Walter Williams and Tom Sowell

A commenter says the last time he looked Walter Williams was pretty much pro-war, though he didn't see how that stance fit with the rest of his outlook on life. As a long-time admirer, neither do I, presuming it's true, and unfortunately I wouldn't be surprised. I guess I can understand a "go get 'em" reaction to 9/11 and genuine concern about the threat of jihadist terrorism, but that really doesn't necessarily imply supporting the war in Iraq. In fact, the stronger case is that the war in Iraq has strengthened the jihadists and diverted the U.S. from doing something effective about them.

As for Tom Sowell, he came to visit the Register probably four or five years ago, and I consider it a privilege to have spent so much time with him. But the Register still subscribes to his column and we've increasingly found that so many are pro-war -- and not necessarily in the most thoughtful manner -- that we simply can't use them. My suspicion is that as he's gotten older he's simply become more crankily conservative. I think I can understand that but I don't have to like it. His more scholarly work is still first-rate, but his columns are erratic in quality any more. Shame.