Draft????

PotentialPledge · #1 09-11-2002, 12:35 AM

My roommate was watching CNN today, and he told me that if we go to war with Iraq that the draft mught be activated. I was wondering what everyone thoughts are about this topic. Personally, If I was asked to serve my country in a war, I would go.

Dionysus · #2 09-11-2002, 12:41 AM

Shouldn't we finish this war before we start another?

texas*princess · #3 09-11-2002, 12:57 AM

My thoughts exactly Dionysus...

While I believe the U.S. gov't should be worried about nuclear weapons & stuff like that (I surely wouldn't want Saddam bombing places just for fun), I think they are coming across as major bullies because of the way they are going about with it and thus scaring (sp?) away some allies. (Which would probably mean more U.S. forces will need to be used)

DeltAlum · #4 09-11-2002, 01:33 AM

"Draft Beer, not students!!"

Oooops, a flashback to my 60's roots.

Seriously, I think it would take a pretty long conventional land war to ever get the draft reinstated. We tend to use lots of airpower, high tech weapons, special operations and overwhelming firepower in our warfighting these days. I'm not sure the American public or Congress would support a long ground campaign in these circumstances.

By the way, I don't think women have to register for the draft like young men do. Is that fair in this era?

Women were not eligible for the draft while it was in effect before.

justamom · #5 09-11-2002, 09:18 AM

Some war analyst on FOX was saying a ground assault would take 23 days. Everyone is afraid it could turn into another Viet Nam. Sooo may lives lost and to what end? I am torn on this and can not be objective.

On on hand I do believe Iraq is a host and monetary ally to terrorists. I believe they will attempt stikes with weapons of "mass destruction". Knowing how they hate the USA, we naturally are a target.

As a mother of a son, I hope they don't bring back the draft.
Yet, as a mother, the risk to our nation's children and the children
of Iraq and the other countries that would be pulled into the "conflict" weighs on my mind. No easy answer here.

On a lighter(?) note-For as much as Saddam hates America, did anyone see the interview with one of his ex-wives? I missed it but the lead in was saying he dyes his hair, and uses viagra- wears a cowboy hat, smokes cigars and drinks bourbon while watching films of torture! My kinda guy!

moe.ron · #6 09-11-2002, 10:00 AM

JAM, you should always listen to FOX News with a grain of salt. Go to http://www.fair.org and you'll see what I mean. In fact, all the news outlet should be taken with a grain of salt. As for Iraq hosting Al-Qaeda, there has been sighting of Al-Qaeda in the north, which is not controlled by Saddam but by the Kurds. Though I doubt the Kurds want Al-Qaeda there because they are trying to get their own homeland. The Kurds are based on the Norhtern part of Iraq and the Southern part of Turkey. Both countries has repeatedly massacre the kurds to the point where I honestly believe that a silence genocide is occuring. Only recently are the Kurds allowed to teach their children Kurdish language in Turkey. How's that for a democratic Turkey.

As for the WMD, I've read way too many contradicting report not only from media's all over the world, but also from intelligence sources from many nations, including the US. (I get cool stuff with my job, beside going surfing) I'm not saying that Hussein got to go, but it should be done with international cooperation. There must be a reason, and so far Bush and his cohorts hasn't convince me there is a reason. And I'm not the only one.

justamom · #7 09-13-2002, 08:20 AM

Arya, That link is very interesting, but then you ALWAYS post interesting items!

On FOX- I guess I made the switch during the recount. Judy W was so biased with her sneers and intonation plus CNN is so liberal. Fox was the only alternative for the hours I could spend.

Then came the WTC. Stuck with FOX but I did enjoy watching Canada's take on it- totally different commentary. I will admit that Fox and Friends is biased, but hen it's biased to MY way of thinking and as a republican, that's hard to find. Sheppard Smith-Can you say TABLOID, but he is entertaining. The nighttime programing is what I really like with Hannity-Gretta and of course BILL! Now, a question-

I would love to know your opinion on Scott Ritter. At the moment,
I don't buy what he's saying, but his "movie" just came to light and I'm not up on all his research. He has the credentials, he has the background, but he also has money in his pocket from the American with Iraqi ties. Just wondering how you see it.

