This is supposed to be a debate about the Prime Minister's comment, 'You do the fighting, I'll do the talking.'
As we've all gone massively off topic, I don't mind sharing with you a memory of red-faced old buffers in blazers to whom Whenurhappy has referred.
Northern Ireland, Aldergrove to be precise. 1993. Once a year the Bomber Association would have a lunch at the Mess in Aldergrove. A large number of small, respectful, white-haired, blazer-wearing old chaps would turn up for lunch. Ulstermen to a man. Many 'How are you?'s were exchanged. They were all bomber mates from the war. They told stories that made us realize that humping and dumping in helicopters was not exactly steely. They were like a bunch of excited 70 year old school kids, devouring the black and white pictures of NI-based Sunderlands on the corridors in the Mess. Once we'd all got chatting, we all realized that these blokes were all serious veterans of the bomber campaign. Hilariously, there was one fighter pilot amongst them, at whom much banter was directed on account of the fact he lacked 'people skills' hence the single seat. It was a pleasure to talk to them. While we were desperate for their war stories (and by golly they had a few), they were always reticent and modest about what they had done.
They are probably all dead now. But I shall never forget the sight of those old guys, delighted to be at the bar again, talking to 20-somethings about flying and ****.
As the Frogs say, plus ca change.