In the 1960s during the Vietnam War, when the Stones first got together as a group, it was all too common for popular music bands, singers and actors to speak out against the draft and the war in Southeast Asia. Now, almost half a century later, well, it's still a '60s band - The Rolling Stones, (average age at least 65) - that is speaking up against the war - except this time it's in Iraq.

The Rolling Stones have survived nearly five decades despite multiple scandals, a temporary breakup and a strict diet of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Jagger, at 63, is only three years older than President Bush, and one year younger than Vice President Dick Cheney.

The Stones' new album, "A Bigger Bang," which is due to be released Sept. 6, includes a song called "My Sweet Neo Con," in which the British band chides Washington's foreign policy gurus, accusing them of getting it all wrong on Iraq. Makes you wonder that despite decades of drugs and alcohol abuse, they somehow still seem to have kept a few grey cells in good working order.

The controversial song seems to target Bush in particular, as well as Cheney and the group of neo-conservative advisers and architects of the Iraq war.

But Jagger, the Stones' lead singer, denies his new song is directed at the president.

"It is not really aimed at anyone," Jagger said on a TV show. "It's not aimed, personally aimed, at President Bush. It wouldn't be called Sweet Neo Con if it was," he added.

Indeed, the song makes no mention of Bush or Iraq, though it does mention Halliburton, the mega-million dollar, Texas-based corporation previously run by Cheney.

"How come you're so wrong? My sweet neo-con, where's the money gone, in the Pentagon," goes one line from the song.

"It's liberty for all, democracy's our style, unless you are against us, then it's prison without trial," goes another line.

"You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite," Jagger rebukes members of the Bush administration in the title track to his new album. He admits his song is critical of the Bush administration, but waves it off as "so what!"

"Lots of people are critical," of the administration, Jagger said. A representative of the British rock band said the group had no further comment about the song. The Rolling Stones intend to kick off a U.S. tour in Boston Aug. 21, one that no doubt will not be without controversy.

Although throughout their 43-year career the Stones have managed to steer clear of politics most of the time, "My Sweet Neo Con" is not a first. In 1968, the Stones recorded "Street Fighting Man," (Ev'rywhere I hear the sound of marching, charging feet, boy; 'Cause summer's here and the time is right for fighting in the street, boy;) and in 1983 they came out with "Undercover," a song about Latin America; (Four-hundred thousand dispares, Lost in the jails in South America.)

Also in 1968, Jagger joined a huge demonstration against the Vietnam war in London's Grosvenor Square, in front of the U.S. Embassy.

Given the brouhaha over the Stones' latest album it remains to be seen if California's Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who offered seats in a luxury box to see the Rolling Stones in Boston -- on condition would-be concert-goers donate $100,000 to his campaign funds -- will still follow through.

So what is it that suddenly makes the Rolling Stones foreign policy experts? Probably the same that makes other entertainers such as Bono, Bob Geldof and Sting, celebrities in their own right, but certainly lesser known names in the music industry than the Stones, to adopt political or humanitarian causes in an effort to promote refugees' rights, defeat world hunger or eradicate deadly diseases.

If you are old enough to have been around in the 1960s you will recall how popular it was for a number of pop groups, singers and actors to protest the war in Vietnam. Jim Morrison of the Doors, Janis Joplin and Jane Fonda, just to name a few, were adamantly anti-war, and their music and actions reflected it.

Back then, maybe because of the draft, young people seemed far more concerned with a war half a world away than today's youth are about the Iraq conflict. There were hundreds of demonstrations and protests against the war. University campuses were abuzz with anti-war activists.

By contrast, today's young seem more pre-occupied with their Sony PlayStations, personalized ring tones on their cellular telephones and how many friends they can Instant Message at the same time.

As Bob Dylan used to sing, "The times, they are a' changing." Or are they?

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