Let's revisit the letter writers of the Philly metro area:

One of the time-honored principles governing human behavior that I learned as a child was that "the end never justifies the means."

As I have watched and listened to the propaganda hype over the capture of Saddam Hussein, my thoughts have been that this sacred principle is now being totally disemboweled.

I suspect that the image of the disheveled, filthy Hussein is being successfully employed to dupe the public into forgetting the death, disruption, lies, deception and billions of dollars that have allowed the Bush administration to arrive at this point.

My expectation is that this public relations spin will have its desired effect overall. But I for one will have none of it as justification for the geopolitical philosophy of a few ideologues in Washington.

I think in quite a few cases Joe, the end does justify the means. I guess you were taught all the other important lessons like; "don't piss into the wind" or "where clean underwear in case you're in an accident". Will you feel the same way when we get Osama? Would you prefer we return Saddam to all of his 57 palaces? Joe is a great example of the unraveling left. They can't support the capture of a murderous despot. You're pathetic Joe.

The token right gets a play today:

Yearly, at the anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, some citizens or officials from Japan criticize the United States. Several are now protesting the Smithsonian Institution's display of the plane, the Enola Gay, that dropped that bomb, because no mention is made of the 140,000 Japanese civilians who were killed by that bomb and the thousands of others who were maimed.

The Smithsonian should mention this. It is part of fact, part of history, part of the truth. Dropping the bomb was an atrocity during a war that saw many, many atrocities.

The rationale for using the first atomic weapon was that it would hasten the end of the war and save the lives of countless U.S. troops who most likely would have had to invade Japan. Though seldom mentioned, it saved the lives of thousands of Asians whose countries were occupied by the Japanese.

In contrast to Germany, Japan has never admitted its own atrocities or made reparations. After the protesters leave the Smithsonian, perhaps, in the interest of full disclosure, they can protest in Japan against their government's policy.
S. Reid Warren III

Amen Mr. Warren.