Nic,
I am glad that this is finally being spoken about out in the open by the Generals in Afghanistan. It’s about time that they tell the truth. I have seen for a while that they needed way more troops. Finally someone seems to be listening.

When we went into Iraq it seems that we totally forgot Afghanistan and what are men and women are doing over there. Now we are paying the price because the terrorists have all flocked there because it seems easier to attack our troops there instead of Iraq.

Hopefully we can do a surge, if you will, over there and get things back in order and defeat them once and for all. Then our troops can come home.

Cindy…Ga.

I have always said that we should reinstate the draft. Also, since I believe in Equal Rights, women should be included in selective service and the draft.
We have too many young people walking around with no goals and no direction. If we reistated the draft, it would give everybody a reason to get involved in politics and make everybody part of the process.

John how about you and all the other pro draft people go over and serve if not already. You must be crazy if you think first of all the draft is going to be reinstated and secondly if you think it’s going to include women.

That’s a good option make everyone a soldier….yeeesh…how about we do the right thing and take the troops out of Iraq and send them along to Afghanistan…..no need for a draft as long as we don’t keep making these dumb mistakes and invade the wrong country. We took our eye off the ball with the right thing we did going into
Afghanistan. The draft arguement is the knee jerk reaction, not well thought out……..

Easily said then done…our troops are over extended and under paid….adding a surge is also easily said but I don’t think people in this country appreciate anything those troops and their families go through….15 months is a long time…think about it….missing x-mas, thanksgiving, birthdays, anniversaries, baby’s first steps….I could go on and on….if you send people back they don’t have down time to clear their heads….I know people getting ready for a fourth tour of duty ….its impossible to explain what a military family goes through in a short paragraph… also with all that goes on in the world I am sure there are all of things we don’t hear through the news… yes it is nice to hear that their needs to be change….but time will tell if its a smart move or not

I pseudo agree with John Gibbons on this. Although I do not think we should reinstate a DRAFT per se, I do believe that we should do like most other countries in the world. We should make it mandatory for all men who are no physically or mentally disabled to serve two years in the military. If they volunteer for a service (Army, Navy, AF, Marine Corps), then they can get their pick of what they do in that service. Folks that are undecided will be put in infantry to serve our wars, or at least to back fill at units where their personnel are currently deployed. Then after the mandatory two years, if they wish to train into another career field, they can. Or, if they wish to leave the military, they can with no further obligations, and they can have two years of college paid for with the stipulation they maintain a GPA mandated in regulation sompleace.

Not only will this help our numbers in the military, it will also instill a little bit of patriotism and respect in our younger folks that you just don’t see anymore.

John,

What about those of us who are young, driven, and goal oriented? Being the center of the draft age range knowing that I have no desire to put a weapon in my hands and kill another human being. I have a very clear image of what I want to achieve out of life and where I want to head.

I realize I am the exception to the rule. I’m graduating from a University with a Political Science degree so I am contradictory to your explanation of apathy in politics for people my age.

Now I would agree with you that there are many young people who do not have goals or direction, but I feel the draft would cause problems for those of us who are… especially those with a mind similar to mind. What situation would we be in if we were drafted and not emotionally capable to operate for a cause which we feel unjust?

Our forces shouldn’t even be in Afganistan to begin with. It’s just another pointless war like IRAQ, which the U.S. has lost. It’s insane, “we gotta win the war on terror”. The U.S. sponsors terrorism, it always has, and always will. There are better things to fight for and war in the middle east is NOT two of them.

To Cindy, there are terrorists everywhere, it’s impossible to win a war against terrorism. Everyday there’s terrorism, I don’t see our military or local enforcement agencys committing mass murders to my population like they do in the middle east (GENOCIDE). I can go all night and day about this.

As for the draft Gibbons…if it were to come back everybody gets included no matter what gender, sex, class, or religion. I might be an American, but it’s a bit too cliche to support our troops/, when I don’t agree with these wars the U.S. continues to get their noses in and continues to waste my taxe dollars, when those dollars could be used for something much more usefull. Call me unamerican if you want, I only support those I know personally, and that’s only 2, since 3 were killed, never got to fire a weapon and they’re labeled heroes?

PEace

Having served 10 years in the USAF as a pilot I can say with conviction the vast majority of military members want no part of a draft. Those serving now are motivated, focused and moving forward by choice.

The military is not a reform school, absent parent class, or societal value “injector.” Get that at home and if willing volunteer. The military is by definition apolitical with some terrific women all throughout this very day. Good luck.

More poor kids dying for nothing you mean. Afghanistan was just a steping stone to go to Iraq. Instead of calling for more soldiers to fight unecessary wars why not bring back home those that are left in one piece and capable I mean. Yes, maybe Osama took down the twin towers (without internal help) but for some reson the priority became Iraq and it has not changed for the past 5 years, so why now the goverment is saying to shift to Afghanistan?
I was a sailor before and i believed before that we were there to help, not to invade and carry out the deeds of a corrupted governing entinty. The president that is. Have everyone out so the US can also take care of the internal problems… if there is still a chance.

The draft? I’m not sure how old you are Mr. Gibbons but I just turned 21 and am entering my junior year in college so a draft would definitely open my eyes to a different future. The draft is not a viable option. We’ve seen how it worked in Vietnam. Troops there were unmotivated and poorly trained due to lack of effort on the individual soldier’s side as well as the Army’s side. The bad morale that spread from some of the unmotivated soldier’s there spread like wildfire, crushing the overall morale of a war that was going to be hard to win in the first place. I firmly believe that a smaller, better trained, and more motivated fighting force can better fight an uncoventional wars, which include the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We’ve seen this before and a repeat of Vietnam seems to be in the eyes of most Americans with the situation in Iraq right now.

Look around in our prisons, county jails, etc. There is no reason that we should have a shortage of troops. Afterall, we are already providing clothing, food and shelter for these folks. I understand that not all detaned persons could be used, but there are some that not only could be used, but would be willing to do so. Just a thought.

In a former Soviet Union there was a draft, and it worked well, because those who did not want to study in the universities were drafted, those who enrolled to the university were drafted but failed to meet certain grades were drafted, so that helped a lot to keep the crime rates down, because those not at school were in the army.

I, myself, have served in the military for the past 11 years, and am now preparing for my second tour overseas. The draft is a good idea in theory, BUT, as a Soldier, it would concern me having someone on a mission who doesn’t want to be there. Furthermore, I am PROUD of what I do, and I don’t wan’t to share the honor of being a Soldier with someone who doesn’t want it themselves.

Reinstate the draft? Are you kidding? As a “young people” I am very involved in Politics. My brother is currently a Marine who has been to Iraq a few times. Why would we draft Americas future to go fight a pointless war? Oh wait….I forgot….we won the war in 2004 when we took out Saddam?!?!?! Right? Why are we in Iraq? Why are we in Afghan? We does my little brother fight a war that has done nothing beneficial for the United States? Oh wait…..those of you with oil stocks got richer! Thanks little brother…I’m glad you could help make the Bushs wealthier while the rest of us pay 4.50/gallon and oil companies are making their largest profits in history. Foreign Policy should be a simple policy. If you HARM AMERICANS, we will BLOW YOU UP. Perioud. Pull the troops out, let the maggots fight amongst them selves and lets concentrate on more important issues like education, social security, and health care. By the way, while we are at it. Lets limit the Senate and House to two terms per member. No more life long Senators who haven’t worked a real day in their entire lifes.

