would that be like the "debates" that ensue over America's double standards/hypocrisy regarding the Geneva Conventions, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, or any of the many treaties Ondelette or GG posts about . . .

Dontchaya know IOKIYAOI (it's ok if you're America or Israel).

Apparently the new/old world order isn't predicated on principles like truth, domestic or international rule of law, reason, science, moral consistency . . . it's based on fear, propoganda, and threatened or actual violence, and threatened or actual economic extortion.

To quote Robert Downey Jr. AKA Tony Stark

"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both? They say that the best weapon is the one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it, that's how America does it... and it's worked out pretty well so far. I present to you the newest in [Raytheon Industries] Freedom line. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee, the bad guys won't even wanna come out of their caves. Ladies and gentlemen, for your consideration... the Jericho (ironic to say the least to name a weapon after the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world situated in the Palestinian territories--seriously I thought only Amerika was "civilized")."

Only problem with this fictional scenario is that we keep losing the bigger war (we are neither feared, respected, nor loved) by breeding enemies with our moral hypocrisy, world economy bankrupting economic ideology, desires for global hegemony, and a cultural hubris bordering on "teh delusional."

We very well may be Russia in a decade--corrupt oligarchy with an either ex-military or intelligence "man" at the helm of our faux democracy.

CIA works for him . . . all he has to privately ask for their resignations or publically fire and replace them. And then put them under "legal" surveillance from that period forward. Maybe F with them on their pensions and move on. Problem solved.

It isn't like we're getting some great value out the the CIA as taxpayers. They arguably cause as much harm as they do good. And if you've ever worked for the US government--"intelligence agency" is largely an oxymoron.

Do you smell that? Smells like . . . can't quite place it . . . smells like . . . oh yeah . . . "teh stoooopid it burns".

What I can't fathom is how somebody who isn't "1/10" informed enough to know shit from shinola and doesn't have the capacity to walk without dragging his knuckles on the ground (no insult intended to neanderthals who by evolutionary comparison would have given you a serious run for your intellectual money and weren't knuckledraggers) actually knows how to operate a computer keyboard.

Did you learn via the carrot and stick method of training lower mammals i.e. you type something that mimics words or coherent thought and the machine dispenses a food pellet or teaspoon of cherry koolaid and if you don't "it gets the hose" or a dose of electrical "disincentive".

Here's a novel idea since you haven't contributed one meaningful thing to this website, ever, why not head back on over to Redstate or Rush's blog and you can "intellectually" fellate each other until that Cheney signed copy of the PNAC manifesto arrives by snail mail.

You can't possibly be serious when you make the following statement:

surely a non-citizen willing to serve our country in uniform is demonstrating a greater degree of commitment to the ideals of citizenship than most of us are ever called upon to show.

So as a native born citizen I'm less commited to the ideals (i.e. the Constitution, the rule of law, being informed citizen) of "citizenship" than most.

So let me understand what you believe. A poor non-citizen who likely seeks a better economic life who joins the US military and kills in its name based on lies, is more commited to the "ideals" of America than a citizen non-soldier who protests those lies and tries to prevent pointless unnecessary loss of life regardless of nationality. Is that what you believe?

If you do you are an ignoranus i.e. an idiot and an asshole.

Mr. Astore, if you believed in respecting your oath as an officer to protect and defend the US Constitution, wasn't it you and your colleagues obligation to resign your commissions rather than wage war on largely defenseless populations in violation of UN mandates or participate in anything that remotely resembled "torture", or "extraordinary renditions" . . . etc. etc. etc.

If the American military is so noble and simply choosing the highest form of "citizenship" why are some officers not satisfied with their pensions and instead become "contractors" after their service commitment is completed? Is it about service to the national interest or money?

And BTW I get to serve my country by trying to financially patch (if that's even possible) up the broken lives and bodies destroyed by the "just following orders" military mindset.

Here's the bottom line--this is a huge geographically isolated most heavily armed culture in the world that spends 50% of its disposable national income (more than the world combined) to protect against boogeymen with sticks and spread our economic hegemony or protect theft. Read a little Smedley Butler. It's a frickin money based Ponzi scheme, an anachronism, and a racket. Wise up. A fleet of nuclear submarines protects us how and against whom exactly?