I think people are mixing up what normal, average people call "Honor" and what these Mafia criminals call Honor. Honor for us normal people is being a good person, striving for good deeds and helping others around you for the sake of global peace and happiness. For a mobster it could mean something totally different, as their is no such definition really of what honor is as it's different to everybody.

I agree though that the Italians in the mafia in Italy are much more disciplined and have more "honor" in what they are in. They go to incredible lengths to keep up what they aim for, yes , they even hide in holes and bunkers as if they were in Iraq fighting terrorists. In that sense they have much more honor and pride for what they stand for. In Italy which I go to every year, It is safe to say that respect comes first, even though they earn hell loads of money.

In America it's the other way around. Even the Mafia informants in Italy in the past haven't betrayed their friends because they fear prison. For example Buscetta apparently tried to commit suicide instead of co-operating. But when this failed he feared not for his life, but for his family.