I wonder what ties there are to Tony’s Blair’s announcement of British soldiers pulling-out of Iraq and Prince Harry’s deployment there?

Opinions anyone?

Great column, as usual. My question: can we find a stronger, more biting term than “chicken hawk”? To me, this term does not fully convey the true cowardice of these individuals, people who fervently support wars, but are themselves too cowardly to commit themselves to it.

One idea I thought of was “the yellow-stripe” crowd.

“As for the rich exploiting the poor, and the smart exploiting the stupid, when in human history has it ever been otherwise?  Whether you reinstate the draft or not, those who are smart enough or rich enough to get out of it, will.”

Serginho,
So we can take comfort in knowing that we belong to a long historical tradition where being a creep, crook and sociopath is totally acceptable.

The previous postings were discussing the “decency” of implementing a program of “national service,” recruiting ALL and allowing for NO deferments.

It is interesting that you say exploitation is evitable among the classes and then you BLAME the troops for their circumstances—-a little contradictory, wouldn’t you say?

BTW, is it possible that a large percentage of the 3,162 U.S. dead and the more than 23,677 wounded did not vote for Bush, and if that is the case, would you then bring yourself to feel sorry for the American troops in Iraq?

While I admire the service of Prince Harry and the example he is trying to set, I cannot bring myself to feel sorry for the American troops in Iraq.

Not only did each and every one of them volunteer for military service, but they voted ovewhelmingly, not once but twice, for George “The Duh-cider” Bush.  They come from parts of the US that vote overwhelmingly Republican, and this is Bush and the Republicans’ war.  The troops’ votes undoubtedly tipped the 2000 election in Florida to the Duh-cider, and they certainly knew what they were getting by the time 2004 rolled around.  No one is more responsible than the troops themselves for the predicament they find themselves in. 

As for the rich exploiting the poor, and the smart exploiting the stupid, when in human history has it ever been otherwise?  Whether you reinstate the draft or not, those who are smart enough or rich enough to get out of it, will. 

The only answer is not to elect the likes of Duh and Tricky Dick Chicanery (the real president, but I digress) in the first place.  Because if you do, you get what you deserve, and the “plight” of US military personnel occasioned by the leadership they helped pick is a perfect illustration.

It is interesting to see the reaction to this. It is no big deal. The featuring of the prince is a splash made by a press which has become-celebrity oriented. And it is a mistake to think that those who serve are politically motivated. While men and women in the services must be politically sensitive, they cannot afford to indulge in active politics on the value of their services while engaged, unlike some US deserters who have fled the war and tried to find a haven in Canada because they haven’t got the guts to serve out their term. 

First, for at least a century, service in the British, Canadian and Australian and New Zealand forces has been voluntary except in two wartime periods when conscription (draft) was implemented out of dire necessity of providing sufficient men (and officers)to man the armed forces. Actually, in both World Wars there was no conscription until the horrible losses in the Somme made it necessary. Before that, the fighting was done by standing forces and already-trained reserves.  Woman have never been conscripted, although they have been channelled into war industries. To the professional military man, a draftee is next to militarily useless until he has had several years of training.

The reason for this in my day was that enough men and women are willing to serve to meet peacetime requirements that a draft was not only unnecessary but considered undesireable. Mind you, we do not have the huge armed forces as does the US nor do we usually inject ourselves into misconcieved and misbegotten political adventures such as Viet Nam and Iraq. Actually, it was surprising to me that Britain and Australia comsented to Bush’s second Gulf war. And I see their people are making noises so that they don’t repeat the mistake by getting involved with an ill-considered idea in a war with Iran. Such conjectures make one question the sanity of Bush and his administration.

In ‘peacetime’ our roles have been to buttress the UN so-called Peace actions - from Korea in 1950 to Afghanistan in 2007.

I noticed that many young Americans from the “elite” with whom I served thought it their duty to educate themselves into military usefulness at one of the academies or ROTC, serve in the active forces for a few years and then retire to the reserves. And so it has been in Britain and the Commonwealth.

