Chuck.
Your post was well written and thought out. I know of the camps you are talking about, and I also know of plenty of operations where CIA has engaged in terrorism to further it's aims. Toppling Alliende of Chile comes to mind, The Bay of Pigs as well, but all of this has to be taken in the context of the times. The U.S government was profoundly afraid of Soviet expansion within the hemesphere and took, in retrospect, very questionable steps to thwart that. We all know about this. It is well documented.
I would, however, be careful using the word "rogue superpower". For all it's faults I think everyone here knows, in particular the Europeans, what the U.S. has done for the world in the last century. I shudder to think what the world would be like if Hitler had prevailed, or if the Soviet model had come out victorious at the end of the cold war. If we had to "choose" a superpower I doubt we could do better.
As for Guns. I am a pilot in the U.S. I fly domestic. I have flown over the smoldering hole in Manhattan doing the Hudson visual into LGA. I am deeply concerned about security, but I don't think guns in the cockpit is the answer. I have read posts from both sides of the fence and agree with most of them, but I just can't get used to the idea. one thing is for sure, this will be debated for a long time to come.