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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: unclewest who wrote (491533)	6/19/2012 7:33:20 AM
From: simplicity	1 Recommendation Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793838

I wish I could have recommended this post a thousand times. Thank you.

To: unclewest who wrote (491533)	6/19/2012 7:42:46 AM
From: Nadine Carroll	3 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793838

The draft is a big brake on a war mongering Congress or President, because everyone is paying attention. My late father always wondered why the US didn't have a Foreign Legion like the French did. He said it was wonderfully convenient for the politicians, as there was no political resistance to sending it into action. I've wondered too. We could fill one easily by offering citizenship at the end of a long enlistment.

To: unclewest who wrote (491533)	6/19/2012 9:21:06 AM
From: DMaA	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793838

America has not drafted anyone since 1973. Why tinker with success? The military has a finite capacity to provide the civics lesson you want. 4-8 million youngsters turn 18 each year. Only a tiny fraction of those can be absorbed by the military. It is more likely the military will shrink rather than grow. Replacing some fraction of the currently voluntary recruits with people who don't want to be there will make our military weaker and less able to defend the country which is actually the only reason we have a military in the first place.

To: unclewest who wrote (491533)	6/19/2012 3:55:55 PM
From: Joe Btfsplk	1 Recommendation Respond to of 793838

Mike, your perspective helps you to make a powerful argument. I regard Milton Friedman as one of the giants of our times. He regarded his contribution to abolition of the draft as a prime accomplishment. A quick search would yield a look at reasoning that runs counter to yours. That said, I respect your position and am largely in accord, particularly with your last three paragraphs.