as justification for invasion now, and the implication that those brownish people just can’t be trusted to look after themselves.

Rob’s post provides some background on the invasion of the Solomon’s.
Second, lets get rid of their weapons:

Past firearms amnesties have had very limited success, but there are hopes the planned dispatch in mid-August of about 100 additional police will persuade more people to surrender weapons.
Ben McDevitt, a senior Australian Federal Police officer, said the extra officers would have special training and technical back-up to track down weapons.

Let’s see if midnight raids and body searches become part of the repertoire as well.
They have a lesson for the bushies as well: Why worry about a ‘coalition of the willing’ just do it.
Another consideration: perhaps the Australians have a mutual defence treaty with the dolphins and are coming to their defense:

The arrival of the force will complicate another issue which has been generating rising tensions – the export of dolphins from the Solomons to Mexico.