These aren't "my" wars, I thought Gulf War I was a lie and protested then, I thought Afghanistan was unnecessary 8 years ago, and I protested the invasion of Iraq (not that anyone in government listened). Do you understand? I don't think you do.

When presented with unrelenting violence, there is no pacifist answer. In that way, violence and militarism are like rabies, there is no cure for the disease, only a bullet to the head. Sometimes the rabid are their own executioners (Hitler, Himmler), the rest of the time an everyday Joe has to do the task and it affects them the rest of their lives. There were a lot of World War II veterans who saw and did unspeakable horrors, but they regretted everything they had to do and did not take glee in "kicking ass".

And how should intelligence react when confronted with violence? If violence is unavoidable, intelligence has to summon up greater violence to prevail. When a bully shakes his fist in your face, you pull a knife on him; when a mugger flashes a knife, you show him your gun; when you are attacked by the world's largest armada, you develop the atom bomb.

Don't tell me I'm "free" either. In this country, I'm NOT free to marry someone of the same sex and it's not "free" to get medical care or express an opinion. The only people you fight for are the moneyed people who want to control the oil in Iraq. You should read more of what Smedley Butler has written. Here is a link to Butler's 'War Is A Racket', maybe it will open your eyes: http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisa...