Senator Inouye’s question should incite the electorate to question the political establishment on their individual positions on the draft.
Young Americans, beware — Uncle Sam may ask you to join him soon on a worldwide adventure to exotic places to see fascinating sights and to meet interesting people and kill them or be killed by them. This week as Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen were testifying before the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, its chairman, Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), asked the question he said no one wants to ask: “Is the cost of maintaining an all-volunteer force becoming unsustainable and, secondly, do we need to consider reinstituting the draft?"…
Article comments
26 - Dr Dreadful
Notice how many of your "representatives" have children in the military.
Quite a few, actually.
John McCain, Joe Biden and Jim Webb, to name but three.
27 - Les Slater
Supporting the military of our enemy, whether volunteer or draft, isn't too smart.
28 - Cindy D
chad,
"...secondly i dont want to go to war either but im not going to run away or don a hippy outfit and march on the capital."
That's too bad. If everyone was outraged we might get a result.
our government has given us so many freedoms and liberties we take for granted.
Our government has been killing our children. Or is it not okay to notice that?
By chanting the mantra of propaganda about Iraq, you are helping our government to continue to do that.
and if your going to tuck tail and run because our country asks for help? thats bull**** get a backbone you may not agree with the war but you can help your country...
Why don't you go and volunteer your help then? Since, as you say, your country needs it. Why wait to be forced? Send your kids over there. I mean, if you're so "patriotic" (that's what you'd call that right?) and all.
...if we leave Iraw terrorists would ragin control over the governemnt and we'd end up with another 9/11 so stop your complaining unless you want to raise your children with the threat of a bomb exploding in their school or being killed from opening a letter with anthrax
This is bullshit. We want permanent military presence in Iraq. No one is getting us out. Even Greenspan admitted the war is about oil. Our presence is disruptive of any process whereby Iraqis can get on with the process of rebuilding. Our surge force went in and terrified the populace by killing innocent civilians (in other words, the wrong people).
Iraqis don't want us there. They don't want a permanent US military presence. They don't want their oil to go to benefit us. They don't want their leaders making those kinds of agreements with us. As long as we are their we are creating an internal conflict.
And we are doing it because we want to establish permanent military bases there.
29 - Les Slater
Cindy,
I know that when you stop and think, you know that using the term 'we' not only perpetuates a myth, but will also confuses your own thinking.
There ain't no 'we' as far as the U.S. government is concerned. The actual we have no control over the military, the banks, employment, the media or any policy.
Some, Dave, Chad and others may actually believe that the government is theirs. They are, of course, mistaken.
The real we is not limited by any national border. The capitalists do not recognize any border as far as they are concerned. They, and their capital, cross borders as they please. The borders are only for us. They are used against us.
The capitalist class does not give a shit about any of us except as their only means to acquire wealth. When they choose to go to war againt us, they really don't care whether we live outside, or inside, what they try to claim is 'our' country.
Les
30 - Cindy D
RE #26
Dr.D,
Okay. I'll give you a few more. As of July 2007 there were 11 Congress people with children in the military. 11 out of 535. That is about 2%.
That is up from 2006: The percentage of members of Congress with children serving in the military is only slightly above 1 percent. (July 29, 2006 - Reuters quoting Time Magazine)
Are there many more besides those on that list? If so, are we much above 2% yet? Doesn't seem like many to me.
31 - Dr Dreadful
So I suppose the question should be, Cindy, how does that compare with the percentage of families* in the population at large who have children in the military?
* Whose heads are old enough to have military-age children, of course.
32 - Cindy D
Les,
RE #27
Supporting the military of our enemy, whether volunteer or draft, isn't too smart.
That sounds like a better idea to me. "Fight the State, not it's wars" is my sluagh ghairm. I'd rather work to convince people not to join than support the idea of a draft.
I know that when you stop and think, you know that using the term 'we' not only perpetuates a myth, but will also confuses your own thinking.
