PRESIDENT JOSIAH BARTLETT: Did you know that two thousand years ago, a citizen of Rome could walk across the face of the known world, free of the fear of molestation? He could walk across the earth, cloaked only in the protection of the words Civus Romanus. "I am a Roman citizen." Where was Morris' protection, or anyone else on that plane? Where is the retribution for the families? And where is the warning to the rest of the world, that Americans shall walk this earth unharmed, lest the clenched fist of the most mighty military force in the history of man comes crashing down on your house? In other words, Leo, what the hell are we doing here?
CHIEF OF STAFF LEO MCGARRY: We are behaving the way a superpower ought to behave.
JB: Well our behavior has produced some pretty crappy results. Matter of fact, I'm not sure it hasn't induced them.
LM: What are you talking about?
JB: I'm talking about 286 American Marines in Beirut! I'm talking about Somalia, I'm talking about Nairobi!
LM: And you think ratcheting up the body count is going to act as a deterrent?
JB: Damn right!
LM: Well then you are just as stupid as these guys who think the death penalty is going to act as a deterrent against drug kingpins. As though drug kingpins don't already live their daily lives under the possibility of execution. And their executions are a lot less dainty than ours, and tend to take place without the bother and expense of due process. So, my friend, if you want to start using American military might as the Arm of the Lord...you can do that. We're the only superpower left. You can conquer the world, like Charlemagne. But you better be prepared to kill everyone. And you better start with me, because I will raise up an army against you, and I will beat you.
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JB: Ah, Leo...When I think about all the effort you put into getting me to run, and all the work you did to get me elected, I could pummel your ass with a baseball bat.
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