Albania stands with U.S. in Iraq

Fatos Tarifa, the ambassador of Albania to the United States, writes in The Washington Times:

Unlike people in other countries in Europe and elsewhere, the Albanian people have not forgotten what it is like to live under tyranny and repression. The Albanians for more than 40 years were held in thrall by the repressive forces of the communists, living like prisoners without rights in their own country. It was to the United States that freedom-loving Albanians looked for inspiration during those dark years, and the Americans have not let us down. ... The surprise is not in Albania's decision to send more troops to fight for freedom in Iraq. The surprise would have been if Albania did not.

(via Jay, a commenter on this touching post but the Anchoress.) I don't post this from a 'look how great we are' point of view. The sort of faith shown by the Ambassador and the old Italian man in America humbles me and makes me want to make sure we live up to the expectations they place on us. We are not a perfect nation, but we are a good nation and we certainly are a powerful nation. Those two factors give us a great responsibility.