The continuing bad idea of the draft

THE FORUM: "The heavy burden of war, shouldered by the few," by DeWayne Wickham, USA Today, 26 May 2009.

Well meaning but completely backasswards logic.

I will not even engage on the lack of desire within the U.S. military to go back to a non-professional force.

Here's another take: going for the draft will only encourage all of America's worst tendencies toward going-it-alone.

Comments

[Gerry Mauer]

Having just retired from the military and transitioned to the civilian side of life, I can definitely see the overall quality of our volunteer force from both sides of the fence and not from a military perspective. I am not an advocate of reinstituting the draft. In addition, if we go to a draft, what would be the fallout (besides some egg on our face) from the many nations that we have convinced to end conscription and use our model of a volunteer force?

[ROb Johnson]

Draft - no.

Service before self is a personal calling seemingly limited to 3 million or so people at a time... If one hears the calling and one can help - by all means do. If one does not hear the calling thats fine too, just dont make things worse for those who do.

[Craigicus]

If our estimed NY pol Rangel advocates for the draft it makes me skeptical of anyone who does. I think some know that the draft would kill the will for military action and would exacerbate so-called class tensions. And that fits into some pols' agenda quite nicely.

[stuart abrams]

I never liked Nixon and still don't, but he is definitely shaping up as the most important President of the post-WWII era. The opening to China and the professionalization of the US military are probably two of the most important events of the time.