Any one else see the irony in John’s statement above? Odds are he is either a) no longer eligible for the draft or b) a member of a politician’s family. The beauty of democracy is freedom to choose. There are plenty of ways to become a “part of the process” aside from being forced to serve in the military. Don’t get me wrong - I absolutely agree that we need a larger troop presence in Afghanistan… I just think there are other ways to go about it. Sorry about the rant - slightly off topic.

Has anyone thought that George Bush needs to stand for war crime?? I am one that is not proud to even be living on the same continent as this man! This man singlely has force the entire planet into hell and he thinks he is doing a good job. Just shows you what little IQ he actually has. I really don’t understand why he hasn’t been removed from office yet/ Some one please help me understand. I feel that this man needs to answer for the deeds he has done and stand before The Hague. Ohhhh wait, the USA is not part of the ICC. Now why is that?? I guess we don’t have to answer to anyong but ourselves and who cares what others think… People we need to wake up and answer for the crimes that Bush as committed.

If you feel that we need to reinstate the draft for some worthwhile or necessary need, then so be it. At present, a draft for military reasons cannot be justified. Please do not attempt to use the draft for political reasons. Reinstatement of the draft in order to stir up anti war sentiment is irresponsible and immature. Also, do not try to turn the armed forces into a social program via the draft. Although military service often instills young individuals with goals, direction and values, these attributes are by-products. The goal of the military is to “provide for the common defense” NOT “promote the general welfare”. Reinstatement of the draft in order to get young people virtue and personal responsiblity is foolhardy and counter productive.

John, I hope you’re including your sons, daughters, friends, brothers, sisters and anyone else close to you in that statement.

Mr. Gibbons,

Few Active Duty soldier want a draft - there are benefits associated with an all-volunteer military, and I have a difficult time believing an influx of civilians serving against their will would be the immediate benefit our troops need. Most importantly, reinstating a draft would pull MORE highly trained volunteer soldiers away from the front line to be instructors.

The draft may be an answer to some of the larger issues you addressed, but we cannot afford the pain it would cause our current forces during this critical time on the War on Terror.

John Gibbons is right on with his suggestion. Maybe not just a military draft, but a requirement for military/civil service. 2 years required, to be served between the ages of 18-26. No Exceptions. All names in the same pool. Only considerations for those physically/mentally unable to perform. Would put a lot of focus and pride back into the country.
Vietnam 1972 “Probably impossible, it makes too much sense.”

Obama has been saying for a while that we need to focus on Afghanistan, but the Bush/McCain group only want us to see Iraq and Iran.

And if you want to bring back the draft, you need to fix the loop holes that allow rich kids and politicians kids to avoid being drafted. That would make things equal for all people, not just the onus of the poor.

Also you’d have to make it a federal crime, with manditory prison time for any doctor found faking records to keep the rich and politician kids out of service like they did for the last draft.

The real culprit of terrorist attacks on our country has been ignored for so long. And now we see Taliban emboldening and for the first time I hear the word “insurgents” said in the same sentence as Afghanistan. This is beyond ridiculous. Our civilian leadership AND the military leadership needs to smell the roses and realize that by ignoring Afghanistan in the fight on terror, we are actually supporting the resurgence of the same terror that struck us on 9-11.
And given the uptick in rhetoric on Iran by both President Bush and Senator McCain, I believe it is time to reinstate DRAFT.

How many mores lives does Mr. Bush wants. This is a real crime . the soldiers are suffering and also their families. This money should be use in our country to solve the many problems we are facing.

Nic,

Thank you for this information. While I am not a military expert by any means, it seems we are consistently under estimating the power of our enemies. While we sit and praise the alleged “victory” that has occured in Iraq, we have done little to support those that are still battling on every day in Afghanistan. My husband is in the Army National Guard and bored to tears sitting on a naval base in Kuwait. While he is proud to be serving his country, as captain of a combat battallion, he feels their knowledge, training and skill could be far better utilized in areas such as this. Of course, it doesn’t break my heart that he is in an area that is far safer but it is like he has said, he has trained for the Super Bowl for 20 years and sits on the sidelines. However, as Gates put it, it isn’t solely the responsibility of the US to step up the surge. NATO needs to support us as well. Keep up the great job on reporting actual NEWS!

I totally agree with John Gibbons that we MUST reinstitute the draft. Only then will everyone in US be aware daily of what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. My son returns today from 15 months in Iraq and now may have to redeploy. If all young people were drafted I think our national policies would be quite different. If you are not at risk you are more willing to send someone else to fight! We should honor those who choose to protect us, but having everyone elgible would make a Real difference.

I believe we need to step it up in Afganistan and finish what needs to be done. It may be a good idea to have the draft. We all need to step up to the plate as American’s and look this enemy in the eye and mean what we say. I also believe that it is something we need to do in respect to the young men and their families who have already given the ultimate sacrafice.

While I spent my tour in Afghanistans kunar province a small outpost being over run was an everyday non stop occurance. Its true we felt left out, forgotten.
June 21 2006 we lost a good group of men. no one knew, no one noticed. It didnt wake anyone up in America except the Parents and wives and children who had just lost their Soldiers.
Small outposts being overrun… Nothin New. Nothin new at all.
Anderson Cooper, You have been one of the Men who has attempted to find help for those of us who were tossed out into the Mountains and forgotten. You’ve talked to the Mothers who lost their boys, such as Cheryl Lybert. You havent forgotten us.
While Deeply needed soldiers get Fat in Bagram there are those of us out there in the Mountains dreaming of food. Dreaming of what good excuse there is for us to be left out there. We Wanted to be there. Still wish we were there. But why arent we being allowed to Win… Why ? we Wanted to Fight for our Country and Afghanistan is the Chance… except we have so many rules our hands are tied. So few troops our actions area limited. We WANT TO FIGHT. LET US WIN !!!!
3-71 cav. Recon.
Courage is Fear that has Said it’s Prayers.

I am convinced we need to reinstate the draft. My grandson is at West Point and he will be going to Iraq in two years. He could have gone to any school of his choosing. This is what he chose to do. What happened to our patriotism?

Martha Hurley

never understood this whole thing, was always suprised when I was sent to one war and not the other.

Right on JG. Our country went wrong when we stopped drafting citizens to fight in wars and started relying on a mercenary army. It was good for the politicians so that they could get America involved in wars that we didnt declare ie. police actions, hot zones, brush fires, containment actions, whatever you want to call them and not have the country involved to the extent that a war calls for such as WWI or WWII when we rationed supplies to the populace and people saved scrap and bought bonds to fight the war and whatever else it took to get it over with as soon as possible. Bring back the draft now and if the young people think it is below them to be a soldier, they can guard our border or put out fires in California of fill sandbags on the flooding Mississippi.

