The Weekend is here, Let's Kick Back with a Cold Draft.

At the risk of sounding completely unpatriotic, I can’t think of a situation that would ever get me to willingly fight for this country. When it comes to war in general, I’m an idealist to a fault. I just don’t support violence, and will hard pressed to do so ever. In the case of a draft reinstatement, I would likely leave the country. People talk about how much better we have it in the US, but when a country who’s biggest ideal is that we’re free, and they’re forcing their citizens to die for an unjust cause I say our country isn’t so much better anymore. I’d be just as happy in Canada or places in Europe. In terms of practical ways to preventing something like the draft, I’d love to hear some opinions, cause I can’t help but feel that if a president wants to do it, it will happen.

WOW, I just advocated that the current generation and your kids be required to register for possible military service and all I get is 5 people to express an opinion. Does your generation get fired up about anything? My god, the hemp legalization discussion got 10 times the comments than this thread has. Do you realize what my generation had to go through in order to get the establishment to take us seriously on our disgust at the way Vietnam was being executed? If I’m not mistaken, 4 students had to die before those in power would take our position seriously. That’s exactly the problem. You have no personal stake in this disaster, other than having to read about it. Writing letters to your elected representatives is a nice, polite start but jeez, does that truly represent the level of disgust this madness in Iraq has brought to the world? Sure, They volunteered for military service, but in many of instances, the economic reality of the current situation in the US made military service the only way these kids could make a future for themselves and their families. So you ship most of the middle class jobs overseas, make college so expensive it takes 10 years of loans to pay it off and wham!!, you’ve got a steady supply of volunteers to search for WMD or over-throw tyrants or bring democracy to the middle east or secure our oil supply or whatever the current rationale is…

tnichlsn, I want to thank you for your stories about your brother and yourself. I appreciate what people like you and your brother have done for us when facing similar situations. The war has hit close to home for me, not to the degree many people have, but close enough. My brother was sent to North Africa a few years back to be stationed for close to a year. It wasn’t Iraq, but it was still technically considered a war zone. Its tough to know a member of your family could be shot at or killed for a war built on what I feel is shaky justification. I also had a close friend that did a tour in Iraq, with many of his friends killed in action, not to mention a few close calls himself. I’m with Kevin on this one, there is no use fighting against something that isn’t instated. Once that ship pulls in to port, your darn right I’ll raise hell, but its not a huge concern as of yet. In many ways I’ve always thought that the draft would never happen again after the backlash caused by your generation (thank you). Maybe I’m wrong in thinking that a system learns from its past mistakes. Maybe that’s to much faith to put in our government. However, if it does come up again, you can guarantee that I will fight…...via satellite with Kevin…...in Sweden.

“Does your generation get fired up about anything? My god, the hemp legalization discussion got 10 times the comments than this thread has.”

First of all we shure as hell do.... What your generation needs to understand is that in the tech generation everyone in the digital world did not see your post at the exact same time. I just read it and am now replying... Be patient and try not to jump to conclusions.

As far as the draft goes I agree that if it now was instated and kids were getting pulled from their lives to fight in this current "quagmire" and young men from their jobs and so forth hell yeah it would stir a hornets nest like no other and thats exactly the problem. I see the draft as a system of checks and balances against stuff like this. I think it should be re-instated. I also would speek more strongly against this war if this was the case. Many Many of us would. But like Brian said "that ship has not yet come to port" And why not?

Because what we are talking about would happen and none of our law makers or administrators want to see that happen. They wiould then have to do something. And listen to the people.

So in some ways getting rid of the draft was good however it is like a match under the asses of a very important part of our politicle system that is being supressed by the government.

THE YOUTH!

Because the youth are people too. And now we all know that people have power aye!

“What is a sure fire way to insure future presidents don’t recklessly steer the nation into a third quagmire?”

This question would be perfect for all candidates to debate no matter which party they are running for. I haven’t found the person who will gain my vote yet, and the war is my number one priority in delegating my precious vote. In the coming months I will continue to monitor how all candidates respond to the perpetually devastating developments in Iraq, and choose largely based on this issue.

So what have you done, personally, to register your outrage? Wrote a polite letter or two to your House member or Senator voicing your displeasure? Wrote a snarky letter to them? Put a protest placard in your dorm window? Out of your comfort zone yet? How about paid a visit to their local office to shake their hand and explain your position? Talked to your friends and family about your disgust at the state of things? How about had a knock down drag-out argument with some GOP neocon who is happy to send other people and/or their kids off to die for their political leader’s incompetence?

It’s all well and good to “be” against the draft but like I said earlier, what about the suckers who are fighting because economic injustice currently led them into the military? How about those who like Pat Tillman signed up to fight the real bad guys and got suckered into the middle east?

Do any of you honestly think this war is diminishing the ranks of the crazy zealots who want American blood to flow? How about think the rest of the civilized world is more in our corner after Iraq than before? How about the world view of our shining democracy’s response to the 911 attack? Are people in places like Egypt and Pakistan going to be as anxious to fight to install western style democracy now as they were before reading about rendition and Abu Ghraib?

This is politics, and it’s an ugly thing these days, but if you sit back and only voice your displeasure every other year in early november you’re going to get stuck with a government headed by those with the fattest corporate sponsors rather than the highest IQs and the most integrity. Politics has become an ugly, full contact sport, and sometimes when confronted with irrational people you have to get down and dirty with them to insure that reason prevails.

“They volunteered for military service, but in many of instances, the economic reality of the current situation in the US made military service the only way these kids could make a future for themselves and their families. So you ship most of the middle class jobs overseas, make college so expensive it takes 10 years of loans to pay it off and wham!!, you’ve got a steady supply of volunteers to search for WMD or over-throw tyrants or bring democracy to the middle east or secure our oil supply or whatever the current rationale is…”

-tnichlsn

Hey buddy, You know why people join the army, navy, marines, air force, coast guard. TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY. You are an ignorant prick. You think I am in Iraq because I am some poor dumb white kid who cant make ends meet without totting a weapon? I have a college education, a job that pays far more than what I make over here (i am in Iraq right now), a loving family, etc…etc…etc..

You know why I am here…SACRIFICE. Look it up you draft card burning hippy. You might understand how good it feels to do something for others. To protect your own family, friends and even PEOPLE LIKE YOU. I am serving for you and so are many other smart, capible young men and women. Dont you ever look down on us for your serve. We are the smartest, best trained, best equiped army EVER. We dont hide, we dont give up. WE MAINTAIN THE FIGHT. I cant keep this up because I refuse to let a rube like you draw me into spewing off profanity.