I'm in favor of a draft strictly because a lot of teenagers could learn a thing a two from the ass kicking they would receive in an Army or Marine Corps. basic training.

Originally Posted by The Cooler King

Sure that's what everyone says. Who cares about Iraq? It doesn't effect me. I'll I know about Iraq is that I'm against it!

We need a draft to take the strain off the brave men and women over in Iraq right now. Some of them are being forced to go back 2 and 3 times. Think about them.

I knew some one would do that.

What I meant to do was, try to keep discussions about Iraq out of this specific convo. Iraq is D### Important!! Our nation is at WAR. I understand this, but, the situation does call for more men and women, but, the thing is, if a draft is approved, only the nessary should be put into service. Try to limit over kill if you know what I mean.

Its hard to find a pivit in this type of situation, but, it all comes down to two not wanted scenearios. One, no draft, and Iraq is a total waste, as insurgants and anti American fighters overwhelm U.S. forces, and chase away all other foerign support, and destroy the country from inside out.

*Answer, slight draft, nor Vietnam era scale, just a slight draft.

But, if you take the large scale draft you have the flipside. People of the younger genrations, and just about everyone in their early or late 30s, have never experianced a draft. When people see that young men in their communities, not some city or town miles away, are disapearing to war, whether they like it or not, Im not sure how the American public may react, if it devolps into a present day Vietnam scenario, that would almost certainly , come close to tearing this nations public body, apart.

People by now know that true horror war, TV spelled doom for the romantic and patriotic views of war. That all came to black and white years ago, and opened up the true fiercness of war. After all the one sided media the average American is exposed to, when the paper is in the mail, do you think they will take lightly their family member, or friend being shipped to one of the most violent places on earth? For most, I am sure service of one's nation, and partroitism , may go right out the window, reality will be knocking on many of Parents, friends, and family's doors.
Now imagine that happening all over the country.

But, then agian, agaist all odds, America has been doing a good job at that for years, for what? We are still here, me , talking to you, and, I have the gracious ability to do this, without hesitation, without punishment, for that, I myself, for the benifit for others, would were that flag on my shoulder. Although my mind would say I would regret every bit of it, If I dont, some one else will...

That just sucks, but, nothing is free I suppose.

Mod Edit: Thread merged.

The scars from Vietnam run too deep to reinstate the draft. In my humble opinion it would take something very devestating to happen, ie a nuclear attack before those ghosts could be over-ridden.

Originally Posted by bulldogg

The scars from Vietnam run too deep to reinstate the draft. In my humble opinion it would take something very devestating to happen, ie a nuclear attack before those ghosts could be over-ridden.

You are correct about the scars of war that ALL Vietnam vets and their families carry.

BUT

As a vet, I am sitting here with the death count hovering at eight and I am waiting for number nine ... and ... I absolutely know it is going to happen IF the policies that got us there and are keeping us there are NOT changed very soon.

Re-introducing the draft could be the very impetuous that is necessary to get the politicians in Washington DC off their arses and force them to take action to resolve the debacle which is Iraq. I am NOT favor of a 'cut and run' philosophy ... but ... for sure the 'stay the course' philosophy isn't working.

Iraq needs to have pressure brought to bear to force them to take the destiny of their country into their own hands. They need to be forced to deal with the extremists as only another fellow citizen could do in that godforsaken country.

DO I WANT TO SEE ANOTHER DRAFT? Not really ... however ... sending our forces back to Iraq for the third and fourth time is not fair either. The ONLY way (sans suddenly seeing a rapid increase of volunteers), is to re-institute the draft to augment our forces back to a level that would allow greater freedom in deployment of forces.

With our war on terrorism, we are going to see greater and greater deployment of troops to these hotspots. The ONLY way to ensure adequate forces is going to be a draft.

I was referring to the scars on the collective psyche of the country due to warped perceptions of the Vietnam war and all the baggage we still carry as a result. Things like the war powers act which were nothing more than the congress officially shifting the blame for an unpopular war, due to biased media reporting at home, to the President. This is just one example.

The damn hippy baby boomers aren't quite done with their therapy on this one but I think if their SUVs were vaporised they might pull their heads out in a timely manner but then again the stupidity gene is strong with them and they are given to bouts of self-flagellation and might actually blame themselves and disarm the country and sign it over in order to avoid any bloodshed.

I think what Rangel is trying to do is make sure that future presidents Don't take for granted the lives of people who chose to serve in the Military. This is order to curb reckless military adventures, like the one we are currently in in Iraq.

The part I like about the bill, unlike the draft during Vietnam there are NO EXCEMPTIONS. Everybody goes. Lets see how some of the Hawks in Washington act went its their sons and daughters being thrown into the meat grinder.