Last Chance in Iraq

Next week, President Bush will announce his new plan to stabilize the violence in Iraq, a plan that will most likely include sending more American troops to that chaotic country.

Now clear thinking people understand the war in Iraq has not gone well. Here's what I said on this broadcast 18 months ago:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: President Bush must be held accountable for what happens from here on in. I think it's fair to give the military one more year to train the Iraqis to fight for themselves. If things are awful in Iraq this time next year, then it will be fair to say the Bush administration has failed in that country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

And so it was: Things did not improve in Iraq and the American people voted the Republicans out.

So, now all loyal Americans have a decision to make: Should we support one final effort to defeat the enemy in Iraq? I say yes. If Iraq can be stabilized and become a country that fights against terror, that would be a huge win not only for the USA, but for the entire world.

There is now a new U.S. commander in Iraq, General Petraeus. And although more lives will be lost, I believe the right thing to do is to give the effort a bit more time.

But I respect dissent on this. I could be wrong. Maybe the Iraqi people simply will not do what is necessary to have freedom.

But I don't respect Americans who want the USA to lose in Iraq because they hate Bush or any other reason. You remember I asked Rosie O'Donnell and David Letterman if they wanted their country to win in Iraq. Neither would answer the question. I found that very troubling. Again, dissent about the war, fine. Rooting for America to lose, disloyal.

And then there's the press. Unfortunately, many in the media now have a vested interest in seeing the U.S. fail in Iraq. No doubt about it. If Iraq were to turn and go America's way, President Bush would rise in the polls and Republicans would have a better chance in 2008. The left-wing media does not want that to happen.

NBC News is leading the way in that regard. Listen to this question by Chris Matthews:

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CHRIS MATTHEWS, NBC NEWS: What would justify sending 30,000, 40,000 more GIs into the streets of Baghdad to kick down doors and kill Sunnis? What would convince you that was the right policy?

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Kick down doors and kill Sunnis — very nice. Listen to this comment by Tom Brokaw about Saddam's execution:

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TOM BROKAW, FMR. NBC NEWS ANCHOR: He was a god awful man, Saddam Hussein, and he did have a trial. But to not have control of the execution and to have it really just fuel more sectarian violence at a time when we're trying to dampen that is not helpful, which is an understatement.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Well, Brokaw was wrong. There has not been a rise in violence since Saddam's execution, according to Stratford, a non-partisan group that analyzes Iraq.

One final thing about NBC News: The Center for Media and Public Affairs study concluded that network favored John Kerry more than any other network in the 2004 election.

So next week when the president announces his new Iraq strategy, expect overwhelmingly negative coverage from NBC News and others. I hope I'm wrong.

And that's the Memo.

Most Ridiculous Item

The far-left paper Newsday printed yet another column today accusing me and John Gibson of fabricating the war on Christmas.

Listen up, you pinheads, Christmas is over. The battle was real. The proof is in the Supreme Court case now pending, and you guys lost. Are you getting this out there on Long Island?

And one more thing: Newsday, your hard news coverage of the congressional race which Peter King won was the most biased journalistic display of last year, anywhere.

Newsday is ridiculous, no question.

—You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com