Prince Harry to the Front

I really do respect the British Royalty for participating in their military.

Good Show Harry. And God Speed.

Wow. A future national leader who actually goes to war. What a helluva concept.

Maybe breaking away from Britain wasn't such a hot idea after all. At least their leaders put their asses where their mouths are.

@Joel

While I definitely commend the prince for his actions, it's important to realize that he doesn't actually have much political power, and that his leadership is mostly symbolic. Sending Tony Blair into Iraq, for example, would be sheer idiocy. Having our leaders participate in ground combat would be equally ridiculous.

He's really in a catch-22 isn't he?

He's worked his butt off joining the military, it's what he's trained for.

Yet, as a target he might bring a whole lot of trouble down on his men. But if he were to not go...

Tough call.

I'm impressed. Seldom do we "Yanks" see our political leaders putting their children where their mouths are.

As a practical matter, he's a bit far removed from the Crown (third in line, by my count), but even so, I have to say that I'm impressed.

Harry is the Brit's own Pat Tillman. Let's hope his service ends better. I do wonder, however, if the British find his service as inspirational as Tillman's was for us, or if their anti-war sentiment is too deep enough for that.

Stefan, service in the military should be a requirement for anyone who wants to hold a federal-level political position in my opinion. I'm not saying Bush should grab a rifle, but dammit he should sure as hell know what it's like to do it.

Cheney, Cristol, Wolfowitz, et al are long on theory... very short on practical application. They didn't do their time at the short end of the stick. Even if there wasn't a war on when they were young enough, sitting in the Fulda Gap or on the DMZ at the height of the Cold War would garner my respect.

Don't forget that his brother William is also in their military, but he's exempt from ever seeing combat or deploying since he is the next in line after dad-Prince Charles. So it seems that age has its benefits, and this makes Harry not a future national leader.

Oh and for our leaders having some experience. Well, I'd personnally like to see Pelosi, Kennedy, Reed, and a few others get sent off to MCRD (you pick which one Parris Is. or San Diego) and then get sent over to Iraq. At least President Bush served in the Air National Guard, can't say that about some of those on the left side of Congress.

So anyway--God Bless and good luck Harry!!!

Joel,
That "chickenhawk" line is pure drivel.

We like it that our military reports to a civilian leadership. Military "presidents" are for juntas.

Where was this argument during the 90's, when we were engaged in Somalia, Bosnia, and Iraq?

freeman,

I'm impressed. Seldom do we "Yanks" see our political leaders putting their children where their mouths are.

I wish I remember where, but it seems I read some statistics that show there is a larger percentage of children of politicians (both parties) serving in the military than the general public.....

Anyway, good on ya Harry and good luck!!

Look up McCain's kids.
One should be in Anbar soon if not already...

Good Hunting, Harry.

"Stefan, service in the military should be a requirement for anyone who wants to hold a federal-level political position in my opinion. I'm not saying Bush should grab a rifle, but dammit he should sure as hell know what it's like to do it."

I do hope you are not one of those people who so not believe that the National Guard is part of our military or that flying an F-102 doesn't qualify as hazardous enough. They were known as "lawn darts" for a reason.

Which MCRD for Pelosi, et al? Easy -- Parris Island, where they can be bitten by their betters (sand fleas). If you send them to San Diego, they'll spend most of their time in Hollywood.

Az, you mistake my disgust with the administration for me being a democrat. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Clinton was as big an idiot as Bush... perhaps more so. I didn't care much for the fact that he never wore a uniform either.

"The moral difference between a civilian and a soldier lies in the field of civic virtue. A soldier is willing to lay his life on the line for the body politic. A civilian is not."

--Robert Heinlein

Old Tanker,

You might be right (though I couldn't find any statistics on the subject myself), I hadn't thought about it in those terms, and it's true that the percentage of the US general population serving in the military is very low.

Since the percentage of ex-military people in government seems to be quite a bit higher than the general population, I would bet that's got a lot to do with it. Surely the children of ex-(and current)-military folks are choosing to serve in the military in much higher percentages than the general population.