1115.org

Loyal and steadfast readers — and, despite Platitudes’ attitude, Matt and I do know you’re there, and we love you even if you never write — may remember that I had plans to visit D.C. Well, I’m here this weekend.

Friends have kept me away from the White House fence — friends don’t let friends get arrested for pooperizing, not if true love enters into it, and these are very good friends, so it does — and that’s why you haven’t read about me in the papers (yet; I’m here till Tuesday).

What friends did instead was take me to an Afghani restaurant for dinner the night I arrived. This seems to be my cosmic reward for having written posts about Afghanistan from time to time. (If you’ve never been to an Afghani restaurant, and you can, the good word is “Aushak”. You’ll find it under “Appetizers”; you’ll file it under “cosmic rewards”. We had the veggie version, and it is my considered opinion that when dumplings are ready to be released from the cycle of reincarnation, this is what they come back as the very last time.)

The restaurant was called Bamiyan. As you enter, they have photographs of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, which (you may remember) used to be regarded as one of the wonders of the world, and which the Taliban destroyed in 2001. Benazir Bhutto’s Taliban, I couldn’t help thinking. She was pretty much their foster mother. And as we were led to our table, I couldn’t help thinking that, apart from the Taliban leadership, she was the one person on earth who was most directly responsible for the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. And despite all the rave reviews after her assassination — especially for her bravery and her well-scripted role as The Savior of Democracy in Pakistan — I couldn’t help thinking that I’m really not sure what good she ever did (or would have). I’m pretty sure she stole a lot. And that she was directly responsible for the destruction of a priceless piece of the world’s cultural heritage. Hardly a hero, in my world. In fact,

… meet it is I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain

Always a pleasure to give Willy the last word in any piece of political commentary.