Amos- You are very eloquent. I agree that the Reinhold Niebuhr theory could be taken by some very frightening person and made into something terrible. This is, however, where my faith comes into the picture. I do believe in free will and I do believe that most people would prefer to live in the comfort and joy of peace. I think that eventually, most strive for it.
That's not to say there aren't evil monstrous people in the world. We all know they exist. Those who have power, as in Hussein's case, are a threat to EVERYONE not only by virtue of their existence, but by virtue of their power. By and large, though, I think most people are much happier without chaos and violence in their lives. That's where the individual morality vs. the group morality argument that Niebuhr posits makes its appearance for me. It's sort of like the argument about corporate morality vs. corporate sin (in the business/corporate sense...)
As to what you said about wars being glorified by those who survived them... I think most people elevate whatever struggle in which they have been involved. It's a coping mechanism. My point about most people who support the war not glorifying it may be more neatly stated this way. I do not relish the thought of people dying and being injured to reach the end that we are seeking. I do not like that my family and friends are in harms way to reach our goal. I am not happy that other people's sons, daughters, husbands, wives, or parents might lose their lives in pursuit of Iraqi liberation, but I do not see another way to accomplish it. It is a hard reality for me, but one that I support.