@John Gibbons

So reinstating the draft would only be for the “young people walking around with no goals and no direction”? What about the young people that do have goals and direction? Can they opt out?

Reinstate the draft seems to be the excuse of those who have no solutions. The solution to a lot of this is to get politics and special interest out of the decisions that will affect the lives of our men and women. To tap the largest oil resources in the world by overthrowing a dictator is immoral. The direction of the country and how it is governed needs to go back to what the entire country needs, not to the needs of corporations. Our men and women need to have everything they need to go into battle. They need armor, which they should not have to buy. They need vehicles that will protect them. They need rifles that don’t jam when in muddy conditions. Commanders need the troops necessary to carry out the missions. Too few and the lives of our troops are in danger, like in the case of the outpost that was overran by the Taliban. This is what’s needed, not dream of a draft that will solve nothing when our troops lack a lot of the basics that one would expect for the best Army in the world.

Cindy wrote:

“…and get things back in order and defeat them once and for all. Then our troops can come home.”

“Them” will be extended to include all who oppose the New US Imperium.

The Long War has begun. It will not end for a very long time.

This was always the true “War on Terror.” Dumbya, Shotgun Dick and the neocons decided to start a war in Iraq to steal their oil and enrich war-profiteers like Haliburton, Blackwater and KBR pure and simple. Back in the reign of St. Ron Reagan, Sadaam was our boy in his fight against Iran….We also supported Osama bin Laden when he was fighting the Russians in Afghanistan. We create these monsters and then down the road, take them out when they are no longer useful.

Reinsituting the draft would be a bad idea. Historically, conscripted armies are far less efficient and perform worse then an all volunteer force. World War 2 was fought with a conscripted force but that time period was part of a different culture. The solution to violence is never more violence. The Soviets learned that themselves in Afganistan. The best course of action is some sort of negotiated peace. In Madrid right now Jewish, Muslim and Christian religious leaders are meeting and engaging in dialogue. This needs to happen with the forces the US is fighting against. Otherwise this conflict will continue without end. Spilling the blood of countless innocents in the name of 9/11 does not bring those lost back. Their deaths should be used as the catalyst to bring about a positive change to the world. I know if my child were killed that day I would not wish anyone else harm as retribution. In the end that is God’s domain.

having served in a combat capacity in both theatres (Iraq & Afghanistan) I agree with the voiced shortfalls, our unit was 45% undermanned before we even got to Iraq.

Cindy, keep in mind that we went into both Iraq & Afghanistan almost simultaneously, Iraq got the lions share of troops because of the known military threat there as well as trying to secure GW Bush’s trophy, aka Sadaam.

John, reinstating the draft will draw less support and if we force our misguided youths into military service, we will no longer be a Democratic Capitalist nation. I think Facist / Totalitarian would be the name for that. I would support some type military service program for all able bodied AMERICAN citizens, instead of reinstating the draft, as long as it doesn’t change our existing structure.
What we need is better retention programs to keep the experienced soldiers & sailors we have now. Instead of screwing over the grunts by increasing rotations, try to incentivise them to stay in. Advancement and retention of the junior enlisted is at the lowest it has been in decades.

I am and was a soldier! The worst thing that can happen or one of them is to be on an assignment that states you are going to be in country for 12 months then to have it changed to 16 or 18 months. This the worst thing and so hard to handle for family and the soldier! It is very hard to be away from family and loved ones for 12 months then to have a person setting in DC decide you need to do more time! HUM wonder what it would like if that person was ask to sit in jail for an extra 6 months? The next thing is to leave your wife and kids in a state a 1000 miles from home expecting you to return to that base and at the last minute be told, that you will not only not return to that base but you have been extended for 6 months while the President and vice president set at home in a comfortable bed and out of harms way. Don’t miss understand me, I loved be a soldier, but just be honest with me, Hay SFC Manley your are going over seas and we are not sure when you will return and we can not grantee that you will even return to the base where you left your family! The next thing that is so upsetting, is our so called medical care” TRI-CARE” I think another name and a better one would be NO-CARE! They pay our medical bills 6 months after a doctor has submitted them, if a doctor submit’s a bill for $100. He is going to be paid about $20. For his service. I sorry I thought when I sign that contract every few years they kept emphasizing the great medical care I would receive if I retired! Trust me it is not there, and VA is not for retired soldiers, it is for soldiers whom got injured while in the military! What a joke! Now I did receive a email from my senator whom shortly after her election to congress she had a knee surgery and was doing well and feeling great, gee if that had replaced my knees and hips they damaged 4 years ago maybe I would not still be taking this crappie meds! That’s correct, by now I am pretty much a full blown opiate addict and still waiting for the fix to my hips and knees! Gee I want to go do another 20 years in this mans army and encourage others to do the same! NOT! Bring our soldiers home, start drilling for our own oil, They do not want us in the MID east, and most of us whom devoted to oour country want to come home!

The only ones who want to reinstate a draft are those too old to be drafted….let your son go to war and see how it is.

I don’t know what to say to all of this except that I (really) pray for all of you throughout each day (and night) and want nothing more than for you all to come home. I know that you are not the same people as when you left but you just need to be home again.

I am sorry that you had to go. I am sorry that you had to go through all you went through. I pray and cry for each of you. God bless you.

The Canadians are also peeved that some of the European nations aren’t doing a bit more.

John, Amen to everything you said. I spent 4 years active army and the rest of my 20 years in the reserves and so did my husband. We were activated for Desert Storm and left our 3 kids behind. My kids are now grown and I is in the Army reserves and another wants to join. I see those same young people male and females with no goals or directions. They should all have to serve in the military for at least a year when they get out of high school like some other countries do. It is a good way for them to grow up and see what the real world is all about before they make any major decisions about what they want to be or what they want to do with their lives.

You go to war with the army you have, not the army you want, eh Rummy?

Draft the Republicans who screamed for the war in Iraq. Why haven’t they enlisted already anyway?!

I don’t understand what the problem is! Iraq wants us out! Move the troops to Afganistan. The military moves to slow, That was the way it was in Nam, we turned in a report and by the time the military did something about it, The enemy was doing something else.
We need a reactionary company that is in a staging area waiting, When something happens, they can respond immediately. I believe the military of today needs to speak to the older vets on how to set up a fast acting force and surprise tactics.

We shouldn’t have had troops overseas in the first place, and YES I support troop withdrawl.

I’ve heard it time and time again “If you want us to pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan, you’re unAmerican because you want us to lose the war.” What about the war we are fighting on the home front? A morgage crisis, hunger because of rising food costs, and homlessness.

Why should we care about a country that hates us?!!! I’m calling all of our politicians and American’s who support this war UNAMERICAN because THEY would rather dump billion’s of dollars into the Iraqi war rather than fix our issues at home.

I agree with you John, we need a mass movement in America. Though the problem with a draft is an Army that is less professional and less motivated. Haha I for one left college after 3 years to join the Army and am now headed to Afghanistan for my first tour. I was tired of sitting back and watching things happen, not seeing enough people doing anything about it.

It boils down to one thing, National Will.

“War means money and money means Taxes “- FDR. War also mean people.

