McChrystal: Time to bring back the draft

Foreign Policy ^ | July 3, 2012 | Josh Rogin

[Timber Rattler]

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former top commander of international forces in Afghanistan, said this week that the United States should bring back the draft if it ever goes to war again.

"I think we ought to have a draft. I think if a nation goes to war, it shouldn't be solely be represented by a professional force, because it gets to be unrepresentative of the population," McChrystal said at a late-night event June 29 at the 2012 Aspen Ideas Festival. "I think if a nation goes to war, every town, every city needs to be at risk. You make that decision and everybody has skin in the game."

He argued that the burdens of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan haven't been properly shared across the U.S. population, and emphasized that the U.S. military could train draftees so that there wouldn't be a loss of effectiveness in the war effort.

"I've enjoyed the benefits of a professional service, but I think we'd be better if we actually went to a draft these days," he said. "There would some loss of professionalism, but for the nation it would be a better course."

[Paladin2]

Islamists are WAY over-represented (should be zer0).

[kabar]

I think he’s complaining about the over representation of blacks and Hispanics in the armed forces. He’s not explicitly wrong.

Actually, whites and blacks are barely overrepresented. The biggest over/under representation is by region. The South produces far more people who enlist in the military than any other region and the Northeast is the lowest.

[wally_bert]

I am in 100% agreement with you.

[steve86]

We no longer enter wars to win.

Not sure I even want this abortionist, homosexualist country to "win". But then all the potential opponents are no better, in one manner or another. Glad I'll be gone soon, all I can do is pray for the grandkids.

[jrd]

why not? are they some how better?

[Future Snake Eater]

"I think if a nation goes to war, it shouldn't be solely be represented by a professional force, because it gets to be unrepresentative of the population."

General, what is the objective in any war?

No wonder this moron was fired.

[rarestia]

I think this bodes well should CWII ever erupt. The majority of recruits would deign to fire on their own people since you know damn well the POTUS would start with the south being that we represent the largest contingent of gun owners in the nation.

This is great information, thank you Kabar!

[353FMG]

Just thinking out loud.

A Christian gets inducted into the Armed Forces and is now compelled to accept the homo lifestyle. Sharing barracks and showers with them.

I know, there are homos at work, but we are not forced to live with them after work hours.

[hoosierham]

Whatever you call it,a country that enslaves its citizens for military or any other service,is not FREE.

[jrd]

make it four then

[Gaffer]

They may be over represented in the military, but that does not equate to experiencing disproportately higher casualties. If you search the web, you can judge for yourself...I believe they do not.

[Paladin2]

It’s interesting that ID and NV are high and UT is low.

[puppypusher]

I will not allow my child to be drafted into military service so he can become cannon fodder for a resident such as we have presently.

I’m pro-military but our nation’s dead and its constitution has died long before that.I see No need to waste the lives of anyone under the leadership of a communist _Resident.

[HIDEK6]

If they are not the feminist lobby would go berserk.

I disagree.

The feminist lobby is a bunch of anti-american cowards.

[Future Snake Eater]

Overrepresentation? I think not.

[dragonblustar]

I’d leave to country before joining the pro gay military. Sorry but I would not have said this a year ago.

[Gaffer]

He is not wrong...however, representation by racial and ethnic group as members of the military does not equate to the same casualty rate experienced by same. Google WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan and I think you’ll find that if you look beyond just the percentages of member groups to the casualty rates, you’ll find that their experience rates are less than their member representative rates. The truth gets obscured when various groups (of ethnic or racial persuasion) try to muddy the waters with the member rates and gloss over the casualty rates.

[opentalk]

Obama cannot be trusted to care about our young people ,with the use of our military for UN agenda, not calling Fort Hood shooting - terrorism and by- passing congress for war ,a draft fits with his callousness

[Lovely-Day-For-A-Guinness]

He’s probably worried about the gays in the military.

Precisely!

If there's a draft, I'll do all I can to send junior out of country so he doesn't have to be part of the social petri dish that's masquerading as our military.

I become ill to my stomach when I think what's happened to this great institution, one that saw family members (past and present) serve from the Civil War to Desert Storm.

FUBO!

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I think if a nation goes to war, it shouldn't be solely be represented by a professional force, because it gets to be unrepresentative of the population,"

I keep forgetting that defending the US is no longer the sole item on the agenda of the US military - it's also there to make political statements, represent special interests and serve as a mandatory customer of ruinously expensive biofuels.