CNN’s top story at this moment is about a debate concerning whether to re-open the draft. I’m not particularly worried. From what I’ve been able to read, I’m outside the age range for the draft, though the selective service website is a tad vague on exactly who can or can’t be drafted (they say that at the age of 26 you’re not required to register, which tells me that you’re not eligible).

I’m just curious how polarized out nation’s “leaders” want this country to be. I keep hearing how Iraq is this generations Vietnam and that Iraq is a quagmire much like Vietnam. What I remember (through stories and reading, of course) is how polarized this nation was. Protests, police actions, riots. Not a scenario I’d like to see relived.

Not to mention that I have a huge issue with forcing people to join the military in a war they oppose. Hopefully our representatives realize that re-enacting the draft sould be political suicide and could very well be the straw that tears this country apart.

On CNN’s email page there are comments like this:

It’s about time that this country woke up and put our kids to work. Get them off the street corners. Maybe they will learn a little caring for this country that gives them so much. It worked before…let’s get it working again.

I definitely believe that the draft should be brought back. If nothing else it would teach the younger generation responsibility. I have always stated that the Eisenhower type of draft should never have been stopped.

It must be nice to sit on your high horses and dictate to others how they should place their lives on the line because you think they need to learn responsibility or because there’s too many of them on your street corner.

I also don’t think that forcing our nation’s young into military service will have the desired effect. These people do (from the same cnn email page above):

Rep. Rangel needs to remember the quality of the military that served in Vietnam. Draft unwilling kids, teach them to kill and throw them into a situation like Vietnam or Iraq, that is, a situation best described in military fashion as a “Cluster fuck.”

I think that bringing back the draft is a terrible idea. As a current member of the armed forces, I am proud to be part of a highly cohesive, highly functional team. To bring in people who do not want to be there would destroy morale and reduce effectiveness and reduce commanders to babysitters. Instead of the draft, require the elected officials to truly study all options and ensure the creation of a complete battle plan (including exit strategies) prior to deploying personnel. Also, allow the military to re-grow its ranks to reduce the amount of support on reserves. To depend so deeply on reservists during a regional conflict is worrisome at best.

The Iraqi war was, by all accounts, the tipping point for many Americans in the mid-term elections. The nation wants a change in the war to end it. I don’t think enacting the draft and sending thousands of the same people who voted to end the war overseas with a rifle is quite the change they’re looking for.

UPDATE: You know, I can’t help but wonder if this is a way for Bush and republicans to bolster some of that lost support by defeating/vetoing any draft-enacting bill that comes up if. Of course, that’s just me thinking out loud.