I don't favor one but if there ever is another draft, it needs to not exclude anyone based on race,

[RB TexLa]

gender, religious affiliation, marital status or educational status.

[elleng]

1. Right, or based on anything,

and that was Rangel's idea, too, I think. If it were ever thus, we'd NEVER go to war!!!!

[BeFree]

15. Question, ellen

Why do women support war?

I ask because, methinks that if women were against war, war would be nevermore.
Yall have the power, eh?

[elleng]

16. What power do 'we' have, BeFree?

I agree that if all women were against war there would be many fewer than there have been, but life just doesn't work that way.

[BeFree]

21. Shoot

Women rule the world. Yall may not admit it, but it's true. Just withholding sex causes great strife.

So, my advice would be that yall get together and make peace. I beg of you.

[tsuki]

2. Or Daddy's wallet. nt

[rurallib]

6. yep - and no 'alternatives' like GW had.

[ejpoeta]

9. the irony is.... who did he send to fight this war!! the national guard!!

[Statistical]

3. Well people should be excluded if their religous affiliation prohibits them from combat.

This come form a soldier who deployed overseas in combat.

The worst possible thing would be to force someone into combat who is morally opposed to combat. Likely to get themselves and rest of squad killed.

Now deferments based on daddy having a lot of money = college I have no problem with that.

However I am 99% sure there will never be a draft again.
US military is far more technical and used tactics requiring more coordination & communication. Forcing in poorly trained draftees who have no "Esprit de Corps" would like reduce not improve the effectiveness of US operations.

[DrDan]

10. then why also not exclude single-income head-of-families?

Why put a family's only breadwinner in a combat situation?

and convicted felons.

and those mentally impaired.

and those with significant physical problems.

Seems to me there could still be an extensive list of exclusions - particularly for combat situations.

[Statistical]

13. Yeah there are.

single income is not an issue. A lot of soldier families are single income.

Pay soldiers a living wage and if the worst happens SGLI pays out $400,000 which is more insurance than most Americans carry. More than enough to pay off the mortgage, debts, and ensure little Timmy can go to college.

I didn't mean to indicate those who are religiously excluded would be the only one.

physical problems, handicaps, disabilities - OF COURSE they need to be excluded. You going to have somoene in a wheel chair patrolling streets of Baghdad. The military already sets minimum physical standards for enlistment those same standards should apply to a draft.

Mentally impaired - once again OF COURSE. My point was not intended to be exaustive rather rebutting the OP statement there should be no exclusion for religious reasons.

Convicted felon - well it depends. Non-violent & served debt to society = no problem. Repeat rapist or other repeat violent offender = not so much.

[hobbit709]

4. From one of Heinlein's books

The War Amendment stated that unless physically invaded, Congress could not declare war without a national referendum. The catch was that if you voted FOR war, you automatically signed your enlistment papers-no exceptions.

[NNN0LHI]

5. How about having connections or being famous?

No one with connections I knew of ever got sent to war unless they wanted to be.

Elvis got drafted and his duty ended being sent to Germany to play stink finger with the base commanders teenage daughter and drive his Corvette around. He didn't even have to live on base.

Don

[StarfarerBill]

7. Oh, no...

A new draft should be based entirely on individual and family wealth; that is, the richest sons and daughters go first.

And since that won't happen, I oppose a new draft.

[TexasObserver]

8. If we have a draft, it should include EVERYONE.

Even all those old farts who love war because they will never have to fight in one. EVERYBODY should be subject to the draft, if we are going to have one.

Most of the needs of our military are support, and that means they need smart people who know how to do things like provide medical care, provide administrative care, handle legal or contract issues - basically things that don't require one to be young or fit.

Of course, those of us who have already served would be exempt, but all these guys who didn't go can now get their chance to serve Uncle Sam for an E-1 salary.

[spanone]

11. if perpetual war is our strategy....draft, draft, draft...we'd still be in vietnam without the draft

the draft and a useless war is what REALLY pissed off the american people

[Sancho]

12. Gender?

Would you draft women?

[BeFree]

14. Women?

Why not? Ya know, if women decided to end war, it would be done.

But there must be an awful lot of women who want war. So, draft 'em.

[Starry Messenger]

17. You left out sexual orientation.

There won't be another draft though.

[USA_1]

18. you forgot to include ''FINANCIAL STATUS''

If anything, the wealthy elites who started both of Bush's wars should have their children drafted and sent to the front lines.

[Javaman]

19. You forgot social status and political affiliation. The others are unimportant. nt

[Javaman]

20. dupe.nt

[olegramps]

22. Heaven forbid I have a friend who is a former Catholic priest:

He said that enrollments in Catholic Seminaries quadrupled during WWII since seminary students were automatically deferred. He wondered if this had anything to do with the rash of pedophilia that seemed to peek in the decades following the end of the war and appears to be abating as that generation dies off. He had serious reservations with the church’s teachings and eventually left. He said that he, like far too many of his classmates, succumbed to family pressure to firstly enter and then remain in the seminary. He said that you were put up on a pedestal and it was difficult escape the entanglement. This may be a bit off the subject, but perhaps seminary students shouldn’t be exempt if there is a military draft.

[underseasurveyor]

23. The ONLY WAY I would even consider saying yes

Is ONLY if the children of the powerful and those that makes the decision to make a war go onto the battle field first. And even then I still say NO FUCKING DRAFT EVER!