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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cnyndwllr who wrote (209381)	11/28/2006 10:44:18 PM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

There are few (maybe no) situations in the current global climate where you would get unanimity of agreement to back a political/military cause. It is doubtful you could even get consensus. When the representatives and administration get enough backing to take action on something, then we may actually accomplish something (for better or worse). Recent operations have been along these lines. "Sure, but that's only a way out for those who have a genuine issue of conscience. What about those who are just too scared, too "busy" or too "smart" to risk their lives in service of their country?" The position I posed earlier accounts for that. We currently have a situation where the government has engaged costly military operations. That depends on an organization of persons and funding to back the operations (among other things). The funding has been appropriated, the military/political organization exists and there are willing participants (volunteers). Done. However, now we are proposing a draft and we must ask how drafting persons into the military would be just. You can design a model like a lottery and add on whatever other qualifications and exceptions can make it fair to all. The only way I see that as being fair, would be for every citizen to be required to commit to a contribution that is equally compensatory to what is required of those who end up wearing a uniform. That model would get pretty complicated and except under a dire situation where we are having global war in every region, including our suburbs, I doubt it could ever get support. For that reason I am against a draft and will remain against a draft until or unless the situation worsens very significantly. I see no reason under our current situation to compel, coerce, or force those to "scared", "busy", "smart", "consciencious", or otherwise opposed to engaging in violent conflict. Do you?

To: cnyndwllr who wrote (209381)	11/28/2006 10:54:25 PM
From: bentway	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

A good friend of mine in high school enlisted AS a conscientious objector, and went to Vietnam as a medic.

To: cnyndwllr who wrote (209381)	11/29/2006 9:36:22 AM
From: Suma	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Off topic cnyndwllr..... However, I Tivo'd and watched WINTER SOLDIERS last night. Have you ever seen it.... Essentially it's the story of Vietnam Soldiers with guilt who got together in mass to talk about the atrocities they perpetrated and witnessed in VN.... It's filmed... with audience... It is just terrible.. A lot of the testifiers criticised their training implicating it in their lack of respect for anyone with slanted eyes. It was just kill kill kill. When it comes to torture I think that Guantanamo pales by what these guys did and the worse.... the behavior they describe was done all over Vietnam....Mai Lai was just where they got caught.. I think every American should see it to know what can happen to a man in combat who so fearful that he kills everything in sight.