"Are programs like The School of the America's necessary for our national security?"
Sure! But only if you want to keep our national security at 'High Risk'level.
These are 'academies' of covert aggression.An embarrassment!
I'd rather still think of these programs as Schools Of Assassins.
I also find it hard to deal with the knowledge that such places EVEN EXIST in The United States of America!
Supposedly,this great land of 'freedom & rights'?
Yet,a hidden,rarely publicized,training camp for multi-national mercenaries,guerrillas,fundamentalists,camouflage killers,quick-rental armies to rush in and pull the trigger without question or morality? With full immunity against accusations of human-rights abuse and all-out murder,basically.
Looks,to the rest of the world,like America has it's own version of AlQaeda(The Base).
Listening to Bush spout off his famous line,"We seek peace,we strive for peace....",whilst contemplating places such as S.O.A.,JTF Guantanamo(ACTUAL motto being,"Honor Bound-To defend Freedom" LOL!)is rather nauseating.
Now,whenever I see Bush' face,I hit the 'mute' button.He's not even funny anymore,even though he remains a joke!
I can picture institutions like SOA existing in the rocky northern Sahara desert(IRA PLO etc,in the past)or deep in the South American or Central African hot-spots, or Afghanistan/Pakistan etc,where tribal war-lords and drug-lords rule with a gun or fist. BUT,to realise that these 'spawning-grounds' of death and destruction survive,and prosper HERE,from the fiscal budget of the USA Government,is heart-breaking because of the hypocrisy and amorality.
How can we, as civilians,citizens AND HUMANS have faith in our ELECTED legislators,who spout "freedom,justice,democracy",and profess to "seek peace",when in the next breath,they ENDORSE aggression,oppression,and immunity for privately hired-killers by allowing and 'diplomatically' ignoring that,these 'Institutions of Chaos' quietly persist?
These institutions also tend to reflect the real face of American politics,sadly!
Hypocrisy and double-standards.
This reflects VERY badly on the ordinary American people,many of whom are innocently(or delibarately)OBLIVIOUS to these places! It always amazes me that the USA is so "mighty",but knows so little about THE REST of the planet,and mankind.
For such a huge country,it remains so insular,censored,un-informed and in many ways behind many other countries in progressive thought,freedom and deed.
If one observes the present 'deeds' of US Government, then 'academies' such as SOA would seem to fit in quite well with their goals? Especilly,if the "might" of America seems to lean now toward 'muscle','brawn'and human wastage ,INSTEAD of world knowledge,humility,frugality,compassion,common-sense,quality education,trades,professions and international trust and integrity.
As long as institutions such as The School of 'Assassins' exist,Americas national security will remain at risk,because of the actions of a these violent minorities,reflect on the ordinary peace-loving MAJORITY.
If the School of America's is to reflect the principles of the USA,then it should be RAZED to the ground, and rebuilt,as something we can ADMIT to and be PROUD of!

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience,
we are spiritual beings,having a human experience"
(Chinese,I think? Maybe Tao?)

"Are programs The School of the America's necessary for our national security?"

Well, no. It destroys any real security because they destroy people. I always have loved Jeddu Krishnamurti's statements about how "the ends do not justify the means -- they are the means."

When you train foreign soldiers to fight supposedly "counter-insurgency" groups (which is a very loose term -- you could call anyone who isn't 100% in agreement with you a counter-insurgent if you wanted to), and these soldiers repeatedly kill innocent, UNARMED civilians, it becomes a no-brainer about what the real nature of the SOA is.

What surprises me is that the SOA even exists. But then, I've never been one to really look at the evil side of my fellow man. There are apparently a lot of bizarre misconceptions about the nature of reality in most people's heads, or they wouldn't think entities like the SOA are necessary, and thus would be very upset about its continued existence were its real nature known to them.

Even famous "Gurus" like Maharishi Mahesh Yogi are often exhibited extreme naïvety when it comes to political realities, stating in the late 1970's that "world peace" had been achieved!(and this was when the genocide in East Timor was really ramping up, the civil war in Guatemala was very active, and Afghanistan was about to be invaded by the Soviets).

This naivety of his was often the subject (and perhaps still is) of humor by those familiar with him, such as his late friend Charles F. Lutes, who liked to relate funny anecdotes about him. One story Mr. Lutes told was when he warned Maharishi about a man that was a con-artist, but Maharishi insisted he was honest. After the man had ripped them off, Maharishi then was said to have told Charlie that he "should have listened" (to Charlie).

That kind of simple naivety is funny, especially when told by someone like the late Charles Lutes. But when naivety extends to entities like the American government . . . it kind get kind of irritating, perplexing, and even agonizing and/or angering, because people's lives are at stake, and the heart is wrenched.

Really, I think all the enlightened gurus, teachers, etc. should get together and sue the US government for breach of trust. That way, even if nothing comes of it, at least people will know that such individuals really don't support mass murder and genocide -- and that life isn't just a joke, after all. Breaking through their "wall of silence," however, seems as difficult as breaking through the silence of the media and the government itself, or perhaps even harder, since there is so much good will along with the indifferent callousness. It is such a strange mixture!

To me, it would seem that with all the teachers and preachers that we've had would be more like Father Roy . . . or Jesus. The story in the gospel comes to mind when Jesus became furious with the blatant mercantilism in the church and briefly "lost control." I hate to even think about how angry a truly enlightened person would be with the World Bank, IMF, SOA, etc. etc. etc.

Are programs like The School of the America's necessary for our national security? Tell us what you think!