I am in two minds about the merits of sending pensioners to Iraq to join the war effort.
On the one hand, far too many good-looking soldiers have died and it's about time the ugly ones got their chance to do so.
But why haven't all these young first-time voting Bush-ites joined up yet? It's the least thing they should do to back up their November vote for war. You can't all stay members of the 101st Keyboard War Brigade and not put yourself on the line for Your Leader.
From a macro-economic perspective and a Government finance point of view, getting your pensioners killed while fighting your battles is as good as a cull to save on pension payments - hey, you had to pay them anyway, so no extra costs are involved.
War and politics are a cynics' game.