The soviets (sorry i still think of russia as that) have somewhat of the right idea. Today's youth needs a swift kick in the @$$. Most teenage males are nothing but girly men and wussies. We need the Super Macho heros for today's youth. I remember when i was a kid that G.I. Joe was the collest thing since slice bread. And when I joined the Civil Air Patrol, that was great. It kept me off the streets and thought me a lot of good lessons. How many kids (16 at the time) at my age could say that they knew how to fly a plane. Or got to ride in a tank. Not many, and that's partly why I'm against liberialism. Yes that's off topic. So i'll go back to the topic. And the draft is both good and bad. It should be that everyone does some time in unifrom, but if you go in as a drafte. You get the sh!t list of jobs. And it should be for a reserve type force too. Something like what the Swiss do. Their natonal militia type system. Wearing a uniform and serving your country really changes how you look at life. And our youth needs that swift kick. THe Russian got it right. The male youth like military things. It's normal. Biys play soldier will girls play house. Sorry, I'm not trying to be sexist or something. Just pointing out society.

^ I agree. I can think of nothing better for some of the youth today than some military discipline and experience.

Better to be Red than Dead!!

Yep, i agree, keep them from loafing around and bludging off the government and give them some kind of purpose. Make them give back to society rather than just take all the time.

Rich.

I agree that military service is good for the youth, except serving in the Russian military is some of the worst experiences you can have. Desertion and suicides, yes, but the main problem that's very very very very widespread, out of which stems desertion and suicides, is something that they're not bothering to fix, and that is, "dedovshina", as it's called in Russian. It doesn't have a proper translation, it would mean something like "senioritis" or something. Young draftees are tortured, abused, beaten, almost enslaved by the senior soldiers who don't have much time left in the military, and it repeats on and on, as the ones who were once abused act the same way towards the new kids entering the service. It's a vicious circle, a loop that they won't come out of unless they install a fully contractual and professional military. Draft dodging is done by almost everyone who isn't in college and is of legal age. It's really sad.

I feel for quoting an old Dead Kennedys song; Kinky Sex Makes The World Go Round where it says:

"Now we know there's an alarmingly high number of young people
roaming around in your country with nothing to do but stir up trouble
for the police and damage private property. It doesn't look like they'll
ever get a job. It's about time we did something constructive with these
people"

I guess that applies for several countries

Absolutely.

Rich.

I can think of nothing better for some of the youth today than some military discipline and experience.

Thats all good and well, but (no offence) Australian army cadets are a bunch of little warie nutterz.