[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.

[PzLdr]

I beg to differ. In the Revolutionary War, the bulk of the troops were militia.Everybody who could walk and shoot was enrolled in the militia. That's not a volunteer army The regular Army was a lot smaller. One of the problems facing our Congress was their innate distrust of professional, standing armies.

And I don't see the logic of your argument that a conscript Army is somehow cannon fodder, i.e, dumb. First, when we had a draft, the Army wasn't required to accept draftees for a variety of reasons. Second, I'll take all the smart draftees you give me. They can be trained to accomplish the mission. Thirdly, a largely conscript Army beat the Wehrmacht, which was hands down better trained, equipped and led than anybody we've fought since. And there's gonna come a time, and a foe [Russia, China, take your pick] when this light brigade crap ain't gonna cut it.