Baron Cohen 's version `` tells the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed , '' according to Paramount Pictures , which will distribute the film . `` The Dictator '' is inspired by `` Zabibah and the King '' `` Zabibah '' is said to be an allegory for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 1991 . In this film, a group of American soldiers are sent into Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom ( OEF ).
`` The Dictator '' is inspired by `` Zabibah and the King '' `` Zabibah '' is said to be an allegory for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 1991 . In this film, a group of American soldiers are sent into Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom ( OEF ).