"Coalition of the willing" shrinking

[BoarSpear]

I guess it isn't really a hero fantasy if he goes and does it. I mean a lot of guys probably sign up for the military with a heroic ideal - then they actually go to war and get respect for it.

So, he's a Prince, he doesn't have to join the military in the first place, and he certainly has the connections to join the military get deployed wherever he likes. If he goes to war and acquits himself well, then it doesn't so much matter what his motivation was.

I feel like giving the guy the benefit of the doubt.

Actually hero fantasies abound in the active Military, ESPECIALLY among the privileged. Special operations and such always weed out the hero types because SF in NOT the place for heroes...that said JFK was a classic example of a rich jerk who had Hero fantasies....his men HATED him and lets face facts, he went against policy and got his boat shot out from underneath him and his crew...Classic asshole from a political family trying to prove something.

[Thai Bri]

Actually there is so much of a tradition of them joining the military that they kind of have to do.

Charles himself wa a Para. Andrew was in the RAF (he went to the Falklands), and Edward? Well he joined the Royal Marine Commandos but imfamously dropped out in training, saying he wanted to be an actor......

Actually I have a funny story about Andrew that I got from what I consider to be an excellent and trustworthy source. Whilst on a ship he was asked to inspecto the crew. There just happened to be a troop of Commandos on it also, so they lined up too.

One of the sailors had some kind of flaw in his turn out, and Andrew struck him about the face because of the "insult."

When he reached the Commandos one of their officers said "Sir, it gives me great pleasure to prsent these Commandos to you. Please resist the temptation of striking any of them, or they will beat the shit out of you."

[BoarSpear]

There just happened to be a troop of Commandos on it also, so they lined up too.

One of the sailors had some kind of flaw in his turn out, and Andrew struck him about the face because of the "insult."

When he reached the Commandos one of their officers said "Sir, it gives me great pleasure to prsent these Commandos to you. Please resist the temptation of striking any of them, or they will beat the shit out of you."

Sounds about right.

[gregimotis]

Actually there is so much of a tradition of them joining the military that they kind of have to do.

Well, you certainly have it on better authority than I.

When he reached the Commandos one of their officers said "Sir, it gives me great pleasure to prsent these Commandos to you. Please resist the temptation of striking any of them, or they will beat the shit out of you."

Ha. boy, there's been a lot of funny posts in the last day and I can't rep any of them without repping total strangers first.

[Tom Yum]

Actually hero fantasies abound in the active Military, ESPECIALLY among the privileged. Special operations and such always weed out the hero types because SF in NOT the place for heroes...that said JFK was a classic example of a rich jerk who had Hero fantasies....his men HATED him and lets face facts, he went against policy and got his boat shot out from underneath him and his crew...Classic asshole from a political family trying to prove something.

If the political elite join the military, it seems more like a good thing rather than a bad one. How many elite in the States do the same?

Making the Corps talks about how there are fewer and fewer in the American political elite joining the ranks and that enlisting or commissioning is what the "other guys kid does".

In One Bullet Away the author himself gets selected for OCS, gets his infantry request, does a tour in Afghanistan and then got selected for Recon. He seems to come from a well to do upbringing and I believe his father holds some kind of a political interest career.

Lastly, a former Asian interests writer from the Wall Street Journal is finishing up TBS I've heard...more of a middle-to-upper middle class person than an elite, but still.

And just from talking to real people who have served either as enlisted or as an officer in different jobs, the day to day life sounds either monotanous, interesting, insane, restrictive or some combination thereof...lol.

No hero stories...been told that war seems fun after the first few firefights but gets absolutely crazy, very serious and "emotional" in the long-term...

What is it that makes a man want to go on second and third tours? As far as I can tell, its his buddy next to him.

[BoarSpear]

If the political elite join the military, it seems more like a good thing rather than a bad one. How many elite in the States do the same?

Making the Corps talks about how there are fewer and fewer in the American political elite joining the ranks and that enlisting or commissioning is what the other guys kid does.

In One Bullet Away the author himself gets selected for OCS, gets his infantry request, does a tour in Afghanistan and then got selected for Recon. He seems to come from a well to do upbringing and I believe his father holds some kind of a political interest career.

Lastly, a former Asian interests writer from the Wall Street Journal is finishing up TBS I've heard...more of a middle-to-upper middle class person, but still.

