I record Brit Hume's show on Fox News Channel and watch it when I get home. Tonight, it was reported that Iraq has refused to grant consent for the U.S. to fly U2 flights over its territory, unless they were accompanied by the Iraqi air force!!! Jim Angle couldn't help laughing as he reported this story. My first thought was to wonder whether any of Iraq's planes could fly that high.

The Democrats are meeting in Iowa. From their statements, it should be an easy race for Bush. All of them but Lieberman are vying to be the most liberal, oppose war with Iraq, reverse Bush's tax cuts, yadda, yadda, yadda.


It's MLK's birthday. Colin Powell and Condi Rice support affirmative action and both benefited from it. That's fine. But at some point, American blacks need to realize that Bush is right when he talks about the bigotry of low expectations. It's like giving white basketball players 5 points each at the start of each game to that they can compete. It's insulting and demeaning, and they shouldn't stand for it. If you can't get in on your own merit, why would you want to take handouts? I have nothing against reaching out to groups who have been excluded in the past, but what good does it do if they then segregate themselves because they don't feel like they belong? All races need to open their minds toward each other, forget old grievances and quit looking for ways to take offense. Then, MLK's dream might be achievable. It is coming closer, but it may take more than a generation to happen.

An Indian company has been found to be shipping components of rocket propellent and biochemical weapons to Iraq. I think the first order of business upon entering Iraq will be to build and supply POW camps, while we're bombing their command and control out of existence. It's looking more certain all the time that we're going to have to move. I'm not sure that Bush can afford not to invade at this point. If he consents to a solution where Saddam is exiled, he will be at risk of the same backlash that hurt his dad. The only way we can be sure of anything is if we are given full access and we are able to clean out all the rats in the nest.