Posted on 08/10/2007 4:12:40 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Frequent tours for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have stressed the all-volunteer force and made it worth considering a return to a military draft, President Bush's new war adviser said Friday. "I think it makes sense to certainly consider it," Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said in an interview with National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."
"And I can tell you, this has always been an option on the table. But ultimately, this is a policy matter between meeting the demands for the nation's security by one means or another," Lute added in his first interview since he was confirmed by the Senate in June.
President Nixon abolished the draft in 1973. Restoring it, Lute said, would be a "major policy shift" and Bush has made it clear that he doesn't think it's necessary.
The repeated deployments affect not only the troops but their families, who can influence whether a service member decides to stay in the military, Lute said.
"There's both a personal dimension of this, where this kind of stress plays out across dinner tables and in living room conversations within these families," he said. "And ultimately, the health of the all- volunteer force is going to rest on those sorts of personal family decisions."
The military conducted a draft during the Civil War and both world wars and between 1948 and 1973. The Selective Service System, re- established in 1980, maintains a registry of 18-year-old men.
Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., has called for reinstating the draft as a way to end the Iraq war.
Bush picked Lute in mid-May as a deputy national security adviser with responsibility for ensuring efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan are coordinated with policymakers in Washington. Lute, an active-duty general, was chosen after several retired generals turned down the job.
OK, so now it's your position that females shouldn't be drafted due to the pregnancy factor. OK.
Then why are they on our military ships at sea, and in Baghdad, and everywhere else in the military as we speak?
Do they not get pregnant when they join/enlist?
I think this would be a good idea. Why would it be a bad idea?
**With Hillary tying to take the reigns, a draft would be a bad idea.**
Agree with you here. What a nightmare!
“I think it makes sense to certainly consider it,” Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said...”
Fire this SOB, now!!!
I don’t want our courageous volunteers in bed with dopers, fags, and hippies.
The Romans did that in their own way as well for several reasons and we do it currently with Mexican citizens who become US citizens after or while serving in the Armed Forces.
Hmmm...
And if they were drafted to serve in a support role, or medical role, transportation role you would not go along with this?
But you're all for everyones sons being forced to go and serve in some capacity?
You right I’m not a cop ,but I know that cops must interact with people ,not just crooks. Most of the female cops do it in such a way they tend to diffuse aggression.
Those skills come in handy in this country. When we send people to fight on the front line those skills are of little value.
The topic was originally about a draft. No one forces people to become police officers. If this country is ever forced to draft young people ,we will not be in a position where we can afford to loose.
You’re right! By drafting people who don’t want to be there, discontented soldiers (traitors) will be easy for the MSM to find and exploit.
They will contaminate our courageous, dedicated armed services.
NO DRAFT! DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
There is nothing wrong with drafing females to serve in support roles, medical roles etc.
I didn't see any who stayed in patrol jobs for long. From the beginning or later, they all went to dispatch, animal control, other jobs, or quit.
I have no idea what you're talking about here.
No, I don’t support women as street cops either.
The problem isn’t that they can’t deal with criminals who need shooting, because they largely can.
The problem is that they can’t deal with criminals who don’t need shooting, because they have no options between verbal command and escalation to a weapon.
(Lesbian cops with chips on their shoulders are not a great deal of fun, either.)
I think the country should consider a draft where some kind of service would be necessary, but the 18+ year old American Citizen could decide which to take (including roles military and non-military).
Period.
Yeah, like what the politicos did in Vietnam?
BTW, do you think everyone that was drafted during Vietnam served on the "front lines" as you call them?
You know what? I agree with you. LOL!
The problem isn’t that they can’t deal with criminals who need shooting, because they largely can.
Ah, if you're saying they can just shoot the bad guys...Well, no they can't. There have been many cases where they probably should have, but instead got beat like a drum.
You are stuck in a 60’s time warp.
More of our service women have died and have been wounded in the Iraq war than in any other war. You obviously don’t care about the women who serve in our military. You think their blood is cheap.
Goodbye!
From what I have read on FR,, If a bad report comes in on
the surge,they mite be extended into the spring,,,
Their first year was up on April 13-07,,,
How long is too long to keep this or any Army unit on the line ??
Females have served proudly in WWI and WWII and and other conflicts, many were very close to the action, and many lost their lives serving in medical roles etc.
Are you saying in the future they should not be subjected to any danger whatsoever?
What many here seem to be possibly forgetting, not you specifically, is that during a war, there are hundreds of support roles that need to be filled. Some very close to combat zones. Females filling these roles can greatly assist this country in it's mission.
See #29.
Your own constitution provides for Congress calling forth the militia....that is, requiring the services of the able-bodied to defend the nation.
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