Jon Stewart made an argument a while ago while talking to Ramesh Ponnuru.
Ramesh Ponnuru On The Daily Show
Jon: Lets talk about stem cells, because you don’t want to talk about abortion. The President said, “I do not condone the taking of innocent life to save life” and I assume that is your position on stem cell research.
Ramesh:Yes that’s right.
Jon: but couldn’t you say that is the exact justification of the Iraqi war.
…
Jon: There are civilian that have nothing to do with this that are dieing by the thousands.
Ramesh: But any war has civilian casualties
…
Jon: but what they consider collateral damage in that war, somehow is not acceptable when it might lead to a cure for lets say parkinson’s.
Video… at about 5 mins in.
Tony Snow, Press secretary:
“The President believes strongly that for the purpose of research it’s inappropriate for the federal government to finance something that many people consider murder; he’s one of them. ”
White House press conference transcripts
Many people view killing Iraqi citizens as murder.
edit:
Marty McFly needs our help, will America let him down?
and Jon: