50 years ago today, Idi Amin seized power in Uganda, a coup immediately welcomed by UK, declassified files show. UK backed/armed Amin's regime as the terror began, only later withdrawing support. It's important to understand why - thread https://bit.ly/39YjeQF 

UK diplomats backed Amin knowing he was "corrupt and unintelligent" with "something of the villain about him and he may well be quite unscrupulous and indeed ruthless". They had no illusions about who he was and consciously preferred him to his predecessor Milton Obote.

Dictator Amin was backed by UK mainly to promote its business interests in Uganda. The UK opposed Obote's nationalisation drive and this threat was clearly understood by the Foreign Office as having "serious implications for British business in Uganda and Africa generally"

After Amin took complete control, banning all political activity, a Foreign Office official wrote: "I can appreciate that a period of rule free from all politics, if that is in fact a genuine possibility, could be desirable".

As repression and killings began, the UK began providing arms to Amin's regime and offered military training. The Daily Telegraph agreed, writing that Amin was "a staunch friend of Britain" and approved of arms sales. The high commissioner in Kampala called Amin a "net asset".

The files show that by early 1972 there were constant killings by Amin's army. This was when the first Saladin armoured cars – ideal for domestic repression - were delivered followed by UK ministers approving the export of 20 Ferret armoured cars, among other equipment.

In July 1971, the UK allowed a state visit for Amin and he met the Queen. PM's adviser wrote: the PM "would like the guests to be of high level so that President Amin feels that he is being honoured". At this time hundreds of soldiers were being massacred by Amin’s forces.

UK arms and killings continued during 1972 and the break in relations only came when Amin threatened to expel 80,000 Ugandan Asians who had UK passports. Even then, UK officials wanted to retain the British army training team in Uganda: it was Amin who expelled the team.

Amin's regime proceeded to engage in sheer terror, killing 300,000-500,000 people until it was overthrown by the Tanzanian army in 1979. Amin escaped to exile in Saudi Arabia where he, his 25 children and six wives were provided with income and lavish expenses until his death.

UK backing of Amin over Obote is a microcosm of UK foreign policy - Whitehall, which helped consolidate his regime, preferred a dictator who would support its commercial interests over a more popular leader who wanted Ugandans to benefit more from the country's resources.