[@Lucky Knight] Except that there's a difference between irrationality and impossibility. Given the nature of the attitude of nobles during the Trolloc Wars, with the air of nationalism, the pride for one's family and want to help in the fight, the deference towards Aes Sedai, not just for their prowess, but for their status as the only Westlanders who might be able to defeat the Shadow, the rarity of strong channelers, the fact that most channelers who aren't trained will die by their own hands... yeah, no. No noble parent would think "I want my kid to potentially die knowing that I could have done something about it, either from misuse of the One Power, 'old age' that is unnatural for them, or from the hands of Shadowspawn, when they could have otherwise fought back, or a variety of other reasons, when they could have otherwise fulfilled their potential and birthright."