I think you're right Les. It's almost an acceptance of powerlessness. Something I should guard against, having allowed that same sense to stop me from taking any action or responsibility from somewhere in the 80s until about 2 years ago. Now that I have thought about it, I think I'll stop doing that.
33 - Les Slater
"I think I'll stop doing that."
It's not easy. Sort of like a nicotine addiction.
34 - Cindy D
Dr.D,
That is a good question.
But, even if it were a higher percentage than the general populace, it still remains a sad figure for the percentage of our representatives who actually have a deep emotional connection to someone in Iraq and therefore a deep personal empathy.
I would like to think the best of people when it comes to empathy. My experience is that we have grown up in a culture that blocks our ability to empathize. It's why I've always though children are just fine, its adults that give me a headache.
I don't have much confidence that those who don't even know to ask that question of themselves, could actually have the capacity to recognize that they are lacking. We simply run on program. Things our culture does are taken for granted.
In some instances, if I didn't think people were blind I might think they were monsters.
35 - Cindy D
LOL Les,
I'm trying to stop doing THAT too!
36 - Les Slater
"...the percentage of our representatives..."
Our representatives? I told you it wouldn't be easy.
37 - Cindy D
yikes!
38 - Les Slater
The enemy has successfully gotten most of US to internalize THEM within our own psyches. It makes things somewhat difficult. Read, or listen to, Malcolm on house Negros vs field Negros.
39 - Cindy D
Malcolm X - Field Negro vs House Negro (9 minutes)
That's very good. Thanks Les.
40 - borderraven
I think people's fear of a Selective Sevice Draft, are mostly unfounded. Former military members are not eligible to serve on local draft boards. So, where do you put the blame on the board's decisions? Not every male adult prefers military service, and there are alternatives to military service. The military, has non-combat career paths, with many serving twenty years, and never seeing combat. I suggest you go to the Selective Service site and read their classifications and alternative service options. America needs a volunteer force, to serve both the combat and non-combat needs of our nation. The nation needs people to harvest crops, tend livestock, do the agriculturale and forestry jobs, not common to Americans, Jobs that build character, instill a strong work ethic, give a person pride, and prepare them to survive their future. Besides combat, there are jobs in medical, dental, forestry, agriculture, government, CIA, FBI, Secret Service, DHS, etc. Everyone should serve their nation proudly.
41 - Cindy D
It's too early to read this.
Everyone should
servechallenge the legitimacy oftheirthe nation proudly.Unless, they are rich, then they can go fight for their nation or do whatever else they want for it. Maybe they'll all blow each other up. It'll make it easier for the rest of us to take over.
42 - Kwolf
Beth:
I agree with you!!
Being a FREE country is suppose to give us the right to choose...unfortunately & however...this country is not free! It actually is corrupted by government & many of it's people...they are destroying so much & do not even focus on the real issues! To fight should be a choice PERIOD...except for murderers/prisoners they gave up their right when they took a life! There should never be a draft EVER!
A draft would prove what our country's backbone is really made of!
I am a Mother with one son & I would not even think of losing him for this F'd up country. He is all I have. If he chose to go & fight...then I would support him, but if he chooses not to..then he should have the CHOICE! I support all who fight & want to fight & I call them heroes...but one should have the right to choose! Heroes come in many forms! My son & I fight for things here & try to make a difference...but just because I do not want him to be in the military on the front lines dying does not mean I do not care!
Keep believing in your own heart girl...that is what makes a country great!
Anyhoo...who needs this country...especially with people like DAVID dwelling in it!
Try Italy-much better:)
DAVID who commented Beth:
You need to back off of Beth with your immature comments. You are not a mother so you have no right to speak to her in any way!! You must be one of those brats you were speaking of!
A mother should not have to let her child die for ANYTHING!
She has a right to speak her thoughts...so go back to class COLLEGE BOY & grow up!
Keep your unwanted opinions to your idiotic self!!!
Actually...It is people like YOU that make this country lazy, selfish & arrogant!!
If you don't know what your taking about...SHUT YOUR MOUTH!
Take a class on how to be a man!
Actually do us all a favor & get some class!!!