7 December 2001

Dateline Madrid--

One of the comforts of my adopted city is the existence of small, neighborhood bars, where one can have a quiet drink without attracting unwanted attention. I go to these places to avoid American tourists. Everyone mostly keeps to themselves, except for the occasional blowhard who has too many and gets talky. I usually find this irritating, but every once in while they'll say something interesting, or at least amusing.

This was hardly the case last night, when I was cornered by a familiar-looking fellow who'd apparently slipped away from his entourage to do a little covert drinking. He'd been torturing the bartender with his awful Spanish, but wobbled over towards me after being tipped off that I was an American. Introducing himself as "Dublay-Vay", he proceeded to draw me into the most depressing conversation I've had in quite some time. What follows is a transcript of our dialogue, as far as I can remember it:

Nice to meet you, um, Dublay. My name's...

"I guess we call you General. That means you all are in the Army. And I am glad you are."
... OK, we'll go with that, I guess. What brings you to Madrid?

I was able to thank President Aznar this week, for arresting eight -- eight terrorists, eight people who hate freedom are now in jail, where they should be."

Speaking of throwing people in jail, I gather things are getting pretty rough for some of the immigrants back in the States.

"We're interviewing people, on a voluntary basis. We're saying, welcome to America. Why don't you share information with us? "

So. what happens if they choose not to cooperate?

"I have also reserved the option of trial by military commission for foreign terrorists who wage war against our country. And if I determine that it is in the national security interest of our great land to try by military commission those who make war on America, then we will do so."

That, as the kids say, is bunk. What about due process?

"Ours is a great land, and we'll always value freedom. We're an open society. But we're at war. The enemy has declared war on us. And we must not let foreign enemies use the forums of liberty to destroy liberty, itself. Foreign terrorists and agents must never again be allowed to use our freedoms against us."

"It is the calling of our time, to rid the world of terror. And it is the calling of our time to protect the American people. Our enemies are resourceful, and they are incredibly ruthless. They can't stand what America stands for. It must bother them greatly to know we're such a free and wonderful place -- it must grate on them greatly."

Wait ... Say that again?.

"That's our calling. It's the calling of the 21st century. And it's a calling that we will not tire for; it's a calling that we will keep in our minds. And you must keep it in your minds, because I can assure I'm going to keep it in mine."

At that point, "Dublay" wandered off to the little boy's room. I found myself suddenly and disappointingly sober, and headed calmly, but briskly, for the door.

http://www.whitehouse.gov