The U. S. may be down and out as far as current allies go, but we still seem to have at least one ally without an alibi: Tony Blair, who has just dared to say that the world needs America to help deal with the worlds most acute problems.

In a pamphlet published by The Foreign Policy Center think tank, he said, "The danger is if they decide to pull up the drawbridge and disengage. We need them involved."

He went on to state bravely, "The strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in. The danger with America today is not that they are too much involved. We want them engaged. The reality is that none of the problems that press in on us can be resolved or even contemplated without them.... We need to construct an alliance of moderation that paints a future in which Muslim, Jew and Christian, Arab and Western, wealthy and developing nations can make progress in peace and harmony with each other."

Given the usual dull as a lull political talk on the worlds morose stage, does this salvo qualify him or does it not for the occasionally distinguished title of Clever Monkey of the Week?