Earlier this week, Big Government posed an interesting question that remains unanswered: If Illinois Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias is a dual U.S.-Greek citizen, and lived in Greece for more than a year in the late 1990s, how did he get around Greece’s military service requirement?
Under Greek law, all citizens must serve in the military once they turn 18. Much like in Israel, Greek citizens will perform a period of military service after high school.
Alexi Giannoulias was a college graduate when he came to Greece – an age meeting the requirement for military service. So how did he get around the requirement?
As we await an explanation from the Giannoulias camp as to how he successfully dodged the draft (the Giannoulias camp won’t return my phone calls), the news that Alexi Giannoulias is a dual citizen should itself raise other questions.
According to an August 16, 2000 memorandum signed by Assistant Secretary of Defense Arthur Money, the “possession and/or use of a foreign passport” may be a disqualifying condition to receive a security clearance. Does Alexi Giannoulias hold a Greek passport? Would he have to renounce his Greek citizenship in order to receive classified briefings?
Greece is an ally, but we don’t share everything with every ally. Should a U.S. senator receiving some of the most sensitive information our government collects be a citizen of another country at the same time?
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