Bit like the old Commie defense of Stalinism really. Can't make an omlette without breaking a few eggs and so on. People aren't eggs though. In any case, Allende and his followers would have been voted out at the next election.
Exactly. Chile had at the time one of the strongest and most established parliamentary systems in Latin America - Allende had been in power for 3 years and approaching the end of his term and re-election (which he would have lost; his popularity went down the tubes after election). To support such a military action against him renders talk of "democracy" hypocritical at best.
Btw Bono, do you support the murder of this guy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Schneider