Roughly two years ago, the Dalai Lama traveled to a Western nation with extensive trade ties to China, and the leader of that nation defied “fierce criticism from Chinese officials” and met with him anyway, their first meeting.

You thought I was referring to President Bush, right? That leader was Angela Merkel of Germany. Bush’s meeting was a couple of weeks later.

Of course, our current leader is ducking meeting with him, for fear of irritating the Chinese.