I suspect that if this were ever implemented in the US that after boot camp the draftee could opt to spend his time doing community service related activities. Given the sheer number of draftees per year, community service may not even be optional, with only the truly hard core military types getting to spend their time in strict military training. In case of war though, all draftees should be eligible to see combat duty.
Two points, first the guy is trying to institute the draft so people will think twice about supporting a war with Iraq. Secondly, how many people think a war with Iraq would really come to the point where a draft was needed. We have unmanned bombers nowadays. I know any war would eventually call for ground troops, but seriously, we will never see another WWII or Vietnam for that matter. The technology is so much more advanced that if we end up in a war that needed a draft, it probably would be the last war in the history of the world.
I feel that if the country needs us to fight for our country than it is a travesty if the people do not commit without there having to be a draft. If it was a requirement to serve for two years in the service, I would be all for it as long as some people would not be able to get out of it because of connections. What I think is sad is that some guys like Bush, Clinton, Cheney, Gore, Lieberman and others never served a day defending this nation yet can make the decisions for so many others. And it seems that so many people ignore the opinion of a man like Colin Powell who spent his life fighting in every recent war in almost every capacity. I would fight to ensure the freedom of my nation, but I would be hesitent to sign up to fight an "Iraq" type of regime. Then again, we lost more soldiers to friendly fire in 1990 then to Iraqi weapons, and this is over ten years later after no-fly zones were implemented, economic sanctions and weapons inspectors among other contraints.
At least Gore went to Vietnam. It may have been as a photographer, but he still went. Better than you can say about Clinton, Bush, or many others.
Well I will not serve in the war. I will cheer for our country peacefully, but I can't go to war. No computer!!! Our army already has all these high-tech things. Do they really need that many troops? There's a lot of neat gadgets now...We shouldn't have a war at all!
I disagree. I do not think any war (Protoss invaders notwithstanding) will end in the extinction of the human race. "Only the dead have seen the end of war." - Plato
