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War Prospects for 2005
It's official, says the Weekly Standard, leading voice of America's brigades of pundit warriors (and, says The New York Times, "arguably the most influential opinion journal at the White House"): What America needs is more war. Never mind Mr. and Mrs. America (or Mr. and Mrs. Soldier), who may be tired of the seemingly endless bog down in Iraq, the over 1,300 dead and nearly 10,000 wounded Americans (and more almost every day).

We need more than just one more war—Americans love variety and choice, so the Rupert Murdoch-owned political mag has lately laid out a buffet of belligerence that should keep us satisfied all through the new year a-borning. In their Dec. 20, 2004, issue neocon strongman William Kristol himself calls for a smackdown on Syria, including aerial bombing and city-occupying. This comes on the heels of Nicholas Eberstadt's call for war on North Korea as a live option in Bush's second term in the magazine's November 29 issue. And, of course, Iran is still out there, and as a Nov. 28 report on the Standard's Web site reported, still needs to be dissuaded of its nuke ambitions by main force.

Whole lot-a warrin' going on in 2005 in the Standard's America....