WTH is WarZone that someone even bothered to edit a wikipedia page to say "WarLight, an online game due to be renamed as WarZone in the near future"? The only thing google finds is Warzone 2100 which does not seem to be of any relevance?
P.S. to be on topic, one more voice against new cards and for making them optional/configurable. Make it one more setting on the settings page, and most novice players won't even find it for some time (so if the goal is to satisfy new players it is achieved) while old players will be happier.
As someone suggested, the bottom of the card could show the setting of the card (e.g. percentage for Sanctions, how many turns Diplomacy lasts, how many armies a Reinforcement card gives, etc).
I like them. Sorry. To me, it actually feels more like the old Risk I've played a few times - goofy, old-fashioned cards, little soldier figures hopping around the board, washed-out colours... yeah, it fits.
I understand you all liked the simplicity of the former cards, but I could very well understand if that was done out of necessity, not preference, and that as a game maker/designer, it's jarring to have to do years with cards you didn't like that much.
Kain's cards gets one thing right: small image, big border to clearly identify it. i would still get a designer to improve the text alignments before using them in games though. and the 3 letter acronyms don't really work imho. rather read the full name of the card below it.