The sour mood

Michael Barone looks at our current uneasiness and notes that our good fortune in many area is the result of confronting tough problems and handling them. We don't like hearing about war every day.

We are weary, it seems, and ready to go back on holiday. Some things -- a nuclear attack on the United States, the successful release of a disease pathogen that could kill millions -- are just too horrifying to think about. But maybe we should think more about them. As Leon Trotsky is supposed to have said, "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you."

The terrorists are still out there killing innocent Iraqis and American soldiers. The violence is spiking as they try to influence our elections. The Taliban is trying to come back in Afghanistan. North Korea still has nukes. Iran is still trying to develop them.

The world is dangerous. It always will be until Satan is bound. We may be tired, irritated and frustrated, but we can't just turn our backs on things. It's tempting to say "Why us? Why can't the rest of the world take some responsibility?"

The answer is that we've tried that, and it usually ends up worse. The Democrats are eager to wreak vengeance on Bush and the Republicans, but we really need adults in charge all of the time. That's what that phrase "a time of war" means. I see nothing but irresponsibility in the media and on the left. There's plenty on the right, as well, but the most irresponsible thing to do right now is to think that we can punish the right by electing people who have no guiding principles.