The Best and the Brightest?

There's an old saying that says "You reap what you sow." In the case of the video below, it is nearly impossible to ignore the military's commitment to lowering standards in order to meet recruiting quotas. The military now offers waivers for felons, high school dropouts, and illegal aliens (who are "rewarded" with citizenship if they survive their tours as mercenaries) - and there's little doubt the guy in the video below is a byproduct of the military's latest recruiting strategy.

To be sure, the person in the video does not represent the military as a whole; I'm certain he's one of a very small minority of soldiers who would actually commit such egregious acts on other humans. Further, I realize I'm assuming the worst in believing the authenticity of the video.

Real or not, perhaps the most disturbing element in the video the soldier's apathetic, sinister attitude towards Iraqis - his salacious demeanor while recalling his Iraq experiences as well as the hollow excuses offered in his defense is beyond disgusting. Videos like this lend credence to the belief that Americans are becoming the very monsters they purportedly set out to destroy.