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Sun 7 Nov, 2004 02:05 am
Do you think that this will hapen despite what Bush has said?
A Volunteer Army is more effective than a drafted Army.
I don't believe that he would. People who like military life, and all that it entails, make far superior service people than people who are forced into involuntary servitude. If for some reason that ever did happen, I think that there would be a huge backlash.
Wonder who would head the revolt? :wink:
I voted "I have no idea" because.....
If the threat remains as it is now, no, I don't think he will.
If the threat increases, say from Iran or NK, all bets are off.
I don't think Bush will do it, but, on a personal level, I think that a conscript army is an excellent idea. And before Phoenix or my other non-militaristic friends hand me my head, let me explain why.
1) If we are to have a military at all, in a democracy it should be the responsibility of every able-bodied person to contribute to it by serving a specified period of time. Details of fair and equitable exemptions for conscientious objectrs and others can be worked out.
2) I do not trust a professional armed force at the beck and call of its commander-in-chief. The conscript may love his/her country but will have no love for the powers that be; the professional soldier owes allegiance to his/her leaders first, to the country as an afterthought. Rome was transformed from a Republic into an Empire because the legions owed their allegiance to Caesar, not to Rome.
I voted 'I have no idea' because I have no reason to trust Bush to keep his word and because the present world situation is so fluid that circumstances could change the best of intentions. But, in all seriousness, I don't think Bush feels secure enough to really do it. (And perhaps he, too, has considered what I said in my second point.)
Merry Andrew- Very well taken points. And no, I would not hand your head to you.
The only way that I could possibly condone conscription is if the war were situated on our shores. If that were to happen, I would suspect that there would be enough volunteers that the draft would not be necessary.
I confess that I've been wondering why I've been hearing radio ads reminding young men that it is the law to enroll with the selective service on their 18th birthday....
No draft for any reason, ever.
If a war did show up on our soil, as someone here said--you wouldn't need a draft.
The draft was just a ploy from the Dems to try to win the election. It will never happen.
You couldn't completely trust a drafted fighting force.
I understand that, Larry434.
But why the big advertising campaign all of the sudden? I listen to the radio a lot and it is only lately that I've been hearing these spots.
I really don't think there will be a draft but I have to admit that I'm curious about the timing. It has made me wonder if perhaps I'm wrong.
Funny thing is, that over the years, I have heard that ad from time to time. It IS the law, and people have to register. You all probably heard it too, but never paid much attention to it. Now, because of what is happening, people are paying more attention to the ads.
In my family, there is a standing joke. I call it, "..................'s Law". That is, when you are interested in something, you will see it everywhere, whereas you had never noticed it before. For instance, once we were in the market for a certain type of skylight. Before this, I had never paid attention to people's roofs. All of a sudden, I was seeing skylights everywhere!
Lash
Quote:You couldn't completely trust a drafted fighting force.
Nonsense. Who do you think fought and won WW2?
If as a result of the current action the enlistment's were insufficient to maintain our militaries strength I have no doubt that the administration, in fact any administration would be forced to resort to a military draft. In addition IMO the heavy reliance on poorly trained national guard and reserves is a major weakness in our military preparedness.
Lash:
"You couldn't completely trust a drafted fighting force." ?
That's going to be news to a lot of WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam vets...(including me).
Lash, it's the professional all-volunteer fighting force that I don't trust. Conscripts you can trust. They just want to get it over with. As au1929 has said, who do you think won WW II? Or WW I for that matter?
Quote:I agree that an attack on the CONUS will be met with volunteers, as it was in GB after the Blitz and in the U.S. after Pearl Harbor. But, if we have to engage in a land war in Iran or NK I believe a draft might be necessary.
As it was then, the US Draft was instituted in 1940, the British some years earlier. Neither country ever had enough volunteers to fill it's ranks. WWII was won by those who did enlist and by the men holding those 1-A cards, the same with Korea and Viet Nam.
There will be a draft if they need one, with no second thoughts....period. Although I believe they will try to resist it, that does not mean they have a problem or objection to it.
Life hands you **** you weren't expecting every day. While the lions share of our military is jerking off Iraq....what if another major problem requiring a large miltary presence occurs? Exactly where is it you think the soldiers and human sandbags will come from?
Do you think all the patriotic flag wavers such as we interact with here are going to voluntarily join up? Hardy har har.....all you pro war people waving your flags from behind the safety of your Toby Keith cd's just may get what you've been crowing about....a chance to fight and die....enjoy it...
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