What would President Barlett do?

In the latest two episodes surrounding the inauguration of the fictional president of the NBC show West Wing, President Barlett (Martin Sheen) wrestles with sending troops to the fictional nation of Equitorial Kundu to stop the slaughter of innocent civilians by a dictatorship. Bartlett remarks to speech writer Bailey (Joshua Molina), "Why is a Kundunese life worth less to me than an American life?"

To which Bailey counters, "I don't know, Sir, but it is."

Toward the end of the two-part episode, Barlett decides to send troops into Kundu.

Now, back to the real world, on KABC Eyewitness news over the weekend they showed Martin Sheen and some other cast members of West Wing participating in the anti-war rallies in Los Angeles. Sheen had a brief interview where he came out against the war.

So why is an American life worth more than an Iraqi's life?