The altered photo trivializes the sacrifices of the Iwo veterans. There is no comparison of WW2 and global warming. The magazine cover presents a muddled message. The editorial choice of taking the photo out of context was a poor one.

 I can't add to Catpaws response.  Outrageous.

We'll be using the Marines before long to help counter the effects of global warming.  And it will be a noble service.

.

I don't see any problem with the illustration.

 I wonder if "the Marines aren't happy about it" is a bit of an overstatement.  I'm sure some Marines aren't happy about it and I'll bet some think it's entirely appropriate.

 A news weekly like Time is charged with explaining news to us intellectually handicapped masses. Their communication must necessarily be concise. The cover is contrived by Time's editorial staff, not a reprint of an advant garde artist. The symbolism of the cover is unclear and not readily understood without an explanation. If the cover is that complicated, printing it is a poor editorial choice.  

Complicated?  "The struggle to reverse global warming is going to take an effort on a par with what we did in WWII, and will be as important to the future of the world." 

.

The "intellectually handicapped masses" are so handicapped because they've been conditioned, over many years, to shut off their brains when any of certain trigger phrases are uttered by the Powers That Be.  One of those phrases is "support the troops." 

 Call me handicapped, the picture did not trigger the intent of the message. The explanation of the picture does. In which case, why print the picture?

 Perhaps a cover depicting an atomic bomb destroying Arnold Schwarzenegger's private jet he uses to commute daily from L.A. to Sacramento and Al Gore's carbon stomping mansion and a list of all the places in the world he travels to would better symbolize the WW2 sized task and the fact that the some of the biggest personal abusers of the environment are leading this parade.

 Time magazine just isn't as good as Newsweek, no matter what's on the cover.  A more relevant picture would have been Marines propping up a polar bear, but then, us dummy masses would probably wonder how wrestling with polar bears could save the environment.