We do not have the National will to raise the Armies needed to win and to pay for the Armies required.

Instead we outsource everything and ask the Chinese loan us the money.

Great article Nic.

NATO member nations should be prepared to do their “fair share” as a member or risk no longer being a member of NATO. Some countries do help allot, some countries do very little, others nothing at all.

In Iraq the U.S. along with a “coalition” of the willing were prepared to “go it alone” the majority of the world didn’t approve.

Afghanistan was suppose to be the Worlds response to terrorism with the WTC, Madrid, and London bombings. Yet there aren’t enough troops or equipment.

To Mr. Gibbons: As a soldier myself, I say thanks but no thanks to the idea of the draft. I do not want to fight along side of someone that does not want to be there. A forced soldier is not committed to the team, is under prepared with poor morale and becomes a heavy burdon that others soldiers have to bear.

Our military presence in both Iraq and Afghanistan is lunacy.
What are we going to do now? Reduce our forces in Iraq to boost our forces in Afghanistan, and play the see/saw game with Al-Queda? Just so two years from now (and thousands of lives later), we’ll repeat the process and reinforce Iraq when that place blows up again?
Somebody needs to say, “stop the madness”, and read our Constitution, congress shall provide for “a common defense”, not ‘Nation-biulding’ or whatever other euphemism our gov’t comes up with for occupation. I served in Iraq for 16 months and my presence did more to recruit ‘terrorist’ than having not been there - “duh” (as my kid sister would say). Our gov’t is hijacked by these statist war mongrel crack heads - who have never and will never see a battle.
I pity the thousands of civilians and soldiers we’ve killed by this lunacy, and I pity the thousands more who are going to die.

I agree with John and the Draft. I will be 57 this August and I served at a time when there was a Draft (lottery). Vietnam was my day and it became the reason the Draft ended shortly after my discharge. It appears that Irag has become a similar quagmire and will be the reason we will not have a Draft anytime in the near future.

As a former officer, who has a large number of friends in both areas this goes back to the peace dividend that cause the military to draw down through the late 1980s and after the first gulf war. Nato hasn’t been putting more troops into Afganistan because its not politically
survivable in Europe. So alot of are allies that we have supported thoughout the last half century have short memories when it comes to stepping up to the plate. All I can say is the men and women that wear are uniform are the hero’s. I hope this works out with more troops being sent into Afganistan. And I feel bad I can’t be there leading the finest men and women in this country.

I hope the rest of this country gets some clue about the world other then their own little fantasy’s

thank mr. bush for invading a country that had nothing to do with the real threat, we should of been done with afghanistan 3years ago!!
the bush legacy continues…

one mad army ranger
R.L.T.W.

What if our full attention was on Afghanistan rather than split between Iraq and Afghanistan, could it be that the latter war would be over and our troops at home and tax dollars spent more wisely?

John, thats a good idea actually, it could only help. It would give the young misguided ones something to do other than stand on a corner and help them become productive. I am totally for redirecting troops into Afghan to help cover more terrain, for anyone thats been there knows its next to impossible to cover the area we would need to to be effective with the troop strengths that we have committed there ATM.

Nic,
Next time please be careful on how you use the name “Soldiers”, please remember that not everybody serving in the arm forces is a soldiers.

All folks graduating from school should be put in the service for 2yr’sthis way it might smarten them up to the way life is and gets them off the streets . I think this is the way to go with the kids today and the service could sure use them.

When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains, and the women come out to cut up what remains, jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains and go to your gawd like a soldier.
Rudyard Kipling

Edit previous post;

Should have said ” Let those soldiers know we are doing something for them at home!”

John, the draft is not a means to give young people direction. The draft is only used for getting more troops when our military is running low on them. And what about those of us who do have goals and direction? What if I will never reach my goals because I am forced to go fight in a war that I do not want to fight in?

I have just one thing to say. As a parent with a daughter in Afghanistan, every time I hear that more troops and more equipment is needed there I phisically get sick! It just is not right, it is inhumane to leave these soldiers under manned and under equiped. I feel as if Bush and his cronies could care less. You can be sure that if it was one of his family members there it would be a whole different ballgame. I have to wonder how he sleeps at night.

No draft for anyone just automatic service time

I do not think we should reinstate the draft.

Some of us simply aren’t capable of fighting in the war out there like the soldiers are. And thats not necessarily a bad thing, some of us just aren’t going to be physically & mentally capable of fighting gun battles no matter what. or how you try and force them to be

Plus, I think shipping people off to fight i nthe war that aren’t capable or ready for it is worse then not having enough troops

I have 3 sons in the Army. Two of them have already done a tour in Iraq. My oldest is going to Afganistan, and my youngest will deploy before April 09. This time I am really worried due to the lack of equipment and men there to do the job. Someone in the White House must step up and make Afganistan a top priority or it will turn into the mess of Iraq. Where is our Airforce ? and why arn’t they playing a larger role in these wars ?

NATO needs to step up.

John - Reinstate the draft huh, are you volunteering?

Iraq seems to finally be getting to the point where we should be able to start withdrawing troops. It is imparative that we step up the pace in Afghanistan and hold our ground. Our military is spread pretty thin, due to not having a draft, and simply relying on volunters. Why in the world we ever stopped the draft is beyond me? Every capable US citizen we have should serve at least 3 yrs in active military service. Mandatory from the age of 18 to 21, whether or not we are involved in a conflict somewhere. Talk about building character, respect, values and in developing responsibility, no better way than the military. By reinstating the draft we would be adressing two problems, staffing our military and creating better, smarter individuals. The military has been instilled in, and a part of my family since the Civil War. Each generation has served, even my two son-in laws served, the oldest just retired from the Army after 35 yrs of service. i would like to haer what McCain and obama have to say on this issue.

Perhaps the shift in focus from Iraq to Afghanistan will eventually achieve the goal we set out to do after 9/11 in getting rid of the terrorists and making it difficult if not impossible for them to train en masse in any country. Our volunteer army is doing a fine job in the assignments they have been given and I’m sure they will continue to make us proud.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

Get over yourself… nobody cares about Afghanistan.

Just ask the President… he says things are fine and therefore they are.

I completely disagree with you John. Maybe it’s my bias of being a young college graduate with as you say ‘no direction,’ but I feel a reinstatement of the draft will do little to help the situation. Yes, it will add more troops to the battlefield, and yes, it will grant better coverage of the threatened supply routes, but an army of conscripted soldiers lacks the morale and enthusiasm of a traditionally trained force. Especially with this being an increasingly unpopular war, I feel a draft will only prompt more draft dodgers leaving for Canada (despite Canada’s unprecedented deportation of an Iraq war dodger) and will thus further hurt the name and prestige of the United States Armed Forces. And as for your jaundice view of the youth of today, you must be a baby boomer or older by the sound of your own bias. Fact is, it’s your generation’s fault that Gen Y is directionless and lacking of goals as you say. Simply put, you guys have stalemated the economy and locked most younger people out of the jobs and economic status you enjoy. We know we will never be as affluent as your generations, and because the world seems to be going straight to hell under your unrelenting power-hold, any dreams and goals we have in life are promptly squashed. Rather than a draft, I propose we send troops stationed in allied countries into the battlezone. They are trained and paid for already with their own skills going to waste guarding naval bases in Japan (an ally), air bases in Germany, France, and Italy (all also allies). Just remember what happened last time we instated a draft. The similarities between the last draft and your proposed new draft are striking. Unpopular, unwinable wars, against enemies we cannot even count with national governments struggling to gain popularity over a people who at this point are just too tired and shellshocked to fight for themselves. Long story short, John, you are wrong in too many ways, and your view along with anyone else’s ignorant view of the draft makes me sick to my stomach. Maybe you should go over there and fight if you’re such a fan of drafting.

