I don't know how I feel about it yet, but it brings back these scary images of the Vietnam war. The issue gets more complicated when you introduce statistics like these, which lead a reader to one conclusion, and the actual experiences of some older enlisted guys who remember the Vietnam days and claim such statistics to be horseshit.
"Ashes to ashes, dust unto dust,
it may not run, but shine it must,
it may not work, but it will not rust."
Anyways....
2 comments:
I refuse to read the articles you've linked to, because they are too long. What is your opinion on the issue, Ross? I am obviously against a draft. I'm just wondering why a draft would be "necessary". Are the "terrorist" forces increasing faster than ours are? We haven't had a terrorist attack on our soil in over 7 years, which tells me what we're doing is working (if you assume that 9/11 was performed by terrorists, but that's another topic). I personally feel no threat from "terrorism". Not that I really ever did...
The statistics in the second link aren't that important, but the first article really helped me understand the situation, so I would suggest reading it. It's only a page long.
Basically, a draft would lead to a better educated and more diversified military, and would lead to fewer "adventure wars" like Iraq, because the sons and daughters of the elite would have to serve as well. My personal decision would hinge on two factors: the option for non-military service (in a 'domestic peace corps', as the article says) and what kind of wars America fights in the future. If we expect to fight more wars like Iraq and Afghanistan, future administrations will have no choice but to bring the draft back. The manpower requirements for counter-insurgency (COIN) operations are too large.
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