Iraq war gives wrong messages to the world

To the editor:

By invading and conquering Iraq, we have opened a Pandora's box of messages to the rest of the world:

Might makes right (we will administer vigilante justice).

The end justifies the means (Saddam is gone -- that is what's important, so war and casualties are justified).

Fifty-plus years of U.N. development have been undermined to impose our own dogmatic world view (nobody can tell us what to do).

We are willing to spend all of our money on military hardware (education and health care will have to wait).

HARLAN E. FIEHLER

Cape Girardeau