A Modest Proposal

Readers of Robert Dallek’s new book Nixon and Kissinger: Partners in Power will be struck by how, when it comes to cynically prolonging a war that is plainly lost – and, more generally, to a criminal mix of hypocrisy and delusion – Bush and Cheney don’t hold a candle. They will also be struck by how often Nixon sought relief from troubles at home with well-publicized travels abroad. This past week, George Bush resorted to that tactic too – in his own bumbling and farcical way. But not even our “liberal” media could hide how repugnant his government is to the peoples of Germany, France, Italy and the more enlightened quarters of the “new” Europe of Donald Rumsfeld’s demented imagination. However this morning’s news reports one exception in what is still the most benighted corner of the European continent: Albania. Our media are playing it for all it’s worth.

For their own cynical, hypocritical and delusory reasons (see “Not Just Bad Strategy,” June 7), the Democrats won’t impeach Bush, no matter what their voters want. Still less will they bring him and Cheney and the rest of their sorry crew to justice. Other governments, that arguably do have jurisdiction, are at least as cowardly and cynical (see “Are European Governments Even More Abject than Democrats?, May 18). But this morning’s news suggests a way out – a genuine win/win situation. EXILE THE BUSH BOY TO ALBANIA! The world can’t wait, we Americans can’t wait, and neither, evidently, can the Albanians. If only the Democrats would take up the cause, they’d be off the hook and well positioned to pick up votes everywhere -- even deep in the heart of Crawford, Texas. Who knows? If all goes better than we have any right to expect, perhaps before long the Clintons -- beloved bombers of Belgrade and champions of anti-Serbian ethnic cleansing -- will be welcome there too.