In sum, it has been traditional that royalty, including those in the direct line in Britain be involved in active service as a matter of duty where ever possible. ‘A man’s a man for aw that!’

Eleanore K. has exactly the right idea:  a compulsary National Service, with options like the Peace Corps, Vista, teaching assistancys in inner-city schools, and, of course, military service.  Two years after high school, or while completing high school for drop-outs, or contracted after deferment for college with the option of participating in R. O. T. C. and graduating with a commission.  It’s time to get the gang-bangers into productive activities, the elite resource-wasters into something purposeful, and the drifting into service options that might help them establish some realistic goals based on real experience and self-assessment of their abilities under test.

Now, as for Bert’s idea that the prince should stay home playing polo, or engaging in some other pastime, the fact that he could have chosen to do so makes his determination to serve with his “boys” just that much more noble and significant.  What a fine example he is setting!  There are many such in this country too.  Where do you think the classes at West Point and the other service academies come from, the pampered?  The unmotivated?  What about those in the R. O. T. C. programs?  And those who have joined the National Guard and go, uncomplaining, to serve in a war that they didn’t foresee when they signed up.  The Prince Harry is not indulging in a publicity stunt.  He chose to become an officer in the Blues and Royals, and is standing up like a man to do his duty as he sees it, despite having the clear option to do otherwise.

The only way to end pre-emptive wars is to reinstate the draft where the selection pool is all inclusive and undetachable with retroactive call ups. This I guarantee you will make the Bushites and their ilk much more accountable. For right now, they can execute wars without any, and I do mean any, personal losses. It is criminal use of the lives of the less fortunate and it must come to an end immediately!!!

“By what turn of history did a nation founded in rebellion against absolute power wielded by a coddled elite become less concerned with equal treatment and shared sacrifice than the monarchy it overthrew?”

The U.S. has become a disposable society, tons of cheap items manufactured in China are used and quickly discarded, and in this same manner, human life is assessed and given varied value; those viewed as having less importance are cavalierly discarded.  As a result, our democracy is a well-stratified system, where those from the upper-classes are very cognizant of their worth, and as such, know they are not expected to do the “heavy lifting.”

Neo-conservatives dismiss European culture as being decadent and socialistic, but how interesting that this decadent society has a “sense of honor”—-Prince Harry is part of the tradition that believes it is NOBLE to serve ones country and that military service has value: “There’s no way I’m going to put myself through Sandhurst and then sit on my arse back home while my boys are out fighting for their country,” a statement such as this would never be heard from the precious mouths of the highly valued American young adult.

The U.S. investment class makes money, dirtying their hands in patriotic pursuits is not an option.  And that is why, this all-voluntary military, is really a “very selective service”—-singling out children from the poor and working-class for recruitment—-in a system where life has varied values; the ultimate sacrifice of the poor is just a bit more palatable.

And so this explains, why the elite are not quite so conscientious about the needs of the troops; the quality of their equipment; the comprehensiveness of their healthcare; the abusiveness of rotations; the inadequacy of their pay--why should they care at all—-they have no vested interest—-their children are not serving, their friends are not enlisting and their precious progeny are kept far away from the war.

National service for ALL has been discussed and forgotten—-a system that prides itself on saying all citizens are equal in a democracy, is obliged to demonstrate the truth of that statement by initiating a national service, where ALL citizens must participate—-a bumper sticker is just NOT enough.

Hey, if the grandson of the Queen can do it, can the the Bush daughters be far behind?  FAR behind, indeed, like their father during Viet Nam.

I don’t think the Prince has any business on the battlefield, personally, I think it’s a stunt, and should be forbidden. Wars should largely be left to generals, and royalty, no matter how high-minded the purpose, should do something else as a pastime…

I wonder if the first daughters ever visit the wounded while recovering from serious wounds they received fighting in daddy’s war, which he refers to as the “Noble Cause?”

