R280.
I agree with your sentiments, I was lumping all those below 1* outside certain corridors of influence as lower ranks, so wasn't trying to be "rankist" as such - could have worded it better to implying those outside some of the decision making processes believing some of the inter-service boll*x that is spouted. On reflection most see through such rubbish anyway, so my musings are probably invalid. Leaves you with the conclusion that this influencial characters are however just trying to cause trouble though doesn't it.
As you suggest, most don't care where the e.g. harrier came from - but this kind of makes the rantings of SW and EST harder to really sympathise with, no?