Salon recently published some absolutley horrific photos from the war in Iraq (click on the "photo gallery" link to view them, but be forewarned--they are deeply, deeply disturbing. I feel ill just thinking about them now.) As hard as it is to see these pictures, it is so important that they are made available--the media normally shields us from the true pain and tragedy of war. These photos bring it home in the most visceral way.

Many readers have written letters commending Salon's decision to publish the photos. Kim Pananides suggests the photos should be enlarged and displayed at Camp Casey; "It may be the only way that our president ever sees them," she writes, "since he's so busy getting on with his life these days."

K. Frederick writes:

As a human being, I am repulsed and tormented by the photos of war you have published. As an American, I am both disgraced by and outraged at what our government has done, and continues to do, especially in the name of 9/11. I am a native New Yorker who was there that day and lost many dear friends; this is not justice for them or me. It may seem an odd thing to say thank you for: grotesque, painful images that are supposed to be "too real" for us, but I do thank you, and salute you, for showing us the truth of what our troops are going through, and, more importantly, allowing us to finally begin looking in the mirror.