IF a rich soft family actually produces a warrior, SURE...exactly when did that happen again? Go ahead and name me some well loved and distinguished warriors from politically active parents....now name a warrior who ran our country who had politically important parents....But there are plenty of examples of politically active family's who produced piss poor Military officers who became president on the backs of (or in spite of) HORRIBLE performance in the military.

The commander I mentioned who didn't even know his unit was in town? Yep you guessed it.... HUGE political family and tons of money...and a complete waste of space as an officer, but he was a Commander of Specwar group. I understand he is an Admiral now.

[DickHardman]

about prince harry going to iraq, it does now seem as if he has that hero fantasy going on. evidently going to iraq "excites" him greatly. this article makes it seem as if Harry thinks he is going to be in a movie, or playing a video game. i read another article that mentioned that Harry had threatened to quit if he wasnt sent to combat zone.

"February 23, 2007 9:32 a.m. EST

Maira Oliveira - All Headline News Reporter

London, England (BANG) - Who would have thought a royal prince would become happy about going to war? But apparently there is one who is.

Britain's Prince Harry is "over the moon" about going to Iraq.

The 22-year-old, who is third in line to the throne, is said to be thrilled over the news he is allowed to join Blues and Royals regiment for a six-month tour of duty. Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, is said to be nervous about his deployment, but proud of the young royal.

A royal aide told Britain's Daily Express newspaper, "Of course she is anxious like any other grandmother would be but she is also very proud of him. From the start she has been adamant that the prince should be treated like any other officer, as long as his presence in the war does not put the men serving with him in any extra danger."

Harry is reportedly destined for the Maysan Province - the most dangerous posting in southern Iraq, where 23 British servicemen have been killed in the past three and-a-half years.

The prince will lead a troop of 12 men from his Household Cavalry Regiment patrolling the area in Scimitar armored vehicles.

A senior military source compared Maysan with the hellish land featured in Mel Gibson's apocalyptic 1979 movie 'Mad Max'.

He told Britain's The Sun newspaper, "Harry's certainly jumping in at the deep end with Maysan. It's well and truly 'Mad Max' land. It's like the land the world forgot up there."

Harry is expected to travel to Iraq in May or June of this year. He will be the first member of the British royal family to serve in military operations since Prince Andrew flew helicopters in the Falklands in 1982."

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006554260

[Tom Yum]

IF a rich soft family actually produces a warrior, SURE...exactly when did that happen again?

Osama Bin Laden....not exactly a good example, but one none the less.

[BoarSpear]

Osama Bin Laden....not exactly a good example, but one none the less.

OBL is many things my friend, but a warrior aint one of 'em....Now try again, with an American, surely you can think of ONE.

[DickHardman]

OBL is many things my friend, but a warrior aint one of 'em....Now try again, with an American, surely you can think of ONE.

what about davy crockett.

[Tom Yum]

George Washington.
Robert E Lee.
Lt. Col William Travis.
James Bonham.
Colonel Aaron Bank, founder of the Green Berets.

[BoarSpear]

George Washington.
Robert E Lee.

RICH, soft politically active parents...Both those men were raised and lived on Farms before and after their service, try again...

[BoarSpear]

what about davy crockett.

He was president when? C'mon name me one Warrior who climbed the ranks that came from RICH SOFT POLITICALLY ACTIVE PARENTS.

[Tom Yum]

RICH, soft politically active parents...Both those men were raised and lived on Farms before and after their service, try again...

On Colonel Aaron Bank:

"As a young man, Bank was schooled in Switzerland and worked as chief life guard at an upscale resort in Biarritz. This explains his unusual fluency in French and German, a skill which had much to do with his later activities as a special operations commander.

He enlisted in the Army in 1939, then volunteered for special operations work. He was in his late thirties, and thought "too old" for combat, but he was an unusually athletic man and so was accepted into the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II."

[BoarSpear]

On Colonel Aaron Bank:

"As a young man, Bank was schooled in Switzerland and worked as chief life guard at an upscale resort in Biarritz. This explains his unusual fluency in French and German, a skill which had much to do with his later activities as a special operations commander.

He enlisted in the Army in 1939, then volunteered for special operations work. He was in his late thirties, and thought "too old" for combat, but he was an unusually athletic man and so was accepted into the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II."

STILL NOT FROM A RICH POLITICALLY ACTIVE (RELEVANT) FAMILY... none of those people are household names...If you're Rich and politically relevant people know your name....ready to concede there aint any yet? At least not in our country or lifetimes...but there are multiple examples of poor ones in the same time frame.