what a stupid idea. The problem isn't a lack of military numbers. It's a lack of people in the right areas. (or so it is reported.) There seems to be a larger underlying reason we are in Afghanistan. It's not to find Osama Bin Laden. He most likely has been dead for years. And we (american government) are the ones who trained the Taliban in the first place. Why is it that everyone is so concerned about that region? It can't just be the oil. We have plenty of it here. It's just being guarded by the spotted owl. Ask a soldier what he thinks of a draft. They hate the idea. They say it's hard to train an idiot who wants to be there, but try to train a bunch of idiots who don't want to be there. An ice pick in the eye would be more productive.

Originally posted by poedxsoldiervet
I would be in support of a National Guard draft, but not an active duty one.

What's the difference?
National Guard troops are deployed to war zones quite regularly these days.

A draft won't happen. It doesn't need to happen. If they want more people in the military all they have to do is create more open slots for those people and it'll fill up faster than you can say "Look ma, no draft!"

As for the video I can understand the logic behind thinking a draft would make the government think twice about sending people to war, and it would make sense if I believed for a second that any of them or their families would get drafted and actually get sent to war. Unfortunately, I'm not naive enough to believe that. If there were a draft, none of the people in Congress would be drafted (in part because of their ages, not many are young enough to enlist voluntarily now if they wanted to) and none of their immediate families would actually go anywhere if they did get drafted.

I think we should have reinstated the draft years ago. I really doubt the American public would have been so supportive of invading Iraq if their kids may been drafted.

People are more than happy to wave the flag around and yell "Go America" in a war as long as someone else is making the sacrifices.

IMO, a military draft would not be feasible in today's political climate. I think Moyers knows this as well, but is using the point to illustrate that there are those that do not understand the costs of the war. Certainly not all troops, but in my experience, the vast majority, of the enlisted personnel in the military come from two "areas" of the country: minorities from larger cities and whites from conservative "Red" States. The rest of the country seems content to sit back and watch it on TV. A draft would "bring the war home" those don't understand the sacrifices these cross segments of the population make.

However, I would certainly be in favor of a National Draft program if it was implemented such that you could choose what way in which you serve. Two years service between highschool and college, or (for those that qualify) agree to do 4 years after college and your college is paid for. The program could allow a choice between military service (including the National and Coast guards), or non military service options. I'm not sure what all would qualify for the non-military option, but certainly things like working for a National Park, or for a local police/fire/ambulance program are examples of things that ought to fit the bill. Certain volunteer and teaching programs would also be good fits.

The point isn't what you do, but that we all do "something." I think it would go a long way to build a bridge of common experience that we all, as Americans, share, and provide the young people of the Country with a sense of "ownership" of the destiny of this Nation. Too often the young people don't get involved because, what's he point it's not really their country. This would show them that it is theirs as well.

Of course some reactionaries will scream that any plan which involves National Service like this sounds a lot like Socialism, but think of all the problems this could solve. If everyone had to serve....everyone would qualify for VA health benifits....now no one is "uninsured." Private Insurance continues because the more successful among us will surely still want to go to private hospitals, but as Nation we will have a "safety net" that ensures that no one be denied basic medical care even for catastrophic injuries and illnesses, and chronic diseases like diabetes.

Those with advanced degrees like Doctors and Lawyers would be able to make a choice between going immediately into private industry, or working for the VA or JAG programs for a set time period in exchange for tuition waivers.... this would encourage many to get higher education, and would alleviate the burden on VA docs being spread thin by the increase in patients.

Overall, I think unless something like this were included in a proposed draft it would be a non-starter politically, and even if, and to some extent because, it were included, there would be those that would fight tooth and nail against it for fear of socialism.

How about a stimulus package for the army instead of another one for Wall Street? Increase the wages paid to soldiers and suddenly you might find an influx of scores of people ready to fight for their country. And if they get killed, at least they know their families are taken care-of.