Former Marine highlights the bullshit inherent in our military, supports the draft

[ladyanneboleyn]

You can go strangle yourself with that yellow ribbon, or, here is what I want you to do instead of shaking my hand

By "A. Scout-Sniper"
Best Defense national service columnist

The military is ultimately a reflection of our culture or what we would like to believe about our culture. We would like to believe that our military is an all-volunteer force

Comments

[snarksnarklaugh]

Read this earlier on FP but yeah ALL THIS.

Congrats on your first post!:)

[kitanabychoice]

My boyfriend is a Marine and he supports a draft too. He thinks all people should serve two years out of high school.

[devil_ad_vocate]

I've posted this before. Here it is again:

"I liked draftees in general, even with the attendent problems. Historically draftees have kept the military on the straight and narrow. By calling a spade a spade, they keep it clean. Without their 'careers' to think about, they can't be as easily bullied or intimidated as Regulars; their presence prevents the elitism that otherwise might allow a Regular army to become isolated from the values of the country it serves. Draftees are not concerned for the reputation of their employer, the Army (in Vietnam they happily blew the whistle on everything from phony valor awards to the secret bombings of Laos and Cambodia); a draftee, citizen's army, so much a part of the history of America, is an essential part of a healthy democracy, one in which everyone pays the price of admission."

-Colonel David H. Hackworth (one of the most decorated soldiers in U.S. history)

[eyetosky]

Wow.

Damn.

[arekuru]

Our military and defense budget is already out of control and the biggest factor contributing to our national debt. What would they even do with so many recruits, if they brought back the draft? I'd much rather see the wars ended and the size of the army shrink.

[devil_ad_vocate]

Congress (most of whom today never served in the military) might think twice before committing their own sons and daughters to a war, without PROOF that it needs to happen. A major draft will only come into play when an imminent threat is at hand; otherwise, the professional full-time military can be kept smaller.

[burningelectron]

this this this

[accioceci]

This is really interesting and managed to explain eloquently quite a few things I had been wondering about.

A+