Drafting for a better military, country

There are some excellent pros and cons in this article and it's one of those subjects that we may be destined to argue about forever. There is, however, one small point to which I take exception: "With the lives of both women and men in the military equally at risk, we will be much more likely to avoid wars; families would devote more attention to issues of war or peace than is the case with an all-volunteer military." Really? The one thing that is certain to tempt potential aggressors to misbehave and threaten war is any reluctance on our part to engage them. I would far rather have our military snapping and snarling like mad dogs just itching to go to war and our President holding them on short leashes. I want other nations, especially those with ambitions to rule the world, afraid of US.

I'd also read once that a draft is what I'd seen termed "the great leveler'" of society , and have often wondered whether a draft actually reduces an overall societal predilection toward juvenile delinquency, just a thought I'm offering, strictly my own, I have abs no idea if I'm right, certainly, by all means. Before ww2 FDR started the civln conservation Corp the CCC which makes interesting reading as a precursor to the ww2 draft, ostensibly in a societally redeeming fashion, as its principal societal objective. I'm noncombat, so I might not be qualified to offer a view here, however, p I'd of course read that judges often offered juvenile delinquents and or young adult criminals the option of the military over prison which practice was of course stopped decades ago. I don't mention this asmother than actual history to reflect on, however , there was also the book by William Bradford huie about Pvt Eddie slovik during ww2, the one Gen Eisenhower ultimately punished for desertion, a sad and tragic story, of course, and yet, I think, being a true one, is relevant here. In that case, he'd been part of the lowered draft standards during the battle of the bulge in Europe, as well as the Pacific island hopping campaign that id read happened, and in the TV movie with Martin sheen and Ned neatty about him fascinating to read about and watch, if only for the history of how the whole story happened, though tragic, and, ultimately Pres Reagan let his remains be repatriated to be with his wife whod petitioned all presidents forever after the tragedy to let her have his remains back. The reason I raise that sorry here is that , clearly, in that case, the lowered draft standards in ww2 while obv necessary also ultimately led to that tragedy, as to whether he deserved the punishment, honestly, it's too emotive a topic for me to say, many will say he did, others not, honestly, I just tried to read the book and saw the movie many years ago purely out of historical interest, though I of course realize his case is a very emotive topic certainly . I only raise it here due to the whole discussion here on the draft, and in light of more recent happenings presently, the whole story just seemed relevant that's all honest. Now also most on here I'd expect have seem the dirty dozen film though few might have read the novel by e m nathanson, well worth reading to compare the two, the novel also discusses the use of convicts during ww2 though ive never checked the novel for historical accuracy however. The novel as with the film, are untrue, of course, though loosely based on the story of the filthy thirteen, who were not criminals, though pathfinders with the airborne during normandy on d day, also well worth reading the book about. My point overall is that drafts have good and bad apparently, at least as a matter of history though of course whether the present society would tolerate one I obv have no idea. I'd mentioned on here elsewhere awhile back that Capt kay summersby the UK born us at!u WAC who was the driver for Gen Eisenhower in ww2 once mentioned in her first book not the second one a discussion sjed had with FDR on a trip FDR made to a conference with Eisenhower once. Shed been driving FDR they'd stopped to eat somethind and chatted. She recounted asking FDR at one point whether the US would ever allow women to be drafted , FDR evidently said no, the people would never have it, also, I thought worth mentioning here in light of the whole thing of late to approve femalesmfor draft registration I just thought , hope all that was of at least some historical interest, would be most eager for any thoughts and or feedback. I understand I hope many of the arguments pro and con for a draft, I just thought I'd add some history into the mix so as to try to merely engender some discussion many thanks .

Someone will have to explain to me when it became the job of the military to fix social ills. The last time I checked we were the last step in American foreign policy, not an after school gang intervention program. Those programs exist and have since LBJ's Great Society. Check Job Corps for one. My opinion: leave us out.