As Norman Spector points out today, CanWest’s Robert Fife reports on His Excellency “flirting” with known terrorists, i.e. the Tamil Tigers, while on his soggy-Kleenex tour of Southeast Asia. Prime Minister Paul Martin is aghast at the notion that that he might conceivably be criticized for gladhanding a murderous terror cell. It would naturally be “illegal” for Martin to grip-and-grin with these terrorists chez nous, and clearly a wide variety of other countries AND Our Noble Overlords (a.k.a. the UN) have declared the Tigers to be a terrorist organization. However, just like Hamas, it appears that the Tigers are simply poor misunderstood waifs, who are in fact engaged in a panoply of worthy humanistic endeavours when they are not blowing up commuter buses and frog-marching child conscripts into battle.

Martin’s response to this criticism, which some have dared level at His Person, is a bold and uncompromising defense of… er, no. Instead, it’s a plaintive whimper:

“what you should do is set the politics aside”

I think it’s Paul Wells who has made the point that Martin seems to want nothing more than for all the rest of us peasants to “set the politics aside”, and just heap mounds of steaming praise on Himself. Gosh and I’m Ever So Sorry, milud, but I think by “politics” you mean “dissenting opinions”. Forgive me, Your Grace, and I know it’s not my place to say this, milud, but having people disagree with you is kind of what “being a politician” is all about in this “one-party state” we call “Canada”, you arse basket.

But I tell you what, Sir. I’ll “set the politics aside” in MY life, if you “set the politics aside” in YOURS. Which, er, I think would have to mean you would resign.

What’s that, Sir? You’d rather not “set the politics aside” like that? Then perhaps, milud, you could grow a freakin’ spine, you feculent creapweasel. As your Close Personal Friend Jacques Chirac once said in another context, perhaps the next time you feel obliged to get up on your hind legs and whimper that you don’t think you ought to be criticized, you could consider that a fabulous opportunity to shut up.

Oh, the headline? Well, the last time Joel Fleming observed Paul Martin being internationally diplomatic, he invoked an image I’d rather not repeat. I just don’t want Joel to get too excited about Martin’s flirtatiousness. Maybe just a cold shower, eh, Joel?

UPDATE: I meant my reference to Joel’s excellent blog to be humourous. In re-reading it, and in seeing Joel’s response, I think I can see how it could be taken as an insult to Joel. Such was not my intention. Just, er, you know, trying to be funny… heh heh… ergh