The American Spectator

p> TAIWAN ON br> Re: Jed Babbin’s Chiang, We Are Here : /p> p>It’s good to see Jed Babbin make a stand against the Chicom dictatorship in Beijing. We should provide the Republic of China the means to defend itself from aggression. Regrettably, Mr. Babbin continues to insist America requires the services of other dictators around the globe, particularly the one in Pakistan. Pakistan’s intelligence services created Al Qaeda and continue to support this terrorist organization. Pakistan continues to support Islamic terrorists in Kashmir. It is time for this country to withdraw from a United Nations that provides dictatorships equal standing with democracies. Thomas Jefferson did not cater to dictators. Neither should we. br> — Mike Slater /p>

Jed Babbin replies: Mike, I love ya. But you have to get off Musharraf’s back. First, ISI didn’t create al-Qaeda. OBL did, with the help and consent of others in Saudi Arabia. ISI did help create the Taliban, and Musharraf has fired the old ISI generals who were in charge in that era.

I hear a conservative version of Jimmy Carter in your insistence that we refuse to deal with dictators, even when it’s in our interests to do so. I’m not so holy. When these guys can help, we should use them unless they’re of the genocidal ilk of Pol Pot or Hitler. We can’t refuse to deal with people because their hands are dirty.

I’m no fan of the U.N., but it can serve a useful purpose if we use it to lead. If we waffle, we’ll suffer for it, both there and elsewhere. But I don’t think it’s in our interests to withdraw at this time. I’m very disturbed by the President’s apparent retreat on the U.N - International Criminal Court issue. We need to stop the train entirely until that’s resolved. Best, Jed.

p> SEE NO TERROR