Thrillhouse · #8 09-13-2002, 10:16 AM

From what I have read in the usatoday, etc... the miliatray has or will meet its quotas for the year. Also, I wouldn't think as many ground troops would be needed as a major war because of all the air attacks, etc.

DeltAlum · #9 09-13-2002, 10:24 AM

Thrillhouse,

As I said above, we tend to rely on airpower and firepower.

However, in the long run, airplanes can't take and hold ground. Sooner or later ground troops will have to go in and establish a presence. How many and for how long is the question.

By the way, nobody bit on my question about only men having to register for the Draft.

justamom · #10 09-13-2002, 12:04 PM

delt Alum-By the way, nobody bit on my question about only men having to register for the Draft.
I know...

Well, IMO-which as we know is always HUMBLE-I do not believe women have a place in the field. I'm not saying they shouldn't volunteer and have duties, but with women, men may hesitate on an action or take risks that they normally wouldn't take. Also a woman as a prisoner of war would be subjected to different kinds of assaults.
Consider that some enemies of nations take captured women
and rape them to "breed" as a form of genocide or as an act of the ULTIMATE humiliation.

I was against the fact that mothers of young children were in Afghanistan, especially those who had husbands serving as well. Draft women? No, I am not in favor of it. I am old fashioned enough to believe if we ever have an all out war we will need the women at home to take care of this country and our children.

KappaKittyCat · #11 09-13-2002, 12:16 PM

Israel has three years of mandatory military service for all 18-year-olds, men and women.

Dionysus · #12 09-13-2002, 12:16 PM

Good points, JAM.

DeltAlum · #13 09-14-2002, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KappaKittyCat
Israel has three years of mandatory military service for all 18-year-olds, men and women.

Our son spent a few weeks at the Tasis American School outside London the summer between his Freshman and Sophomore years in High School. He met a pair of female Israeli twins there he has kept in touch with via e-mail. They are both now in the Israeli Defense Forces.

I'm not real sure how I feel about the issue and raised it just to hear everyone's reaction. To be honest, I thought a lot of the women who are outspoken about gender equality would comment. I'm surprized they didn't.

There are a lot of non-combatant jobs in the Armed Forces, and I think it would be possible to draft women for those jobs and keep them out of harms way.

Again, I hope it's a moot point, because I certainly hope we don't get into a protracted land campaign in the Middle-East. I dont sense the support in the country or Congress for that. One of the things we should have learned in our Vietnam experience is that it is most difficult to win without that support, and almost impossible to win when campaigns are micro-managed by politicians who do not let the professional military officers do their jobs.

Munchkin03 · #14 09-14-2002, 11:31 AM

As a woman who considers herself "progressive" and believes in gender equality and who also grew up in a miltary super-area and understands somethings that others may not, I feel that the draft shouldn't be open to women in the traditional sense. With men at war, who would take care of the country? During WWII, women did work that was noncombatant here and abroad, and during Vietnam, there were women there (as nurses, etc.), but not fighting. Imagine how female prisoners of war--and there have been a few--would be treated. Not saying that men are treated better, but there's the potential for so much bad treatment just based on gender.

Ultimately, I don't think there's going to be a draft. There's not much support for a war against Iraq (not that there was tons of support for the military "advisors" in Vietnam, but I digress). The US doesn't have much experience anymore with land warfare--which was one of a problem in Vietnam, that the enemy was expert at guerilla warfare and we weren't.

cash78mere · #15 09-14-2002, 11:51 AM

something to think about--

if women were to be drafted....what would happen if a husband AND a wife were to get drafted? who would take care of their kids? how would they determine what would happen to them if there was no one to place them with? what if BOTH parents died? and how would you determine that wife number 1 could stay home with her young kids but wife number 2 had to go fight even if they were both drafted?

plus, i don't know about other women, but i would be a burden to any army. i can't run fast, i can't run long, i'm not strong and i would just make a lousy soldier!

i don't think we'll have a draft any time soon. but i do think that many students join ROTC and the army to help pay for college...NOT with the intentions that they will ever become real soldiers. many will be in for a rude awakening unfortunately.