It is soooo like these clowns in the White House today. Only they could allow the Taliban to regain their hold on Afghanistan. If only they had stayed there all along and left Iraq alone. . . Can’t wait for January 2009!!!

My comment is to John Gibbons who supports reinstating the draft:

Are you willing to go John? Are you willing to send your wife and your daughter and your sister and your son?

Are you willing to be caregiver when your family member returns with a C-2 spinal injury or a blast to the head? Are you willing to spend hours feeding and dressing and driving to hospitals and clinics for treatment 5 times a week and fight for benefits from a government that spends 90 percent of its time finding ways to cut benefits.

Are you willing to watch the people that you love die for a cause that no one has yet defined?

First,and foremost let me say God Bless Our Troops! When we send your very best into the fray give them the best equipment, and enough manpower to fight.Any good military man knows this,Oops I forget that the politicans in Washington are in charge of this “War on Terror”,not our generals.May God Help U.S. all,espically the ones doing all the fighting.

I believe every American, no matter what race or gender should serve in the Military. If you look at other countries around the world it is required and the younger generations are becoming strong due to what the military can teach you about yourself. I agree with John. Young people have no goals and as parents we needed to instill into them they needed to be involved for one day they will run the USA. I have told my son, you don’t want to go to college, then you will join the military, no if or ands about it, he has no choice if he choose to live in my home and at 18, he damn sure can’t afford to live on his own.

Wife of a Retired Military Husband
Melissa

Did Afghanistan attack us and I did not hear about it, come to think of it, I don’t recall Iraq attacking the US either. I heard about a small bunch of lunatics who decided to hurt the innocent to keep us out of their business but todate I believe the ringleader of that group is still at large. Will the real terrorist please stand up. Our country is being destroyed from within by our own administration, we don’t need terrorist to do anything, they are just sitting back and watching us do the job for them. Our children should not be in a place where they are being killed by people who don’t want us in their country, so please as a mother of a US soldier, please bring our children and our future home. We will all pick up a weapon if someone dares to come to our shores to invade our land, but until that time, please bring our babies home to safety, until the time when it becomes really necessary to protect OUR FREEDOM!

Mother of a US Soldier, FL

I believe like John does that if the draft is reinstated that it should be both men and women, however, I believe reinstating the draft is a bad idea. I do agree that there are many young people without direction yet, is forcing them to go serve and possibly die for their country really the best way to get them direction? My guess would be that John Gibbons here is probably not eligable to be drafted (I would be shocked if he was). How about the rest of us that are of draft age but have gone to college and are contributing to society, should we be forced to abandon our careers and our lives to serve? I believe that serving your country should be a choice, just like it was a choice by congress and the president to go to “war”.

Hello,…I am writting this in regaurds too our troops
needing more MRAP’s and additional military back up. I just said good bye to my son last friday. He is proudly serving in Afghanistan, Army Infantry. I see all over the news,..after that horriable attack that left 9 US Soldiers dead how they need better equipment and back up. What is going to be done about this ? How long will I be required
to sit at home knowing my son is’nt in the best of best vehicals ? I seen what roadside bombs can do,..I’ve heard soldiers say,..them poor guys don’t have a chance. I know the government can’t move mountains,…I’m just asking them to please move equipment to give our troops a better fighting chance. I don’t know exactly how it is done or by what commands,…however if thier is anything that we as civilians could do I’d really like to know. I am more than willing to sit here an write every person in the government,…if that would help. I feel useless,…my son is over thier,…and I know their needs,..however I am unsure,…If thier needs are really going to be addressed,…and even worse,..if they will be addressed before he steps into one of thoose vehicals thats worthless when hitting a roadside bomb,..How do you tell a mother thier child died,..because the goverment
did’nt give them the best of best ?

As a member of the military, John, I’d respectfully ask you rethink part of your comment–I don’t think the draft should be reinstated as a means to help “young people walking around with no goals and no direction”. Either they want the help or they don’t–a forced maturity march should not be the job of the military. I have received many young folks whose parents told them to “join the military or else”. They usually are the biggest projects. I don’t really mind, but in combat, that might not be ideal.

BTW, thanks for the support for Equal Rights–I’m a fortunate receipient of the cause and appreciate all that went before me and allow me to serve as a female officer today.

To John Gibbons, I’m sorry, but I don’t want any draftees next to me when I’m out on patrol. People who don’t want to be in a conflict don’t care as much. I’ve seen people who say they want to be here (Iraq) and once they are here they change their minds, them they spend more time trying to not go out on patrols. They become a danger to everyone, so if you force a person to be in the military I’m afraid that I could end up with that kind of person, no I don’t want a draft or a draftee next to me on patrol.

**Disclaimer***
The following statement is my own opinion and in anydoes does not reflect on the opinions of the US Army, National Guard, or Reserves.
*****************

To start off, I’m currently enlisted in the USAR and contemplating applying to get a commission. So I’m pretty familiar with the current system in place.

The draft would be a horrible idea, hands down. The primary reason is that all those young kids “without goals or directions” will not want to be in, nor will they benifit from being forced to be in. I’ve seen many that signed the paperwork volutarily to server and still no longer want to be in after learning what things are truly about. Most finish their contracts, some get removed in other, less honorable ( for lack of a better word) way.

The military is not, nor can it ever be for everyone so forcing someone to go is going to cause significantly more problems that it will help. Especiailly in this day and age with many deployments for active duty, national guard, and reservists alike.

It’s nice to see some attention brought to the under-manned sections of the actions we have going on over seas but it’s a deeper problem then just sending more soldiers over. It’s taxing on families and soldiers to be sending them overseas as often as it’s happening no matter how much they do enjoy being in the army.

John are you in the service? Have you ever been? I mean if you truly feel that way you should be in Iraq of Afghanistan right now. You think my friends and I should have to go fight in this war.. I would love to have you standing there by my side! Any comments?

If I am right, and I am thinking I am becasue I have never heard a single vet or current solider support the draft, I have the name and phone number of my boyfriends recruiter he would love to talk to you about joining!

The real problem is we lack focus or a true goal in Afganistan and Iraq. The Nato’s refusal to sent more aid is proof that what we are doing in Afganistan and Iraq is not supported by the rest of the world. With the Taliban having the ability to simply attack and retreat to the safety of Pakastain we will never truely be effective in fighting these very determined and crafty fighters. With our help they drove the former Solviet Union out of their country and they will do the same with us, once we comes to terms with how utterly ineffective we are in this region.

