My son is 16---- Damn--I really thought the wars would be over by his draft age.

[trumad]

My other boy is 13...

The increased violence in Iraq and the disintegration of Afghanistan...

How the hell can the Peace time Army sustain?

[MNDemNY]

1. The "wars" would be long over, if there was a draft.

Bring back the draft, no deferments (other than medical), men and women. this would result in an end to "wars of choice".

[trumad]

2. Sorry---

Don't feeling like shipping my boys out of the Country.

[MNDemNY]

3. That is, ultimately, my point.

[bobbolink]

28. Heh... if you actually thought about it, what you are saying is that is the danger NOW.

If EVERYONE had to serve, you can bet there would be fewer wars.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. +1

Wars for profit and choice will be squashed by the people and genuine wars in need of our intervention will be ended more quickly and efficiently.

[timeforpeace]

23. Why would a draft have that result? What are wars of choice?

[MNDemNY]

31. If the general public had more of a "dog" in the fight, we IMO would not have gone to war in Iran.

Iran is a war of choice. The US was under no threat.

[Mari333]

30. I agree. nt

[scheming daemons]

4. Um.... we don't have a draft... and we won't

...not in your lifetime or your sons'.

[trumad]

5. The how do we sustain our army's?

[PVnRT]

7. 100% volunteer army

The way it should be.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

8. Our armed forced are voluntary.

More or less. Once you volunteer your stuck... but other than that it's your choice to enter or stay out.

[scheming daemons]

9. The same way we have since 1973

With a well-trained all-volunteer force.

Ask any career military man and they'll tell you they prefer an all-volunteer force. They're more motivated, and believe in the cause. They'd rather have 50 well-trained volunteers than 200 draftees who don't want to be there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. No, you are wrong, more and more of the sergeants and chiefs

will tell you if the country believes in this crap bring back the draft.

And military planners are also saying the same thing.

Sorry married to a Chief now retired... and have spoken to both active duty and retired. Truly OFF the record, especially the active duty NCOs, will tell you we need a draft. If the country believes in this crap time to bring it back.

And it is not just the endless deployments by the way. It is a reality that it cannot be sustained, period.

[dysfunctional press]

16. high unemployment and limited opportunities in the private sector.

seems to be working so far.

[timeforpeace]

24. You actually thought there was a draft?

[Bluerthanblue]

21. our sons are still required to register with S.S. at 18-

:(

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. There is no draft age, as there is no draft

[Bluerthanblue]

20. our sons are still required to register with Selective Service at age 18-

it's a fact.

My son has faced this, and my youngest will within the next few years.

:(

[Javaman]

11. There is a very old staying...

"as long as there are nations, there will always be wars".

[emilyg]

12. Amen. Truth.

[pennylane100]

14. Can e apply for duel citizenship in another country where there are no wars,

just in case. I know there is no draft now but it could always come back. My son was born in turkey but I do not think he would want to go there, they have a draft. My youngest daughter was born in England and has a british birth certificate and an american one, we were in the military, so if they start drafting women she could go there. My oldest daughter was born in Texas and maybe they will have seceded by the time they get around to drafting women.

[Obamanaut]

15. At 16 he still has two years before he can even register. Don't give up

just yet.

[armyowalgreens]

17. There will be no draft unless the war we are fighting is defensive.

I'm not worried, and I'm prime draft age.

[ltf1]

19. There will never be

another draft in the US for lots of reasons. First, a conscript army puts parental pressure on Congress to end whatever the war they might be fighting (lesson of Vietnam). Second, the next draft would have to include women, and parents who might be willing to see their sons go off to war, won't want to see their little girls go (I know I don't). Third, the public doesn't care nearly as much about how long wars last if their kids aren't in it (lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan)so the military brass and politicians prefer a volunteer force. Fourth, any truly defensive war(s) the US might fight that would require the manpower (or womanpower to cover my pc rear)that conscription provides, will have already gone nuclear making conscription moot.

[armyowalgreens]

22. You missed the part where I said "defensive" war. As in we are being attacked.

This will not occur for some time. It would mean that the aggressor was as capable if not more capable than the US armed forces. That would require an expansion of our armed forces to attempt to overwhelm the threat.

All your points become moot when the country is looking at the possibility of extinction. When a war becomes truly necessary, the draft will be reinstated.

God help us if a war is ever truly necessary because that would mean that we were being met with an enemy force greater than anything this country has ever seen. I think that if such a war were to occur, it would likely begin WWIII. Which would inevitably involve WMDs (nuclear and chemical weapons).

[ltf1]

25. No, you missed the point

where I posted: "Fourth, any truly defensive war(s) the US might fight that would require the manpower (or womanpower to cover my pc rear)that conscription provides, will have already gone nuclear making conscription moot."

Essentially, however, I think we agree:)

[armyowalgreens]

27. I don't think a nuclear war makes man power obsolete...

If anything, it would be used as a last ditch effort.

No matter what people think, it's very hard to level an entire country the size of the US. Nuclear attack would only damage certain parts.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. The politicians have endless supply of bogeymen to frighten us with.

And, maintain their kickbacks from the MIC.

[prolesunited]

26. The day after Kerry lost

a military recruiter called for my son. I burst into tears.

[jonnyblitz]

29. they hire all those "private contractors" so they don't have to

start the draft.