To Iraq and beyond

In this case, the ends clearly justify the means

Editor, The Times:

Jim McDermott's trip to Iraq was probably not financed by Saddam Hussein, but what if it was? ["Who paid McDermott's way?" Times, Local News, March 27.] What if Saddam had hand-delivered thousands of dollars to "Baghdad Jim" so he could try to stop Bush's misguided invasion? Would it still have been the right thing to do?

McDermott is no fool. He realized he was putting himself in the path of a steamroller and would likely be savaged by the right-wing media, but he went ahead anyway. He decided to wear the leper's bell of a political outcast rather than ignore the dictates of his own conscience. That's heroism.

McDermott's trip would have been the right thing to do even if he had gotten the plane tickets from Satan himself if it saved the life of one innocent Iraqi child or one American serviceman. And don't forget it.

— Michael Whitney, Snohomish

Power of distortion

Regarding Charles Krauthammer's column ["Killer sound bite could kill Dems," Opinion, March 30], I agree that Sen. John McCain's comments regarding a 100-year U.S. presence in Iraq have grown legs of their own. They have been taken out of context and distorted.

This cynical distortion reminds me of the oft-repeated charge that Al Gore claimed that he invented the Internet. That bogus charge was derived from a relatively obscure editorial that distorted Gore's comment that he helped sponsor legislation that enabled the creation of the precursor to the today's Internet (a true statement). Yet I still see references to the misquote.

If a lie is repeated enough, it does, indeed, become accepted truth.

The Swiftboaters for Truth campaign also comes to mind. Apparently, dirty tricks and outright lies know no political boundaries.

— Mark Peeples, Monroe

Whine, whine, whine

Food, water, air — and perspective

In response to Robert Fluke's March 30 letter ["Sum of Uncle Sam," Northwest Voices], he may feel that he doesn't get anything for government taxes, but I, for one, am grateful for what my taxes provide: one of the finest military forces in the world, clean water, clean air, schooling for my children and now my grandchildren, Social Security, Medicare, excellent police- and fire-department services and too many more benefits to mention.

I respect Fluke's right to whine about taxes, but I felt he needed to know that many of us feel that the price we are asked to pay is small compared to the pride and gratitude we feel when we do our part.

— Susan Kilbourne, Mukilteo