Justin Pavoni

Watching the Republican debates has become a surreal experience, particularly when it comes to foreign policy. Terrorism in general and ISIS in particular were very much the focus area of the fifth and final GOP presidential debate in 2015 and fear is what’s for Christmas. There was actually nothing to debate during the undercard discussion…hardcore … Continue reading “The Clash of Stupidity: Republican Debate Part V”

Let’s discuss conscientious objection. For those who don’t know what it is, conscientious objection is a moral or religious opposition to war. It is essentially the refusal to participate on moral or religious grounds. So I am a conscientious objector. Interestingly enough, before I conscientiously objected, I was an F-15E fighter pilot. I deployed twice … Continue reading “Opting Out: A Small Step for Peace”

American soldiers are not permitted to make moral assessments about the wars in which they are tasked to fight. This is not meant to be an inflammatory statement. The simple fact of the matter is that if a soldier believes a war to be unjust, and decides to act on his or her moral convictions … Continue reading “On Soldiers and Moral Principles”

The Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), or Public Law 107-40, was passed as a reactionary measure to the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001. It is difficult to overstate the aggregate emotion of the American public (and the world for that matter) as a consequence of the day’s events. I was in-between … Continue reading “Repeal the AUMF”

Why does everyone care so much about the Middle East? The answer is obvious: it’s all about the oil. Do you really think the United States would give a damn about Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, or Libya if they didn’t control so much of the world’s master resource? Not a chance. Seen in this … Continue reading “US Foreign Policy: War for Money”

President Obama recently sent a small contingent of American troops back into Iraq in order to support a weak and corrupt Iraqi regime that has been losing territory to a group of rebel fighters known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). The ISIS is a spin-off of the rebel fighters that … Continue reading “Iraq Will Solve Itself When We Leave It Alone”