Well, it's a humor strip, so my first responsibility has always been to entertain the reader... But if, in addition, I can help move readers to thought and judgment about issues that concern me, so much the better.

I don't think so, but it's always in the back of my mind that many of the soldiers being wounded and killed in Iraq are about the same age as my kids. My godson is going over soon, so the war's about to get personal for me.

I try to take people one at a time, with all the contradictions and compromises that most of us live with.

In any event, it's not exactly a secret to regular readers what my views on the war are.

Lives have been altered in fundamental ways, and later, after they acquire a more complete understanding of what goals are actually attainable, many are left facing a lot of pain and frustration. And yet, there's no culture of complaint.

Life is like a movie-since there aren't any commercial breaks, you have to get up and go to the bathroom in the middle of it.