Why we keep asking about draft while the fact is we are leaving Iraq sooner or later ?
813252
Actually, most everyone is against the draft, including the general populace, the military, the pentagon, the majority of congress, and the white house.\n\nThe idea, advocated by Rep. Rangle, is to slow Congress in going to war, by making the populace of the US as a whole have a vested interest in the soldiers. Since the draft would be random, this (in Rep. Rangle's mind) would widen the base of people concerned for the troops, thus create political pressure to not to go to war unless the US was threatened, thus slow down the Congress and the President.\n\nThe argument against the draft is advocated by the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The draft, phased out after Vietnam, was creating a host of problems. The chief one among them was the erosion of troop morale and overall fighting effectiveness. Most people who are drafted do not want to be there, and as such, are less effective than volunteers. Thus, currently, the US Armed Forces are an all volunteer force, and a highly effective one at that. The Pentagon and Joint Chiefs have no interest in instating a draft which, in their opinion, will lower the overall readiness of US Armed Forces.
878775
That's political face saving at best trying to buy time to come up with an excuse to leave. The truth is there is no saving the situation in Iraq. This is now a tribal and religious war and will have to burn itself out we are just in the way. The govt that was elected in Iraq is so convoluted that no one has real power just the militias and they have infiltrated everything to the highest levels. Thus the Iraq army has been totally nullified along with the police forces. There is no getting it right that ship has long ago sailed. The generals hopes and dreams will not change that. It would be best to get out or move our troops to the oil facilities only and keep the crude safe from terrorist and insurgents. Any extra troops can be sent to Afghanistan that can still be saved. Once the most powerful tribes win control of Iraq we can then do like all the rest before us supply them with weapons and expertise and thus prop up another new Saddam.
831893
Draft is a dirty word the liberals like to float and try to get their way. You see, after watching the hearings, all I can say is that if the democrats push and get us pulling out without full completion, then we better be ready for the payback. they like to blame all the insurgent and infighting on our actions and by being there. \n\nThey only think of pull out, cut and run and if we do that, we will, within about a year or less, begin to have attacks on our streets, and of course, that gives the liberals ammunition to say " Bush did it", when it was their policy all along.\n\nWe cant let Congress or opinion polls run the war on terror like we did Viet Nam. Over 54000 people died cause we had on and off bombing of the north, and a bunch of fat head politicians trying to run the show from DC.\n\n\nEvery war we have ever fought, has left troops in a foreign country. Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Korea and Japan, so why not Iraq as a normal tour of duty??\n\nBut before we do anything, lets give the military and the people there a fighting chance to be democratic and have freedoms like we enjoy. We already got rid of the dictator and killer they had running the show.\n\nGive the leaders the tools, get in there, do the job, then get out.
905270
That number would change depending on what time on our history.   During WW11, Korea, and Vietnam we had the draft so the number would be number higher.  The draft is only a good idea in a national emergency.  I'm quite satisfied with the all volunteer military we have today.  So I see no need for a draft right now. \nUSAF Veteran
825358
Don't believe the hype. There is not going to be a draft. There is only one nutjob who wants it,and thats Democrat Charlie Rangel. The dems just took back the senate,and the house,and they're not going to screw it up by reinstating the draft,and if for some reason they decided to commit political suicide, Bush would still veto it. It's just one nut trying to stir things up,don't worry about it.
1015068
As a soldier, I am getting sick of not seeing my spouse. We have been seperated for 14 months. We both serve - him in Afghanistan and myself to Iraq. That being said, being in Iraq and seeing it first hand, I know that we cannot pull troops out of Iraq until stability is reached and the Iraqi government can sustain themselves. Unfortunately this will take years.
985572
I'd hate to tell anyone who wishes to leave Iraq, but in reality; we ain't go in anywhere anytime soon.  Sorry.  If we withdraw that place will become a cesspool of terror where terrorists can plan attacks, and if they succeed; people will call for the Dem's heads on a platter for pulling out.  \n\nBeyond that, Dem's really do care about winning this war, and won't withdraw.  Not to mention the fact that Bush is the head of the military and no matter what the Dem's want, if Bush wants to stay its his choice and no one else's.  The Dem's could try to impeach him, but it will never pass- even if he were impeached in a Dem controlled house (which won't happen) Dem's don't have the support in the senate.\n\nSorry guys; the Dem's sold you a bill of goods.  But look on the bright side; if we make Iraq work it'll really pay off in the future.
