Hey there Kev,
I have often pondered this very same question, and after quite a bit of thought, this is the explanation I came up with:
First of all, I just assumed that all people in the game are strategically minded like myself. I found this to be a gross error in judgement. My squadron and I tend to go wherever we're needed. We will kill fuel, barracks, fighter hangars, fly goons or whatever is necessary at the moment for the greater good of the Knights. We will even split up to cover multiple targets if necessary. Although as a CO I hate to do this, sometimes it's necessary because people outside of my squadron often won't do it themselves.
I too used to get upset about it, but then I remembered one very important detail. I'm not paying for everyone else's Aces High account. I figure it this way: The day I pay for someone's account, that's when I have the right to assume they'll do what I want them to. A lot of people play this game to dogfight and furball with little regard for winning the war. If that's what they wish to do, who am I to tell them it's right or wrong.
You and I understand that there is actually an objective involved in Aces High. It's called "Winning the War". Believe it or not, there are others like us! Even on the Knights!
I've found that if one person doesn't step up and get a mission organized, things just continue all helter skelter until it totally goes to hell in a handbag. If you are absolutely certain that getting a certain objective accomplished will win the war, post a mission to accomplish that objective. Sometimes it's as simple as killing the fighter hangars at one of the last enemy fields remaining and getting a CAP established before the fighter hangars come back up. Whatever the necessary action is, you MUST post a mission to accomplish it. Believe me, likeminded pilots will hop on the mission because they know as well as you do what needs to be done. They just need someone to pull everyone together and get it done.
After you've put a few good missions together, you will earn a reputation as a solid mission planner and will gather a following of people who trust your judgement and will join your missions. It just takes time and little thought strategically.
Anyway, that's just my two cents worth from my experience... I also don't think it's much different in any country... Not just the Knights... :-)