Death of a Hero in Iraq

The death of a hero in Iraq, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo."

We met PFC Daniel Agami of Coconut Creek, Florida when we went to Iraq last December. Dan was in the middle of the action patrolling the streets of Baghdad, keeping Iraqis safe from terror violence. And Daniel Agami was proud of his job.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AGAMI: I have to say our morale's pretty high. We came in here with our morale high and it's still high. You know, people that we've lost in the past few months, you know, we just got to soldier on and try to make this mission to make sure we continue with our heads high.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Now last week, Daniel Agami was killed by a bomb. Four other soldiers in his unit died as well. In my opinion, they are all heroes.

The United States tried to do a noble thing in Iraq. We removed a brutal dictator and gave the Iraqi people a chance at freedom. At the same time, the USA and our allies tried to establish an anti-terror beachhead in Iraq that would put pressure on countries like Iran, which export death.

Private Daniel Agami and thousands of his comrades sacrificed everything in that effort. That is the truth.

So what are we to think of people who believe the opposite, who believe the USA is a bad country, which invaded Iraq for oil or other venal reasons? What are we to think of those people?

The left wing media was outraged when I told you that some of the Iraq reporting is useless, carnage without context. And it helps the terrorists, whose stated strategy is to wear down the American people with constant violence.

CNN's Howard Kurtz took particular offense that I attributed some of this relentless reportage to the left wing media's hatred toward President Bush. Kurtz is wrong. That is exactly what is happening. Some in the media hate Bush so much, they want the USA to lose in Iraq.

You remember I asked Rosie O'Donnell and David Letterman if they wanted America to win the conflict. Neither one would answer. That of course was an answer. And they are not alone.

While that is distressing, it is also true the USA cannot win in Iraq unless a majority of Iraqis help us. And after four years, I should say, they are not.

Republican Senator Richard Lugar is the latest voice to say we need a pullback in Iraq. And it is hard to argue with the senator. Private Daniel Agami and all the other brave Americans who have sacrificed in Iraq deserve honesty. Come this fall, if the Iraq situation is not strongly improved by the surge, the Bush administration needs to pull back our forces and let the Iraqis sort it out.

Not cut and run, but not full engagement either. In the meantime, "Talking Points" will continue to focus on the dishonest media that uses a political agenda while reporting on Iraq. That is unacceptable and an insult to Daniel Agami. It will be challenged. And that's “the Memo.”

Most Ridiculous Item

Time now for "The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day."

A guy named Bruce Burger was playing golf in Venice, Florida, when he shot a ball into the pond. Now, Bruce walked over to put his hand in the water to find the ball, and a submerged alligator latched onto his arm and pulled him into the water. Wow!

The 50-year-old Burger fought the critter off, and authorities captured the 11-foot gator a short time later. I believe that rhymes: gator, later.

No solace to Mr. Burger, though. He suffered minor injuries. Ridiculous? Might be.

—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