19516
Primarily because the government that is in place in the USA realizes that they cannot extract our troops without a serious international backlash. The USA is notorious for pulling out at the worse possible moment, before the job is done. The war in Iraq is nowhere near being finished, and to leave now would be ruinous. Bush didn't realize (like the rest of us did) that he was stepping into something with a very difficult and potentially bloody endgame.
813580
No to the Draft. If things get rough and personal, I guarantee you that we have plenty of brave souls who will run to enlist. They will make America proud.
911544
This question is such nonsense.\n We have a volunteer army whose choice it is to have a career in the military and are now finding out that that career means actually fighting, and that it's not just a free college education.\nWe should be supporting them.\n\nYour question would have validity if our military were made up of conscripts and there were people trying to weasel out of that conscription, whilst at the same time cheering the war effort.\n\n*additional*\n\nThis sh*t in Iraq as dragged on for as long as it has because of the USA's boy-scout approach to the whole thing.\nWant to end it quickly and minimise US casualties? Do the logical thing and institute a scorched Earth policy in the Middle East and kill as many Arabs as possible. They're animals, anyway, so the civilized world won't miss them.
908878
I was a Nam era vet who retired after Desert Storm, I worked with draftees, and I honestly believe that the military is better off without them.  Would you want your son or daughter, or your country, to depend on people who care nothing about any of them?  Draftees tend to do the bare minimum to get by, they don't care about their fellow troops or the mission, it's the volunteers, the true patriots, who get the job done.
791819
Well ... ah ... in a word, "No." The nation is in deep do-do, and we do have serious enemies out there (some of whom we are funding). This draft talk may just be to get people riled up so they show their displeasure to the Bush war, however. We are in a very odd era where power has been used, and misused at the same time.
930649
so are you arguing that we should stay in Iraq or not?  Because you say you can use sources why we should stay, BUT you are against withdrawal.  those are the same things.
934439
Actually troops levels are only too low because neither congress or the president has really pushed for necessary troop increases. If the government admitted that it couldn't accomplish it's intended goals in the middle east and increased the authorized troop level and then we were in a situation where not enough recruits were available to fill in those positions, then you might be in a position to start talking about a draft.\n\nExcept that even then, most politicians would be reluctant to implement such a draft since it would make people more concerned about the war in Iraq. If people were actually forced to make sacrifices in Iraq, then they would start to question even more strongly why we were there and what we hope to accomplish by being there. Which would probably end in a big backlash against the occupation and a forced withdrawal from the middle east if any politician really wanted to get elected again.\n\nThis is not even considering the opinion of most people in the military themselves, which seem to be against the idea of the draft. The commonly held opinion of the military is that a draft would quickly degrade the quality of our fighting force.\n\nEven without the draft, opinion is quickly turning against the Iraqi occupation, and it's unlikely the current troop levels in Iraq could be maintained for much longer without bringing on the wrath of the electorate.\n\nSo the short answer is, no, there won't be a draft in the forseeable future. \n\nPersonally I'm not concerned greatly about the draft, since I already served 3.5 years in the Army and was forced to leave due to poor hearing a couple of years ago. If I was somehow drafted at this point, my hearing would keep me from being forced back into the military and cause them to draft someone else instead.
1050433
When we get so over-extended that bringing back the draft becomes a real possibility. This war or police action is a mess. I would not want my son ( he is nine) risking for a military venture that is this badly planned. I am not sure If George W.  would go to Iraq. Do they serve Jack Daniels there?
878157
Unless we encounter a situation where many more troops are drastically needed, I think a volunteer army is the way to go. I think the call for a return to the draft is more of a criticism of hypocrisy than anything else. After all, it's much easier to support a war when you know that you or no one you care about will be put in danger. It's easy to blame Bush and the neoconservatives for the failures in Iraq now, but this war would have never happened without the support of a solid majority of the American people. But if a draft had been enabled from the beginning of this war I think that there would have been alot of people who would have had very different opinions about how necessary invading Iraq was (including myself).\n\nBut just because drafting kids into the army isn't a good idea doesn't mean that having some required civil service isn't either. Why shouldn't young people serve the country in some way? Give them peaceful options (like re-building the Gulf Coast) but If they choose the military, that's great. It might actually remind people that everyone has a duty to their country, not just the soldiers.
727471
Thanks for answering the question too!!  You had me wondering what the answer was.  I knew it was the mainly the Democrats that wanted the draft before and the administration that didn't.  Wonder how it got confused?