Americans eye return of draft

National Post ^ | 11-28-01 | Jan Cienski

[Doctor Stochastic]

Land war in Asia, draft, budget deficits, bigger welfare, Texan in the White House, I'm feeling young again.

[Archaeus]

Thank God I'm too old for this stupidity.

[Alberta's Child]

The idea would be to use draftees to help defend the country against another terrorist attack.

If this country had the b@lls to allow armed citizens, there would no need to have "draftees" do this work.

[jf55510]

Although only a fraction of the U.S. military's 1.4 million personnel are directly involved in the war on Afghanistan, the effort has put strains on other commitments, such as the peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Kosovo.

Well how about we get out of Kosovo and Bosnia and this would not be a problem. Just so I don't get flamed I am of draft age and if I was drafted I would serve with a smile on my face.

[HIDEK6]

If this country had the b@lls to allow armed citizens, there would no need to have "draftees" do this work.

"Allowing" is not the question. My right to bear arms precedes the right of the state to infringe it. It is the government who is acting unlawfully and unconstitutionally by restricting an inalienable right.

[fourdeuce82d]

The last thing our military needs is a bunch of namby-pamby whining gen Y-ers who don't want to be there crying because the drill sergeant said a bad word.

I'd rather have volunteers. I would however, like to see political franchise- voting/holding office- limited to only those who have served.

You don't want to serve- don't. But you don't vote, either.

[Alberta's Child]

That's my point. I'll take any talk about a draft seriously when the government starts taking the Second Amendment seriously.

[Alberta's Child]

I would however, like to see political franchise- voting/holding office- limited to only those who have served.

I like the concept, but in practice there is no f#cking way I would accept it. Mark my words, under these rules someone like Bill Clinton will figure out a way to get listed as a military veteran. Sure, he may have dodged the draft, but he was an ROTC cadet for 17 minutes or something, wasn't he?

[Alberta's Child]

I hope this nation is mature enough to laugh at any attempt to revive the draft. When things are bad enough that Congressmen and Senators are sending their own kids to serve in the military, give me a call and then we'll talk about it.

[JD86]

Well how about we get out of Kosovo and Bosnia and this would not be a problem. Just so I don't get flamed I am of draft age and if I was drafted I would serve with a smile on my face.

Don't worry about being flamed...some of your elders agree we should be out of Kosovo and Bosnia....regardless of other considerations..:)

[Vladiator]

Would the Bush daughters have to serve?

Or would they just serve part(y) time in the Guard like Dan Quayle and their dad?

[JD86]

I'd rather have volunteers. I would however, like to see political franchise- voting/holding office- limited to only those who have served. You don't want to serve- don't. But you don't vote, either.

It is going to be interesting to see the responses you get with this idea. I agree that I would prefer volunteers to draftees in the military. I wouldn't want someone who didn't want to be there covering my back. And I like your idea of tying service to the country to participation in the rights of citizenship. (But you are never going to get that vote/military connection.) So I have an alternative suggestion. We don't need everyone in the military...but I can see alot of good in a nationwide service program. Some would be in the military, others could be used in VA hospitals, forestry department, things like that. What do you think?

[Orbiter]

You forgot Party affiliation, hogwash.

[rickmoe]

a word of advice....don't call your rifle a "gun" in front of your drill instructor.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Would the Bush daughters have to serve?"

Selective Service Registration is the law.
A man who fails to register may, if prosecuted and convicted, face a fine of up to $250,000
and/or a prison term of up to five years.
The law does not apply to women, never has.

[freeeee]

Let me get this straight:

Our military is overextended in OVER 100 countries babysitting capable nations who should be defending themselves, in wag-the-dog wars and 'nation-building' meals-on-wheels escapades.

In short, most of our military is doing everything but defending the US. And because of all this feel-good BS, that we're the world's sugar daddy and its policeman, we're short of manpower when it's needed at home.

And because of a manpower shortage directly attributed to our chronic misuse of the military that our Forefathers warned us against, I'm supposed to willingly become a SLAVE (yes, conscription is SLAVERY!), in defiance of the 13th Amendment's prohibition of involuntary servitude?

And some are really that incredibly foolish - no, delusional - to honestly think I'll go along with it?

HA HA HA HA!!!!!!