The Politburo Diktat

Matryoshka Doll

Even a casual reader of the Politburo Diktat knows that inside the Commie, Stalinist, anti-Amerikan Commissar lurks the opposite. A Conservative, A Repugnican. A member of the VRWC.

Last night the Commissar family watched "Casablanca." The 12-year-old male Young Pioneer watched, mesmerized, when Ingrid Bergman, shimmering in white, made her appearance. Despite his only reference points, such as Britney Spears, Beyonce, and Janet, he gasped, "That's some woman." Yes, indeed. Soon, Sam began playing "As Time Goes By," and again my son, fan of OutKast and Eminem, opined without prompting, "That's a really good song."

The Commissar? That unilateralist, reactionary, UN-hating, Franco-phobe awaited his favorite moment, when Victor Laszlo leads the cheering crowd in La Marseillaise. Tears welled up, as they always have.

Like Michele Catalano, the Commissar has a bit of the internationalist inside. What person, with any knowledge of history's broad sweep, would not prefer America to be leading the vast majority of an enthusiastic world, all singing "La Marseillaise" together, against the forces of darkness? Yes, with the French at our side. Instead our President flies to the Azores to meet with our only ally, and even there, a few dozen protestors line the chain-link fence. And Rummy and Powell put the best face on our "Coalition of the Willing." Ugh. My inner Bill Clinton cringes.

In many ways, the internationalist approach would be preferable.

But we gave that, at least, a worthwhile effort during the Clinton years. Remember when he received the standing ovation at the U.N.? During the Monica crisis? A global statement of support for his "Kyoto-friendly" policies. Again, it would take a narrow-minded person indeed not to see the desirable aspects of the globalist approach.

Sadly, that approach brought us nothing worthwhile. Applause in the General Assembly for our President. And fire, ruin, death, and tragedy in the heart of our cities. To be clear, I do not blame Clinton for 9/11. Whatever lessons Osama might have drawn from Mogadishu, or whatever intelligence lapses occurred in the years before September 11, 2001, it's nonsensical to "blame" Clinton.

But it is relevant to understand, to remember that those policies evidently did little, did nothing, to dissuade our enemies. (Let's forego the word, "appease.") Thus our country was left to respond. What should we have done? Sung "Kumbaya" and "La Marseillaise," and received further accolades and ovations at the UN? Should we have remained the proud, tears-welling-up leader of a great international coalition? And let rogue regimes in the Middle East remain an unchallenged threat?

Or should we have taken steps to protect ourselves?