I'd certainly like to be involved in this project as a researcher/ideas man, though I'm worthless in things such as XML and graphics.
The comments I have about the list as is currently posted:
Benjamin Franklin nor Dr. King are good ones for the United States, as neither was really a leader. I would propose as a replacement for Franklin as Kennedy, who is, while debated whether a great leader, is certainly a recognized leader. Teddy Roosevelt as replacement for King is fine in my book.
Saddam Hussein is NOT good for Arabia, as he never really had much influence over ALL Arabs. However, one that I would put in this one who is not in fact Arab, would be T.E. Lawrence, as a military leader and recognized as an "Arab" leader the world over as well as more modern. If not Lawrence, then I would put as a leader Faisal I of Iraq, who is far more Pan-Arab than Hussein.
I would not put Sun Tzu as a Chinese leader, but rather in his place, Dr. Sun Yatsen, the father of modern China from both the Communist and Nationalist perspective (i.e. both PRC and ROC)
Nelson would in my opinion be very BAD as a British leader, as he was a politically non-astute Admiral, and only remembered for one battle. However, in his place, the Duke of Wellington would be appropriate.
In place of Clovis and Joan of Arc, who in my opinion are not appropriate for France, I would place Richelieu, who really was the architect of the system which produced Louis XIV, and Hugh Capet, the founder of the Capetian dynasty and modern France as it were.
In Germany, I would keep Hitler, but definitely create a replacement, such as Hindenburg, in an idea to avoid the Nazism. I would also specify Wilhelm II as Kaiser Wilhelm, rather than his grandfather.
With Greece, I would retract Pythia, and put a more modern ruler, George I of Greece, or possibly one of the later Greek rulers, but definitely NOT Pythia. I would also definitely pick Leonidas over Epaminodas.
Meiji DEFINITELY with Japan. He was EXTREMELY important in modern Japan.
I would replace Nevskiy in Russia with Lenin, who was an extremely important and influential ruler.
Spain, I would almost completely change. El Cid, Ferdinand, Cortes, and Pizzaro are, in my opinion, not good selections. I would myself put Charles I if he were not more important as Holy Roman Emperor. As my other Spanish leaders, I would definitely include Francisco Franco, and possibly Juan Carlos I. I don't know about other ones, though your idea of Ferdinand is a possibility.
As the last Korean, I would include Syngman Rhee just in my general Idea that we should have at least one relatively modern ruler for any country that still exists. I would possibly include Kim Il Sung, definitely considered an important Korean ruler, in place of one of the others.
With the Vikings, that's EriK the Red, not Erich, and Leif Eriksson. Otherwise I have no other ideas.
With the Netherlands/Portugal, I think we got Queen Wilhelmina switched...otherwise no comment on the Dutch. With Portuguese, I would NOT include Magellan (as he sailed for Spain despite being Portuguese...or vice versa, I can't recall).
Otherwise, off the top of my head, I have no other commentary.
I don't expect you to accept, but after all, I was the guy who inspired this, right? (Check my "Bunch of Leader Head Requests" thread. It's somewhere on Page 3 right now) I promise to keep the thread alive!
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