"What the caterpillar calls the end of life, wise men call a butterfly."

This leader was not elected by a majority vote. This leader was made
powerful in a political appointment by other political appointees.
Throughout his political career, he considered himself a
conservative. As the new leader, he devoted most of his attention to
foreign policy, ignoring the domestic affairs of his country. He used
a national tragedy as an excuse for drastically curtailing the
personal freedoms of his citizens.

He began a military buildup while claiming to be the protector of his
domain from another point of view and insisted he was a man of peace.
When criticized, he withdrew his country from the international order
and from disarmament talks. When his army occupied another country,
he alienated all of his allies except one who supported his military
expansion.

Following the occupation of a couple of countries, he considered
which country now was a threat and could conveniently be made a
protectorate, claiming to liberate the people to give them the
freedom they wanted and deserved. He said he was freeing them from
decades of oppression.