I agree with John, reinstate the draft. After high school for 2 years, or after college for the same. Too many other countries have been doing it for quite some time.

John Gibbons . . LOL . . . the only reason the GOP has refused to activate the draft is the fact they would be forced to cease and desist using our tax dollars and military’s “compassion” to access other people’s natural resources while at the same time drowning the democracy and oversight in a tub.

This is just another shining example of the Bush administration not really carring about “terrorism” but instead pursuing it’s own personal agenda of war profiteering among many other atrocities. By invading Iraq who had nothing to do with us being attacked nor any honest evidence of future attacks and ignoring Afghanistan, the eagles nest of those we accuse of the attacks, shows that the Bush administration could care less about the so called “terrorists” and more about their own personal financial agenda.
Sincerely,
a disabled veteran

Hello Nic,

Thank goodness that the General is speaking out! I commend him for this and must say as well that this is the least that our military can do in light of the situation in Afghanistan/Pakistan.

If our young people are sitting ducks (which it is apparent tthat they are), risking their lives with what appears to be desperately little backup, then the least these men in charge can do is to be honest and open about it. Clearly we need to direct our attention to this issue and not soley concentate on the election scene.

Thank you Nic, for your informative piece. We hope to see more of you on 360. This subject needs more coverage. All the Best!

I feel we have lost enough of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Harry Truman stopped the war in Japan, Bush should stop the war with Afghanistan the same way. To hell with world opinion.

You shouldn’t resinstate the draft in order make citizens get involved in the political process. The goal of our society is free choice as long as it doesn’t harm another person or interfere with their ability to live a happy life.

As a background, I am a recent veteran. I served 4 years and was ranked at the top of my unit at every evaluation. Would it be great if we had more trained troops, sailors, and airmen? Sure! I look at it in a simple supply/demand mentality. You need more people… make the supply greater by giving more incentives. If the incentives outweigh the risk, people will do the job. One example is garbage men. Nobody loves picking up trash but it pays well in big cities.

Bottom line, you can’t force someone to get involved. It’s the nature (and beauty) of our system. Free choice.

John,

Hopefully, you have either already served or are currently. It isn’t just young people with no direction in life these days. There are plenty of older people that either do nothing more than sit around and count their money or still work at jobs that are better suited for teenagers. By the way, I am posting this from my desk at Redstone Arsenal, AL. I am active duty and have been in for 9 years now.

Since Afghanistan was invaded, the military has done an extraordinarily lousy job of waging war there and in Iraq, and doing so at an astronomical cost. How tedious it is to hear the regular whines and choruses of lies from this huge, funding sink hole. Almost 8 years after the fact, the incompetent military has Afghanistan in a worse place than it was before they arrived with their bag of unproductive tricks. The military should just do the job, quit belly aching and operate on the budget they have.

I served personally in Afghanistan during the initial act of Operation Enduring Freedom. Unfortunately, Americans were misled by our Government about Operation Iraqi freedom. Even American Soldiers felt misled during the initial offense of the war in Iraq. The Taliban are very coward people…they hide…come at you in the dark…they aim to kill, rape, and or mame for life!
We as citizens need to solicit our Congress and Senate Representatives and make our voices heard to aide our soldiers continuing the fight in Afghanistan to get them the supplies and personnel that they need.
Ms. Cindy terrorists flock in small groups and can hide in plain sight. They are masterminds of evil without regard to anything in life because of the life that they have lived thus far. Mr. Gibbons in essence I aggree with you.
At summers end my son will go off to basic. Fresh faced boy soon to see atrocities that one only sees at war. Life is surreal in that he will soon face all the questions that I faced just a few years ago. I pray he does well and holds steadfast to lessons that he learns in Basic.

The army- thats a four letter word no matter how you count it. You hear so many times from the army that want to be where they can kill someone, sounds like someone else GEORGE (WASTED) BUSH. He did it as governer and now as the WORST ever in the whole world!!!!

If you really want to walk in a soldier’s shoes you need to see what our year at home is like. Contrary to popular opinion, most soldiers look forward to deployment to alleviate the stress we feel from garrison life.

The inherent problem is that it should take anywhere from 18 months to two years to be fully recovered from deployment. Instead, we are faced with accomplishing the same amount in one year’s time. Include training events like field time and the month you spend at the national training center (NTC) and your looking at 9-10 months to recover. The stress can be overwhelming.

It is always easy to fall back on the draft when you’ve surpassed the required age for entry.

I was in the service for more than 8 years, deployed several times to Iraq and Afghanistan and I can tell you, it’s not as bad as the press makes it. We don’t need more troops, we just need better leadership. If the civilian public knew about the money being wasted on supplies, contracts and equipment, there’d be a lot of angy americans. Go ahead, describe to them what the chow halls were like (ice cream, cake, steak, lobster.) Describe to them about how there’s stock piles of equipment in BIAP just sitting there not being used. I’ve seen some units where they have so many soldiers that they only work 3 days a week and yet there are other units with people working 7 days a week. This war has failed from the beginning because of its poor planning and leadership. The only reason it might be a good idea to bring back the draft is to get some intelligent people in command that aren’t corrupt and complacent.

This is what we think. If you wrote in and are military Hoorah. For the rest of you shut up and keep your opinions to your self. Go serve your country then you can have room to talk.
Your all talk no action.

USN

I think everyone’s points have merit.

Overall, I think that nothing will work with the current administration. They are just completely and wholely incompetent to a point of sheer ridiculousness. We need to get him out of there and then bring in someone who is dedicated to surrounding themselves with intelligent people–not just friends–and who is willing to LISTEN.

………..well we wanted to clean up the weapons of mass destruction….have we rounded up all the box-cutters yet?

One thing I find very interesting about the topics that are posted in favor and not in favor of either conflict, is that 90 percent of the population had the same feeling when they saw the twin towers fall. Both conflicts are a result of an overwhelming human emotion. Whether you are goal oriented or not, if you agreed in some type of revenge for what happened, which most americans did on and after sept 11, then your ass should be over there in the desert helping win the situation over instead of sitting here on the this website and arguing about it. I have served my tours, and until you experience what is happening first hand….dont sit here and criticize it. Deployments are very hard on soliders and families, and as either one or the other….you work together to help everyone envolved in the conflict. If this was applied by everyone in america, a lot of the problems our contries face, includeing these two conflicts could be dealt with in a more positive manner, and have a greater positive outcome for more individuals. It sounds like something out of a text book….but history has also show us that it works. Quite frankly I am somewhat disappointed to return to such a divided country. I got more support for what I did from the individuals I was helping, than from the country I was protecting.

I think we should have a draft also. People wouldn’t be so careless about going to war if there was a draft and more people would be participating instead of less than 1% who do now .

Texx,

I aggree with your idea of limiting every congressman to two terms unfortunately congress will have to approve a bill making it so.

