Um...McCain's son anyone?

Yeah, McCain's son is serving. But that's beside the point since he's the exception rather than the rule.

Most politicians don't have much of a personal disincentive to start a war. In fact, many of them have *incentives* to start one, with "defense" contractors and other war profiteers greasing their campaign wheels. Ralph's talking about creating some personal disincentive. Unfortunately, it would involve potentially innocent people who may disagree with their parents. I say conscript a portion of the politicians themselves. Let them lose their seats via lottery and serve on the front lines. Then voting for or starting a war means that you *really* have to believe in it.

Can you imagine George W packing an M16 in Afghanistan or Iraq?

Hey thats all very good and well, but you have to understand that a big portion of this is all Public Relations. Has Harry had to actually get his hands dirty yet? Or is he still clutching sliver spoons?

It is better that at least the sons of royals are expected to sign up but you dont see tony blair's son putting on his helmet and heading for the trenches. Congress and the house of commons are the political forces of USA and UK. They dont rely on our opinion of them in the same way as the royals do who no longer rule by force and need but by a public image.

If you guys (Im English, live in Oakland) had a royal family they would probably have to do similar things to maintain public image.

The sons of royals have always gone to war but few have ever had to fight with the common soldier and few have left their velvet tents except to watch the battle safely from the back on an armoured horse.

I do agree that sons of polititions should go to war like you said ... and Harry does look pretty damn cool with the shades and the Khaki pants...but thats it...its public image....two years ago the royals were going mad because Harry smoked lots of pot and turned up at a fancy dress party as a Nazi officer..started ruining the public image...so ..they put him in the military!!
just take it with a pinch of salt is all im saying : )

Hey thats all very good and well, but you have to understand that a big portion of this is all Public Relations. Has Harry had to actually get his hands dirty yet? Or is he still clutching sliver spoons?

It is better that at least the sons of royals are expected to sign up but you dont see tony blair's son putting on his helmet and heading for the trenches. Congress and the house of commons are the political forces of USA and UK. They dont rely on our opinion of them in the same way as the royals do who no longer rule by force and need but by a public image.

If you guys (Im English, live in Oakland) had a royal family they would probably have to do similar things to maintain public image.

The sons of royals have always gone to war but few have ever had to fight with the common soldier and few have left their velvet tents except to watch the battle safely from the back on an armoured horse.

I do agree that sons of polititions should go to war like you said ... and Harry does look pretty damn cool with the shades and the Khaki pants...but thats it...its public image....two years ago the royals were going mad because Harry smoked lots of pot and turned up at a fancy dress party as a Nazi officer..started ruining the public image...so ..they put him in the military!!
just take it with a pinch of salt is all im saying : )

sorry i didnt mean to post that twice!!!

Your dead right it does matter if the people who declare to go to war are willing to share in the sacrifice...but don't think for a minute the royals are...PR is important but even more so important if they actually mean it! Its fabricated, its designed to appear on a magazine cover and in newspapers. Its a sham to create public opinion...and the royals need public opinion more than anyone. After all they sap the wealth of the nation for no beneficial reason to working class of the country..they need to look like they are doing something positive with all that time and money.

As for Bush and Cheney..I think they should be thrown out of a helicoptor into the middle of Basra with nothing more than a potato gun and a AAA road map to get themselves out of the mess the've created....although lets not forget...they are only the puppets for the corporate capitalist whores who really wear the trousers around here.

Saying that, I don't mind Harry though... If i had to hang out with any of the broiled travesty, I'd hang out with him.

Wait, I thought the Bush clan IS a royal family. They sure act like it ....

I get the point, Mark. But when you're at war, PR is important; it matters if the heads of state suggest that they're willing to share in the sacrifice. And the Bush and Cheney crew is full of people who want others to do the sacrificing for them.

I'm sure Harry was never directly in the line of fire -- but he was at least on active military duty stationed in a dangerous place. More than you can say for the children of our heads of state.

Okay, Mark, you're right: A lot of it is PR. And lord knows, I'm not going to stick up for the British royal family. But I thought it was an interesting contrast.

Cheney with a potato gun is a great idea -- he can't seem to handle an actual rifle without shooting his friends ....

the Royal Family is an integral part of the British Military - in fact, the military is not for defending the nation, but defending the REALM. And in Harry's case he was doing real combat duty, not just swabbing decks in a safe port in Britain or something. Plus, let's not forget that originally, the royalty were expected to lead battles and entire military campaigns - that's how things used to work in a feudal system.

also, Sen. Jim Webb's son is over in Iraq. Webb even disallowed the President from trying to use it as a talking point - Webb basically said FU to the president. Good for him.

Meanwhile, the Bush Twins party like the Hilton Sisters. And what's Chelsea doing?

Unless I was flim-flamed, I thought Prince Harry actually did some fighting (manning the machine gun) and some foot patrolling in an afghan village.

Agreed. But we should do what Gen. Smedley Butler said in the 1930s. The president and Congress get pay cuts until the war is over and their children serve. Make them accountable.

Hey Tim,
your right it is a good contrast. I just can't help myself when it comes to the royal family....Im with the Sex Pistols on that one...

I dont see that being filmed randomly firing a machine gun and walking down the street consitutes fighting.

He's back now anyway...it was a nice holiday for the young prince

www.myspace.com/hammondmark