Involuntary draft met with mixed opinions - Most members of Congress do not think it will pass

The Dominion Post ^ | 6/15/2004 | Ronda Gregory

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Is having every high school graduate (or 18 year old) spend a year or two in the service of their country really a bad idea?

[AppyPappy]

Note that Democrats are pushing the Draft.

[freeeee]

Men and women -- in Israel it's mandatory they serve.

Gee, that's nice. But this isn't Israel.

[mastequilla]

Is having every high school graduate (or 18 year old) spend a year or two in the service of their country really a bad idea?

Depends on who you ask, most military professionals would say that it was a bad idea. Many of the reasons are cited in this article such as the better performance of individuals who "want" to be there instead of are "forced" to be there.

However, our drafted military has performed quite admirably in the past when the country is united behind the cause (e.g. WWII).

While I don't support the draft I do think that if we had one, it should be as proposed by this bill - no exceptions or deferrments, and open to both men and women. However, as long as we are meeting our recruiting goals there is no need for a draft. This effort strikes me as a purely political way to undercut support for our efforts in Iraq.

[cripplecreek]

The fact that I never served may diminish my opinion in this matter but i think some mandatory service might be a good idea. I'm not so sure sending people to fight when they don't want to is a good idea.

Maybe mandatory service with lots of options of how and where to serve. Border control sounds like a good place for anti war folks to serve.

I didn't serve but wish I had. I could have used a drill instructor in my life as a young adult. It would have kept me sober and out of trouble. Another big advantage is the fact that young people would have learned about guns instead of becoming clueless anti gun nuts.

[nothingnew]

Mollahan said "Then everyone is going to think very carefully about the costs and benefits of these military excursions of Mr. Bush."

Oh yeah, I forgot...military excursions only happen when a Pub is president.

FMCDH(BITS)

[Spok]

Necessity has historically been the mother of conscription; when we feel sufficiently threatened, we'll have a draft. While I'm not philosophically opposed to drafting women (for support functions) we learned in WWII that private industry can use the labor pool of women left behind for war production; i.e., Rosie the Riveter.

[Paradox]

Draft = Slavery in my opinion. It is the only reason to have opposed the Vietnam war. I never say never, but a Draft is something I would consider only in the most extreme circumstances.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Is requiring everyone to put in a year or two of service to their country really a "draft"? Maybe you get to elect if you want to be a soldier or just clean up liter on the highways.

[Protagoras]

Is having every high school graduate (or 18 year old) spend a year or two in the service of their country really a bad idea?

It's a horrible idea. Conscription is a form of slavery.

People in the military should make lots of money, lots.

Defending the country is too important to be left to those who don't want to do it.

A country that won't defend itself doesn't deserve it's sovereignty.

[Paradox]

I think any kind of involuntary servitude is slavery. We need to make the military more attractive (drastically increased pay and benefits), no matter what the cost. I know that becomes impractical, but I am speaking hypothetically..

[Protagoras]

Maybe you get to elect if you want to be a soldier or just clean up liter on the highways.

How about you just come clean up at my house? I promise I won't arrest you and put you in prison if you do. It's only for two years.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Okay, how about we get rid of welfare/unemployment benefits (for certain groups) and instead tell them to just join the military?

[Protagoras]

I know that becomes impractical, but I am speaking hypothetically..

Not at all. All you have to do is stop stealing money from one person and giving it to another and you would have plenty of money left to do the only thing governments are supposed to do in a free society, defend our rights.

[the_devils_advocate_666]

That reminds of a joke about a hooker and painting a house.

[Conservababe]

People talk of this as if it were something new. During the cold war in the fifties, before Vietnam, either a man went to college or he went into the military for two years. Of course there were deferrments for men who were married. But, soon that was done away with and only men married with children were deferred.

[Protagoras]

Okay, how about we get rid of welfare/unemployment benefits (for certain groups) and instead tell them to just join the military?

There, I fixed it. You had it right in the first part.

[Protagoras]

During the cold war in the fifties, before Vietnam, either a man went to college or he went into the military for two years.

Post WWII things were different. And people wanted the GI bill to go to college before all the govt. giveaway education programs for those who didn't serve.

[arthurus]

I would like to see a permanent universal male only draft alongside a fully voluntary military. The draft would be for basic training and AIT type training only and would run for 6 months, at most a year. Enlistment would not be permitted for some time period after completion of the draft service, perhaps a month, perhaps 6 months.Only medical and sexual deferments would be possible.

The nation would maintain a pool of men with basic training who would provide the bodies necessary in wartime. With all men having an experience of the military and having finished the basic training there would not be that fear of the unknown that is the source of most of the resistance by young men to the military. When the country is at war the rate of enlistment will be much higher simply because military service is not alien. No exceptions (except medical and sexual) would make it a normal part of life, not something to be avoided at all costs.

[KarlInOhio]

Are we having problems filling all the new infantry and armored divisions we have formed since the war started? Wait - their aren't any new divisions.

Talk to me again after we have tried and failed to increase the size of the volunteer military. Most of those talking about reinstating the draft are Dems opposed to the war. They want a draft to be able to undermine Bush's support.