We used to have a larger military and as a result of the peace dividend after the fall of the Warsaw Pact we chose to get smaller. With that National Guard Troops were moved higher on the delployment list. With the fall of the Soviet block we lost one large enemy and gained a whole list of smaller ones. As for the draft I had 20 plus years on active duty and the National Guard. We have good soldiers and they are there because they want to be, A volunteer will always bring more to the table then someone forced to be there. If we need a larger military let’s use the volunteer system with better pay, bonus for certain skills and a beefed up GI Bill. When they come home get them in school and prepare them for next phase of their lives.

That is the dumbiest thing I ever heard with the draft. It is also stupid to hear people say they want everyone to serve in the military for atleast a year…. First of all the military is not for everyone… i see people in the military and wonder why did they even join if they complain so much now… A draft is a quick solution but is going to fail… All these old people want this draft just because they had to go through a draft… we are in a different ERA and under democracy which gives to an option… I do not want unmotivated and unskilled draftees going to iraq and not know what to do… I am in the military myself at the moment and served in iraq and afganistan…. you can’t kill all the terrorist and people who think we can are jus ignorant… obviously the U.S. military doesn’t want to be away from their families 6 to 18 months but this is something we signed and for and we have to oblige to our commitment….

How do we(United States) convince other countries to defend their own self interest against terrotism? Do most of us think terrorism happens only to others?

It seems their are two types of terrorism; organized and unorganized. Some like to claim terrorism is everywhere and they are right. Yet, organized terrorism seeks to conquer societies and convert them into something other than democratic. Islamic leaders are not bluffing when they broadcast their goal to install Islamic states throughout the world.

John,

Do you fully understand the implications that you are tossing around so freely? First, the main goal of the draft would not be to give young people direction. If that was the case, I know of many seminars and self-help books that are attributed to better PARENTING! Being involved and having direction would be a byproduct at best. Thats assuming that they survive the mental destitution and horrors of war, come to grips with the justification of imparting violence onto another human being, and of course the physical consequences involved.

More importantly, the onus of responsibility for now, ultimately falls upon the fattened cattle of middle america for its inabilty to stand up to George Bush in pursuit of a winless war. I am a young person, and I find it sickening to watch the complacency of middle class American acting like sheep and blindly accepting whatever is told of them. Maybe this has been caused by the corporate mentality, but are still no execuse involved.

Also, I urge people to study the history of the middle east, especially the involvement of Afghanistan and Russia. Also, I would advise people to look into the history of Irasel and he Middle East. If there is one thing that we will learn is that violence does not solve anything. It only broods hate and causes additional violence. And it is a chain reaction that circulates back and forth. I take that back, violence can solve problems. The only problem is that you have to eliminate an entire civilization to do so!

Lastly, people using the term patriotsim, please understand what you are saying first. Patriotism is probably the number one tatic used by politicians to subjugate and control its citizens into unnecessary violence and hate. It not promotes nationalism, it creates a great divide for human beings. What happens when every country in the world is after nationalism? Wars. It has been that way since the start of time, and it won’t end until we can act like human beings.

Todays’ soldier is a contracted professional. Some are loyal to this country, but a surprising number would contract with the highest bidder.

The draftee is representative of the “Duty with Honor” philosophy. True, they have been drafted and they express regret about their status, but draftees are the true essense of our loyalty to country.

There is a reluctance among many in this society to be truely supportive to these present day military professionals. They are a different breed. It is their choice to be doing what they are doing. If the numbers of professionals decline the draft may be the only solution.

The reason we don’t have the draft is there would be a large spike in protests against both wars like we saw in the 60’s against Vietnam. Forcing people to fight in a war where there is no real objective would not be wise.

Gates is completely wrong. In 2001, we had defeated the Taliban, almost eradicated the poppy and made life livable for women and put a government in charge. Almost. Now, for reasons finally made public, we left a small force in place and decamped en masse to invade a country that never did threaten us and became mired in the Iraq nightmare which consumed our national treasury and the lives of our young troops. So, NATO cannot be made out to share in our mistakes.

Let’s create a foreign legion. Raise a division of young “non US citizens” and pay them back with citizenship after 3 years of service. Solves two problems a) not enough “US citizens” who want to serve their country b) provide an avenue to citizenship. It seems to work for the French.

I am totally against a draft. The ones who are in favor of a draft must not have children or brothers and sisters.

The ones of you who say, ” where is the patriotism?” And the ones who say, ” we don’t care about our soldiers who are fighting.” WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE US TO DO TO SHOW PARTIOTISM? I’m 24 and married with a 5 mth old. I can’t jump in a plane and fly overseas to try and investigate what’s going on like mr.cooper can. I haven’t forgotten about the war or the soldiers, but there’s not much I can do except PRAY. There’s so much that goes on in this war that is just so sad, American soldiers being killed or innocent Iraqis being killed by other Iraqis. There are people that are for the war and those that are against the war, some say if our troops weren’t over there then they would be attacking us in the U.S. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I just know that I can not imagine being away from my husband for 12 to 18 months at a time, if he were in the army. My heart goes out to all the spouses and children who have to endure this.

Soldiers (or anyone in the armed services) serving in this war, please remember you are not forgotten, that there are so many people praying for your safety and strength for your families. Our church has prayer service every Wednesday night, and we pray individually for soldiers that are known personally, then prayer for anybody fighting over seas.

May God be with our troops and our country.

I have to say I am against the draft. I joined the Air Force over 25 years ago and did it for personal as well as patriotic reasons. I was not directionless or lost, but had certain goals I needed help reaching. The Air Force was the avenue for me and I have reached most of those goals and still stay loyal to the Air Force and US. I have one maybe two more years and I will retire to make room for some new blood. I participated in the first Gulf war, been to Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan several times and am thankful that I was not deployed with a bunch of Americas most wanted criminals like so many of you seem to think belong in the military. The military is a profession maintained and sustained by professionals. Do you really think it is a good idea to have drug users, child molesters and convicted fellons running around with guns? Please! I have served as both a recruiter and a First Sergeant and have been on both sides of putting people in uniform and helping them out the door when they don’t fit. I don’t think it’s a matter of needing more people, it’s a matter of using what we have in a better manner. Please keep the good ones coming and find something for the bad eggs to do. I don’t want my life or the life of my daughter who will be joining shortly in the hands of a criminal. If you haven’t served you don’t know, so please don’t tell speculate about what it’s like to be in the military, join yourself or keep quiet!

Munk, you are a moron, go back to your office, enjoy your coffee in peace and enjoy all the other things we soldiers put our a$$ on the line for. WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS OVER THERE TRUST ME I WAS THERE FOR 15 months 2006-2008. Have a wonderful day with-out the terrorists in your back-yard..That is why we take the fight to them over there!!!!!

SSG
US Army
HOOAH!

Nic:

I have really mixed feelings when it comes to sending additional troops into Afganistan. On the one hand I want our military to have enough troops to be able to get the job done. On the other hand I do not really know what the job is.

We are sending Pakistan 10-11 million dollars a month to finance the war on terrorism. Pakistan is a safe haven for Taliban & Al-Qaeda
forces that are killing our troops in Afganistan. Until we get a real commitment on their parts, I believe that more troops will lead to more bloodshed.

