Rep. Rangel will seek to reinstate draft

AP via Yahoo! ^ | November 19, 2006 | AP

[Cheburashka]

I look for the societal benefits primarily in this area. And the army would not be that large, either - ca. 3 million, with 2 yrs service.
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A draft means a cannon-fodder army. People by the hundred of thousands who do not want to be there. Casualties will skyrocket in combat because people who don't want to be there will not pay attention in training. Crimes against civilians will skyrocket as well. We will spend a fortune paying it, equipping it and it will be of less quality than the present. A poor quality army will detract from social cohesion, not add to it.

Actually social cohesion should result from teaching during grades 1-16. If it hasn't been taught after all those years then it won't be learned in a two-year stint as government-mandated cannon fodder.

And before you start talking about WWII, that proves my point. That army was educated before the school system in this country started dumbing itself down and teaching kids that AMERICA SUCKS!!!

As for the media, you don't understand them either. They no longer see themselves as Americans, but as "Citizens of the World" who just happen to reside and work in the United States. They will never support a war that is in the interests of the United States under any circumstances. Oh, they will tap dance around it, but they will never come down on America's side.

That doesn't mean they won't support a war. They were very happy with the war against Serbia, which was totally useless to the United States. You give them a big army they can commit to other useless wars and they will be in hog heaven.

I think all this talk of a draft is a trap set for well-meaning patriotic people who don't understand the real implications. If what I have written seems harsh, I'm sorry, but my message is: don't fall for it.

If you know any members of the military, ask them about whether they want conscripts in their units.

[TexKat]

We have so many kids that have been on all kinds of medication, that have anger issues, depression etc. Not to mention the drug addicts.

Very weak response, excuse.

[paulat]

Discipline best benefits those who are willingly receptive to it from the start.

I can't disupute your first-hand experience....I guess I was looking for some "redemptive" discipline. I guess it doesn't work that way, from your experience.

[fishergirl]

Oh, Klinger would have and would have done it the most fashionable style, lol!

[Rosemont]

In the WW2 era, the media was not openly rooting for the enemy.

[Treader]

The rest of their life.

[Ace of Spades]

So are we to assume you've served? If not, what's your excuse?

[DouglasKC]

He said having a draft would not necessarily mean everyone called to duty would have to serve. Instead, "young people (would) commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether it's our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals," with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Here's his out. He's not interested in building the military, but in creating new socialist program.

[aspen64]

Not all the line-sitters took their games home and opened the box. Some of them, and no one knows which ones, put them on ebay and made a ton of money.
Which makes those line-sitters investors/capitalists.

[oldironsides]

I served with draftees during Vietnam era. They were really very bright, angry, funny and loyal Americans. The MDs drafted were irreverent, bawdy and talented. They objected in a loud voice and swore often. They cared for the wounded like they were their own children. They gave, they cried and they spoke ill of Democrats, President Johnson and any visiting political big wig passing through our compound. The complained and moaned but were far superior to any of these liberal idiots serving in todays congress or senate. My hat is off to the draftees. Manure to the disloyal panty waist creeps in government today. I may mention that idiot Ted Kennedy visited and wore light wgt. fatigues. We had yet to be issued them and wondered how that creep got them ahead of the troops.

[paulat]

So are we to assume you've served? If not, what's your excuse?

Ace...step down!! NOW!!! Look at the woman's page...then get back to me.

[leadpenny]

Vietnam?

That's a good question. If you asked that of every grunt who spent a year there you'd probably find no agreement. I think for most it really was hours and days of boredom interrupted my moments of stark terror. Those moments could turn into hours and days as in the Ia Drang, Khe San, many battles during Tet68, Hill 875 in Dak To, Hamburger Hill, etc.

For myself, I had two tours as a slick driver. Probably two hands would be enough to count the fleeting moments when I had the living crap scared out of me.

[pandoraou812]

We have so many kids that have been on all kinds of medication, that have anger issues, depression etc. Not to mention the drug addicts.
Very weak response, excuse.


Really....Look around at some of todays kids. I don't think I would want to count on them saving my life in a life/death situation. And are you unaware of the drug problem we have in this county? I wouldn't want a doper or meth head in the service even if they were cleaned up. Brain cells, you know? You need them to make to be a good soldier. I am not giving a very weak response or an excuse. I am stating facts here. I don't see life through rose tinted glasses. We have kids that have serious mental, emotional,anger,depression etc problems. And we have many on all kinds of drugs. You want to draft them? I sure don't. I want to help them but I don't want them having guns. Its bad enough many of them have guns as it is now.

[Ace of Spades]

Yes? I see her son's in the military. I'm grateful for his service. But that's not what I asked.

[TexKat]

So are we to assume you've served? If not, what's your excuse?

You may assume what you may and afterwards ask the same question of yourself.

I have noticed your attitude since you joined this thread, and personally it is not at all interesting, informative, nor enlightening.

[Brilliant]

But now he's in power.

[TexKat]

Thanks paulat, but not necessary.

[Ace of Spades]

"You may assume what you may and afterwards ask the same question of yourself."

You're absolutely right, I haven't served. And I wouldn't have the nerve to tell others they should be forced to serve. That is rank hypocrisy.

[cinives]

I believe today's equipment takes a little more training to use than did equipment in 1940 or 1952. We're not in need of millions of bodies of cannon fodder - we need smart dedicated people who are committed to the mission. That's a volunteer military, and it's the way this country was founded. We didn't draft men in the Revolutionary war.

[muawiyah]

Real short ~ the United States should pay for the military service it uses.

With a draftee there's always the tendency of Congress to fail to pay him ~

I lost many tens of thousands of dollars in civilian income while in the military, and when I returned to my job I found promotion approximately 10 times as hard to get as my leftwing compatriots who seemed to have had no difficulty evading the draft. I lost more tens of thousands of dollars paying "catch up" and when I retired, I had to pay another thousand just to get my service time counted ~ although when I was first employed and when I went into the military that service time was automatically counted.

I see no reason to ressurrect a system that allowes politicians like Charles Rangal to screw young men.