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Genghis Khan Lives

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Mongolian leader sees resurgence in popularity.

Watch out, Lady Liberty. A brand new Ghengis Khan is on the rise in Mongolia--this time in the form of a 131-foot-tall giant on horseback, made of 250 tons of stainless steel. The new statue, located an hour away from the capital of Ulan Bator, is part of a resurgence in national pride for the 13th-century conqueror. Khan's image now beams from energy drinks, vodka bottles, and cigarette packs, according to Monday's New York Times. The airport, university, hotels, and bars bear the leader's name too. Of course, the rise in replicating Khan's name and image have come with a debate within Mongolia's parliament over ownership rights. “He was a cruel man but he led our country to greatness,” a bank teller said. “If you look at Lincoln, Hitler and Julius Caesar, it’s kind of the same thing.”

Read it at The New York Times