Comments on: Is A Military Draft Inevitable?

By: Jim Webber

Jim Webber — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 05:54:04 +0000

We had a very large peace-time draft running from 1948 to the Vietnam War in response to the cold war. It came under attack only because of an unpopular war. There was no significant opposition to the draft until after 1967 when it became apparent that Vietnam was a quagmire and a lot of college students began to lose their exemptions. To blunt the opposition, Nixon switched to a lottery system and then abolished the draft when the US finally pulled out and ran without officially surrendering.

The problems we have to day with any kind of draft is the credibility of the government. Not very many people really believe that the US is threatened by anything more than an incompetent, badly-behaving cowboy in the White House who thinks he is being guided by Jesus.

Iran a threat? Ahmadinejad saw how North Korea made the cowboy kowtow to their demands and knows he can do the same. He is much smarter than Bush and Bush’s advisers know it. So do the Europeans. So I don’t think there is going to be a war with Iran.

But, after we get out of Iraq, I would support a peacetime draft and I think most American’s would. At least as long as we have someone intelligent in the White House. Most European countries have obligatory military service and it is not an issue because their governments are credible and most Europeans believe their governments are really serving them.

By: angie

angie — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:00:27 +0000

This war isn’t about freedom. You still believe the BS that is fed to us over the boob tube? Ha. This was and still is about control of the middle east. NO WMD, NO Operation Iraqi freedom, no bin laden, and no 911. This operation was planned before 911, and was documented.

By: LewP

LewP — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:53:22 +0000

OK, I think I made the error. When I first read the story, it sounded as though Brian said the draft began in 1973 with some unknown date that it ended. After reading it again, I realized what Brian was saying and I believe he meant to say that was the last time we've seen the draft as when it ended. Nothing else to say about it, let's move along. LewPs last blog post..And you thought the Olympics was all fun and games

By: AreYouOffended

AreYouOffended — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:27:07 +0000

I fail to see what the correction was…

Both say 1973…

By: Brian Cuban

Brian Cuban — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:20:17 +0000

Lew: I stand corrected.

By: LewP

LewP — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:57:47 +0000

*Correction* Brian “The last time we saw a draft was in 1973 at the end of the Vietnam War.”
Just as a matter of record, the draft ended in 1973. I don’t make a habit of public corrections, but this is an important fact of record. Wikepedia also has a great piece that covers the term Conscription or involuntary labor or draft.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription#Manpower

The military draft is never a popular decision. In the 60′s when people were getting drafted during the Viet Nam war, some people rebelled so strongly, the burned their draft cards, some moved to Canada and disavowed their U.S. citizenship. I would imagine that would be petty compared to today’s potential draft. I can imagine people running off to college to get a waiver for the draft. I can see many people suddenly finding religion and objecting to war and becoming conscientious objectors.

I think what amazes me about the draft is everyone objects to it, and no one apparntly wants to go to the military, but we expect freedom. I hate to break this to everyone, but freedom isn’t free. We pay for it with our lives. If we have to have a draft, we may need to put border fences at the U.S.-Canadian border to keep Americans IN!

LewPs last blog post..Breakheart Pass on Encore Western Channel on 6-26-08!