Should there be a military draft? I have always been a firm believer in no, it should be voluntary only. But I watched something today that changed my mind. This is what was said by a retired US diplomat, been around since 1965.
Viet Nam freaked the powers that be out because public opinion is what stopped that adventure. That this is the reason that Nixon made the popular decision to get rid of the draft into military service. It helped stopped people protesting war because they were no longer invested in it. The military was now 100% volunteer. So foreign wars were tolerated.
So, if you want your government to not be aggressive in their use of the military for non national defense reasons, bring back conscription.
People will support their soldiers but only if you are putting their lives in danger for bloody good reason. Especially when soldiers are not volunteers, instead they are forced to join by accident of birth. So it better be a bloody good reason eg defending their home. Otherwise, their families and friends will protest vigorously if the government sends them away to danger.
So from being a free love, tree hugging "No draft!!!" hippy, I've flipped today. Re-introduce the draft I reckon, as it will stop our governments promoting military solutions rather than diplomatic ones. Because the peasants, us the public, will rise up again in protest and that scares them.
Ironic that a forcible military draft may help ensure peace. Bring the reality of the violence of armed conflict home to voters.
(Deep down still don't like the idea of conscription, but can see how it would help ensure the military is the last resort considered by governments, rather than the #1 go to action plan every time).
This, of course, would also only work if your own people are the ones getting killed in the conflict. So rather than just enable conflict, would have to actually participate.
Good having new perspectives. Any others other's may have................
0
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
6 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.If I got drafted I would or wouldn't go depending on whether I believed it was just or not. I'm not going to go die for a war I don't believe in, idk what that makes me.
Tejas
Level 8
Mar 17, 2024
2
puff:
That's the idea, only use the military for a very good reason/ justification otherwise many will refuse to go. People protesting by avoiding drafts makes war unpopular as many sympathise with them aka Viet Nam eg "I would avoid conscription too if that's where I'm going". Makes politicians unpopular and it unites all equally which they like to avoid; left/ right, ethnic lines and the "sex's" will unite as all will protest conscripts fighting in unjust wars..
How fair is a draft process that allows rich draftees to be exempted for fake bone spurs.
Science-guy
Level 8
Mar 16, 2024
4
puff:
No exemptions.
Of course there should be a miltary draft. Everyone that is poor to middle class should die for their slave masters.
Drank_Spear
Level 7
Mar 16, 2024
2
I also want the children of the upper middle class and the rich to have to serve, in combat positions, as I bet that would immediately end our wars of choice for good.
@TomMcGiverin yes, kill everyone that will solve the problem.
@Drank_Spear Again, as usual, you fail to get the other person's point. Exactly what drugs are you abusing? My point is, I would like to see the master class and their kids, being at risk for dying in these wars, as I hope and would doubt they would be willing to sacrifice them as easily as they do now the kids of the lower classes..
@TomMcGiverin I got your point, it's very clear. Everyone should die and then war will be no more. It's brilliant!
@Drank_Spear No, you didn't get my point, moron. If the rich and upper classes had to put their kids on the line and in harm's way, we would no longer have wars of choice, at least not waged by the US, like we have had ever since WWII, tho wars would undoubtedly still happen with other countries waging them. I live in the US, and am frankly not as concerned with what the rest of the world does militarily, since it doesn't affect me as much directly, as far as taxes and the US economy. And I also have no voice or power in what other countries do.
Is that clear enough for you, DS, or are you going to continue to be obtuse, or at least pretend to be?
@TomMcGiverin It was never unclear to me. It's quite clear what you said and it's quite clear what I said. Now if you want to get your panties in a bunch because you feel you aren't understood well enough go right ahead. I don't give a fuck.
@Drank_Spear Time to block you, fuckface..
There are many other countries where there is not a military draft, and they don't have endless wars of choice, like ours does. But the diff, is that those countries have a functioning democracy, which we don't. And they also don't have a huge MIC, like we do, that owns and runs our fed govt. So, I am not in favor of a draft, but since in our present and long time system, of the last several decades, the only way to prevent endless wars of choice, is to put the children of all economic classes on the line for serving, dying, and being damaged by those wars, then yes, I am in favor of a draft, with no college deferments this time, if that is the only way to stop endless wars of choice, and make middle and upper class voters opposed enough to those wars, to stop them from being waged. And another provision I propose, is that the draft age children of our elected fed officials, are the first ones subject to induction to the military, with no deferments of any kind being allowed, before the children of the general public would be subject to the draft. Let's see how they like their kids being on the firing line first, and no allowing their kids to be hidden away in safe assignments in the military, instead of being right on the front lines in the infantry of the army..
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Mar 16, 2024
5
I think there should be a mandatory 2 year public service for everyone, where, except in times of war, the military is just one option.
snytiger6
Level 9
Mar 16, 2024
5
I'm not sure what mandatory service you would like to see implemented, because I've been donating 18% of my hard earned cash to this POS government of America that spends that money to aid and abet a couple of genocides and doesn't even bother to give any of is on American soil dental care, or home for veterans that for serve. Do they really deserve my time AND my money?
I did not explain it very well. I think college education should be free, but in return people serve a mandatory two years of public service. In short, giving back to the community in some way to make a better society by making people feel like they have an investment in society and making a better country. With the exception of times of war, a person should be able to work for any government service or agency to fulfill their service requirement.
Too many people look at government as the enemy, when in fact government is needed to make society work. Rather than just preparing people via education to be busy workers for corporations, we should be teaching community responsibility and make people more aware of how our country and its future are shaped by our attitudes about ethics, community and responsibility.
People help to shape the community they live in.
I know it all seems like pie in thy sky thinking. I do think about it though, and I try to think of ways where our future, or rather the future of the human race, can look more like Star Trek instead of Star Wars.
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
Share this post
Categories
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.