Another Prediction About Iraq Comes True

Sometimes I scare myself, in a good way.

I told you on Tuesday that the anti-war press would remain silent for one day after the brutal murders of Privates Tucker and Menchaca and start banging the drum again. Well, that's exactly what happened. The usual suspects -- The Boston Globe, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The San Francisco Chronicle -- are all ready to exit Iraq.

But other papers like The Arizona Republic, the Orlando Sentinel and the Wall Street Journal feel as I do: The Bush administration must fight these savage terrorists harder, must beat them in Iraq using tough, disciplined tactics.

I would recommend that you read The Arizona Republic's editorial and compare it to the Boston Globe's -- that would be illuminating.

And of course, I'm the topic of discussion because I want a tougher approach in Iraq. A teacher at Notre Dame University, Don Wycliff, wrote this today in the Chicago Tribune:

"If intellectual dishonesty could be said to have a face, I saw it Tuesday evening as I watched Bill O'Reilly's program on FOX News. O'Reilly was burned up about the mutilation and murders of those two American soldiers. He wanted something done about it. 'We've got to get tougher and more aggressive,' he opined. 'Outfits like the American Civil Liberties Union and Air America need to be exposed and all those who inadvertently help the enemy like ministers who sign petitions against torture should mind their P's and Q's and the Iraqi government ought to declare martial law in some parts of Iraq that O'Reilly considers in particular need of iron fist treatment.'

"Bill, that is so Saddam of you, but I understand your dilemma. You want to blame somebody for outrages like the murders of Menchaca and Tucker but if you put the blame where it really belongs you have to say bad things about some people for who you've been a cheerleader.

"It's OK, Bill, nobody who cares about the truth takes you seriously, anyway."

Nice, right?

Well, we asked Don Wycliff, who teaches media criticism at Notre Dame, to appear this evening. He agreed, but then he canceled one hour before airtime. So much for the Fighting Irish. Wycliff is one of the hiding Irish. If you're going to launch a personal attack, sir, at least have the courage to back them up. Cowardice is not becoming.

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

Apparently, some anti-war protestors are going on hunger strikes in America. Our pal Cindy Sheehan says she'll stop eating July 4. Also Dick Gregory, Danny Glover and Willie Nelson said they'll give up food for a short time.

Which led us to ask the question: but will Willie give up pot, as well? We called Mr. Nelson's office. They could offer us no guidance on that question, which might be ridiculous.

See, if you smoke pot you get hungry.