Afganistan seems like the wild west. The ones that we are fighting against have lived in that rugged terrain for generations. They know how to move forces and weapons with quickness and agility. They know how to use that terrain to obtain maximum advantage against us. They also know how to maximize their advantage on Islamic TV.
Unarmed civilians one day can be armed terrorists the next day. The enemy is not always clear. After many years of internal cival war, this once proud country is a very lawless and dangerous place to be.

Susan
Phoenixville,PA

I know I am a little late but John, I would have to agree with you. women should be required for selective service also. I think equal rights is a good thing, but we can’t just let people pick and choose the rights that the want and forget about the ones they don’t.

What does the draft solve? Sure it might fill in holes where we are spread too thin. However, the body count gets higher when there are unmotivated soldiers going to fight on the front lines. Not only do the lesser trained soldiers slow down and demoralize a volunteer unit, they put the veteran and motivated in more and more danger. What happens then? There is a public outburst to withdraw. It’s a no win situation.

Required military service is also ridiculous. There are plenty of highly motivated young people who want to go to college after high school, want to go out and get jobs, or perhaps want to pursue a career in the military as it is. Yes, it works for some countries. Countries that have instituted that policy long ago, in the infancy of their existence. Instituting a policy like that today would stir up a hornet’s nest. You could also suggest only serving a year in the military. What does that do? You’ll have 2-3 months of basic training and then another month or so of advanced training. You’re still under trained to go into battle.

I am a military wife, daughter, grand daughter, sister, and friend. I read all of your conversations above and smile. Opinions - thoughts - comments – arguments – RIGHT OR WRONG all of you have one common - the fact that all of our soldiers / veterans who gave you ALL of these rights to speak how you want, when you want and about whatever you want in any form or fashion. We have a volunteer military and each of them chooses to do their time - for some they decide it is not right for them and that is perfectly fine, on your way out don’t bash the men & women who serve with, honor, integrity and commitment. Most importantly the same people you bash will be the ones that you call on again and again when the time is needed for your family to be protected!!!! But please don’t criticize what you do not know or understand. Draft - put it to a vote - that is our RIGHT. People being forced into the military – I personally don’t agree I only want the BEST around my family members serving and for your families to be protected by – not people forced into something that they want nothing to do with. Be a mentor to those that have no direction….for the young that DO have direction and the motivation to make something of your self outside of the military – good for you. I hope that you all will teach and give back to those communities that need it most.
Our family is represented in all the branches of service – I am very proud of every person that serves even if it’s not for them – they tried which more then MOST can say for others. Even in our very large family of military members and police officers, even in our family we do not always agree with how things are run by our President, Country, Issues of war, and politics but we all know where our RIGHT to say what we want and feel came from and for that we are forever GREATFUL to each and everyone of our Military members – For those of you who want to sit and complain and do nothing about it, please make sure you thank a veteran for the ability to say whatever you feel RIGHT or WRONG on these blogs without any repercussions…
.

Kristen- Philadelphia, PA July 17th, 2008 10:46 am ET

John how about you and all the other pro draft people go over and serve if not already. You must be crazy if you think first of all the draft is going to be reinstated and secondly if you think it’s going to include women.

***First of all I already served on active duty and active reserves. I am 46 years old, and I am registered for selective service. What is wrong with women being required to register for selective service? Aren’t you for equal rights?

The draft was stopped quickly when the ‘draft board’ system was ruled unconstitutional. With a draft board, the mayor’s son and the sheriff’s son could be exempted while your son and those black kids who wear their pants so low could be drafted and taught a quick lesson about power. When the mayor’s son had to go and die for his country, the draft AND the war ended in days.
When there was a draft, the fast-track to military service was a letter to the editor. Speak against the administration and go to ‘Nam.

Evan July 17th, 2008 3:06 pm ET

What does the draft solve?
***Well, Evan, I am sure you have many goals and ideas for your future, but if the draft is reinstated and you were drafted, you would have to serve your country and THEN you can go after those goals. I am not sure about this wasn’t a person able to get a waiver for military service if they were enrolled in college? Of’ course, college then was real hard work and not just an extension of high school, but that is another subject entrely.

My son on July 10 was deployed to Afghanistan…scared, loney, confused, and wanting to make sure I would be okay. One of the proudest moments for him was to graduate basic training. He stood tall, confident and proud. The draft, I really have no opinion, but I know alot of our youth need proud moments. My husband, a Firefighter, and who lost many brothers in 911, now calls my son and the others over there a “HERO” dont lose sight as to why. Dont forget, we got our “A– Kicked” with 911, maybe we can avoid it from happening again. Remenber this…. You and I are not fighting this fight the “BRAVE ONES ARE” some of you just sit back, like watching a game on TV and say…”The Ref made a Bad Call”…think about it…
Thank you…have a great day

One could assume that the inevitability of a new President is bringing out the common sense in the generals, and got them doing what they should have done 6 years ago - tell it like it is, and not how the Bush administration wanted to sell the story.

Did I read it right - a US embassy in Iran? Im going to check the calendar to make sure it’s not 1st April

One more thing; in my lifetime a lot of soldiers have told me I shouldn’t say this, or that, or dress this way or that. Not one ever told me he admired my free speech, or offered to defend me against those who would deny me my rights. No soldier has EVER protected me, although my friend had to call police once to defend her from a soldier. Soldiers drink in bars with plastic windows and plastic beer mugs and pitchers, because they fight so often they aren’t welcome in high class places. Don’t tell me stories about what soldiers do and don’t do, because soldiers are a dime a dozen where I live. Good people in many ways, but violent, self-important, and ignorant as a group.
I know you all have theories about how terrorists would be in my back yard without you. They are Rush Limbaugh’s dope dreams - sober up!

You know what I think? If we blow Afganistan off the map. Then our troops will finally be able to go home. Unfortunatly, It would not be a wise choice to kill innocent civilians who’s only crime was being an afgan. To me, It appears as though America is only putting its nose where it shouldn’t be. Leave Iran alone and suppose the troops In Afganistan.

After spending time in the middle east on 4 occasions at Air Force intsallations Im baffled as to why there isnt enough money to get to the front line troops?! These AFBs are an oasis in the desert with more surplus and ammenities then the us taxpayer would ever believe.

Dawn - please don’t be so angry. I am one of the bloggers to this article. I am an Army brat, raised by a Master Sargent ,who ran our home like Ft. Dix. From what I have seen in the comments on this blog, NO ONE has criticized the soldiers, sailors, marines, etc. WE ARE CRITICIZING THE GOVERNMENT. Yes, my father and others in my family, as well as yours, and many others have fought to preserve our freedom. However, what our brave men and women are involved in now is NOT to preserve our freedom - it is to make Cheney, Bush and Halliburton, et al more rich than they already are. This has been the most CORRUPT government we’ve had since Nixon. I lived through Vietnam - another waste of many, many, precious lives, a few of which were my dear friends. Iraq is the same situation. Bush used our military and the events on 9/11 to invade Iraq - who DID NOT attack us. So before you paint everyone with the same brush, please stop and think. Yes, we can express our opinion and to do is AMERICAN. We are NOT critizing the military. They have to