You would think that would be the least they could do.

It’s lovely and patriotic and all those other things. Really. I respect him for it. I have friends in the service and I’ve seen the personal sacrifice it takes to go put your life on the line out there. But I take issue with him being seen as “the spare” and that being an excuse. Whatever, he’s still a single digit in line for the throne, and it’s still irresponsible from a political and familial point of view to send him to war. You wouldn’t see Jenna Bush in combats traipsing around the desert. I take issue with the war in general, but that’s off-topic. He’s talibait. Come on. You don’t think at least some of his regiment are nervous about going with him? It’s for the greater good for him not to go...but that’s just me.

I think we need to start showing a little more respect for draft dodger war mongers like Dick Cheney and George Bush. Then we should put a gun in their hands and get their butts over there. Them first, then their kids.

If reinstituting the draft, we should begin by drafting everyone over 50. If that flies, then we can move down the chronological latter.

The military is a tool.  Like a tool it can be used well or used poorly.  Like a tool, the shards and chips of this tool(the individual soldiers) are of no concern to the tools user(W).  I frequently read that the President MUST DO this or MUST DO that with relation to the troops.  The first thing to think about when these things come up is that George W Bush DOES NOT CARE.  He DOES NOT CARE about the United States.  He DOES NOT CARE about the military.  He DOES NOT CARE what happens to Iraq.  The man is a phycopath with extreme narcasistic overtones.  When he is speaking just remember that HE DOES NOT CARE about what he is speaking about.  Bush, brush and bikes.  That is what he cares about.  Not you, not me, not ever.

Troops home now, or start the draft and EVERYONE of appropriate age is required to register… EVERYONE!

Off with the upper-scum’s heads.

And then beg Iraq’s forgivness.

Marie Cocco makes a valid point about comparing Prince Harry to “chicken hawks” in the US and elsewhere who promote war, as long as others fight, die and get horribly injured.

The psychology of these chicken hawks is simple in some ways, and also complex in many cases.

It is very useful to focus on this chicken hawk mentality and to understand it as completely as possible.

For more on this, see:

“Chicken hawks are real and dangerous”

By Steve Hammons
Columnist, PopulistAmerica.com
Populist Party of America
November 26, 2006

http://www.populistamerica.com/chicken_hawks_are_real_ and_dangerous

“The veterans’ health care system has been underfunded for years” So underfunded that the VA uses a ploy that if you can’t produce your DD214 you will not be granted services. How many soldiers were smart enough to keep that piece of paper? Every GI should go to their county court house and record their DD214. The government also is chiseling the retired GI’s by declining health services from base hospitals and forcing them into the VA programs. To add salt to the wounds...VA hospitals are making GI’s pay for services, no longer free as promised. Sadder yet, the government appoints some miserable ex GI big shot officer to figure ways to screw the lowly GI. I can’t think of one OIC that has not been a detriment to VA hospitalization. Where are the officers who championed the GI on the battle field? These highly decorated generals that now ignore the one’s that made their command shine so brightly. The shame should start at the top chain of command. Oh that would be war-hero Bush.

Good for Harry! Stiff upper lip, and all that rot.

The only stiff thing about the Bushitter gang of thugs are the pudenda they use for screwing the lower classes. It’s a war for oil, and the losses are minimal compared with the gains for the upper class Americans, or more properly the putting off of the gigantic losses they must eventually incur even with the purloined oil to prop up the dollar and its shaky economy.

I doubt the wisdom of putting a prince royal on the battle lines or even in Iraq, although it is the right thing for him to do personally if he supports the ill advised operation. My problem with his going there, can he serve in any real way considering that his value to the Iraqi Opposition will be as a high profile target. Doesn’t sound to me like a good idea for him or his unit.

If he serves in the middle of the Green Zone than it won’t have much more meaning than if he stayed at home in a bar. Still in compared to Bush/Cheney it is a brave thing he does.