Doug - if it were up to me to allow or disallow anyone to fight for any reason at all, we could discuss your point. As it is, you "assume" what you have no knowledge of.

Troll - I cannot think of any "ideal" worth fighting and dying for. Such constructs should take a back seat to life itself. And I fail to see what is "self-righteous" about not wanting young people to die.

It occurs to me that many of the posters here are way past the age of military service, which makes it much easier to be cavalier about the reality of mutilation and death.

Michael