This is sad news. It is hard to believe how off-the-wall unvarnished free-market thought once was thought to be before MF. His role in the ending of conscription is also not well-known. I recall hearing a presentation at a conference in which someone noted that during the deliberations by a commission deciding the future of the draft military, a military official (may have been Gen. Westmoreland, but I wouldn't swear to that) said, roughly, that he didn't want an army of mercenaries. To which Friedman replied something like, "So you'd prefer an army of slaves?"
Good point. Pity that the GOP didn't follow his argument to its logical conclusion and completely remove that bit of Peanut Head's legacy -- I suppose the rot was starting to set in even back then....