A PLANE FULL of 300 U.S. Marines had to make an unscheduled landing in Portsmouth early Monday morning. Good thing it wasn't grounded in Berkeley, Calif.

After reminding America why it is a national laughing-stock, the Berkeley City Council meets tonight to reconsider its anti-Marine vote of two weeks ago. The council voted 6-3 to send a letter to the Marines calling a new local recruiting station "not welcome in our city" and labeling Marine recruiters "uninvited and unwelcome intruders."

We're pretty sure the Taliban and al-Qaida consider Marines "uninvited and unwelcome intruders," but an American city council?

The council also voted to give anti-war group Code Pink a free parking space in front of the Marine recruiting office so the protesters would always have easy access for their protests.

When liberals complain about being portrayed as anti-American, well, this is why.

Here in the sane world, there are few so hostile to the military. Even in New Hampshire's most left-leaning cities and towns, you will find some, but not many, who would call the Marines unwelcome intruders. Maybe that's because so many of New Hampshire's sons and daughters wear the uniform.

We were proud to read in the New Hampshire Sunday News this past Sunday about three young men who have just signed up to defend their country. They understand the necessity of a strong national defense. And thankfully, so do most Granite Staters, no matter their political persuasion.