For me, the most chilling part of the column quoted is “his people’s betterment” — “his” meaning Wen Jiabao’s. “His people.” Absolutely chilling.

But Friedman is in good company, at least as most of the world sees it. Back in 2001, secretary of state Colin Powell said, “He’s done some good things for his people.” The “he” was Fidel Castro. A lot of us said, “It’s hard to know which is worse: the ‘good things’ or the ‘his people.’” I’ve written about this ad nauseam — like here.

Sadly, sometimes democrats let down the side. They also let down those persecuted in unfree countries.