OH NO, AMERICA! THE DRAFT IS COMING!
Ok, no it’s not coming back, and won’t for the foreseeable future, but should it?
Ok, no it’s not coming back, and won’t for the foreseeable future, but should it?
1/There has been a host of ppl concerned with the govt bringing back the draft. My wife is a high school teacher & her kids are all concerned they may have to participate in WW3. Now that the threat is seemingly over, let’s have a convo.
2/Just scanning through Twitter & Facebook, there are ppl expressing their fears & taking the moral high ground as to why a draft would be so wrong.
3/ They would run to Canada or jail to avoid such an immoral (libertarians), unjust (liberals) or unknown (majority of clueless US) war. (Only 3/10 registered voters CAN find Iran on an unlabeled map)
4/I’m sure these same ppl refused jury duty too and went to jail. Couldn’t be burdened w/ an unjust civic duty like that..but I digress.
5/ If I’ve caught your attention then good, I was going for the offensive labels to do so, but let’s continue.
6/Let me say 1 thing before I move on. I’m not anti-war, I’m anti intervention. So, I don’t agree w/ the current wars & I despise many high level officers for their lack of integrity (See my Afghan Papers thread) Current conflicts drain blood & treasure for the real fight to come
7/ Back to the draft. Ppl will come up with all kinds of scenarios & hysteria when they think their ass is in danger. This is a great thing in my opinion. This country needs to be shaken from its secure & complacent mindset.
8/Where is the concern from these same ppl for the Americans currently deployed or shipping out now? There is little/none. And while they may support the troops and wave a flag from time to time, a semi mercenary/indentured service force is what they prefer.
9/I was always of the mindset that we shouldn’t bring the draft back, I bought into the argument of, why should we want ppl who don’t want to be there participating in the military?
10/ Then I joined the military. There is no way you can tell me that the current makeup of the military would be worse off returning to the draft.
11/ Many intelligent & capable men never consider military service. They move on and are successful in life’s endeavors. This is who the military needs. Ppl with no intention of being a careerist, and who will call out the bureaucratic incompetence when needed.
12/ A change in the mindset of America, back to a sense of duty, or at least the exposure to the very thing they seek to avoid would be one way of possibly doing that.
13/ I recommend HUNTSMAN’s threads on masculinity & what your father should have taught you for insight into what I also believe we need a return to.
14/ Our country needs these principles to continue to lead the world, and a draft may help re-instill these into the current zombie populace we have now.
15/ An article I read finally convinced me that a draft would be the way to go for the military. Please read this if you have any interest in this discussion. (Link for full article next post) johntreed.com/blogs/john-t-r…
16/ Full article which is long but in my eyes worth the read: johntreed.com/blogs/john-t-r…
17/ His article above is long but thought provoking, if you care for anything concerning draft arguments vs the all volunteer military, please read it. I don’t agree with all of the points, but many are enough to make you think.
18/ His many points/arguments, to include that draftees in Vietnam performed better than volunteers gave me pause, and shaped my opinion on this issue.
19/ Previous occupations/colonial expeditions/empire building nearly broke the all volunteer force. As much as the US likes to believe that “We have the greatest military in the world”. I disagree, we have the greatest technology in the world, so let’s not confuse the two.
20/ Not only did the standards for acceptable soldiers suffer, but the budget for pay and bonuses, along w/ the # of contractors that were needed to support the war broke the bank. Worse yet, many deployed so many times they are physically & mentally broken.
21/ How can a country simply stand back & allow that to happen to their fellow citizens? Many ppl demand equality for all, have groups dedicated to righting injustices, but manage to step aside in this instance, when true sacrifice is asked.
22/ The excuse is always: well that’s what they signed up for...& maybe some have, but it doesn’t make it right that a small minority needs to shoulder the entire effort, on a repetitive basis.
23/ That wouldn’t be tolerated in circumstances other than war, & as we see woke ppl advocate for daily with whatever cause they choose to take up.
24/ The truth is, everyone is willing to step up & do their part when the occasional weekend protest or social media topic presents itself. But few know true sacrifice beyond their own self interests.
25/ As a country, we have gone too long experiencing safety & security, concepts that are foreign to most of the world, & while the world continues to spin every day, few have enough attention span, nor the motivation to do what is right.
26/ So, are those attributes wrong? No, it’s just how things have played out, & throughout history we have seen the cycle of rough men doing terrible things, so their children & grandchildren can live in peace, which is where our society is today.
27/ So, is their a problem? Most will say no, but if we believe their is, how can we start to fix it?
28/ In my opinion, that means bringing back shared sacrifice, paying attn to REAL experts, & learning the geopolitical terrain & where the US falls into it.
29/ If these things are important, (which I believe they are) & the govt makes decisions based on the above, how do we make sure we have an informed public?
30/ Reality TV, woke culture, & most ppl too bored to seek any real truth beyond the Bravo TV Network, dominate our current society. But if the public takes notice, educates themselves, & has vested interest, we may be able to continue peace for awhile longer.
31/ This is why I advocate for the draft, not because it is a perfect solution, or the end all be all to fix society, (that may not need fixing), but because it may improve the country as a whole.
32/ Doing what is easy is the path most ppl take, but doing what is hard (which is usually the right thing) is rarely the easy way, & a draft may be the right thing in this instance.
33/ I don’t advocate for full mobilization, or millions to be forced to serve, but for a small number to be called upon. And for military age males to have the possibility of having their number come up, might be a good path to a more informed citizenry.
34/ No corruption in a draft lottery process can be tolerated. Medical exemptions would be tried extensively, but no heel spurs can be allowed. We can find a spot that won’t aggregate your “disability”.
35/ Ppl who find religion in order to skate service should not be tolerated either. We can find non-combat spots for them too.
36/ And lastly, no reversion to the George W National Guard days, thinking of you as well John Bolton.
37/ Now, even if my above opinions all held true, a draft is not coming back. This has consequences when a real conventional war pops off.
38/The next real conflict,where attrition causes the need to cannibalize units to replace losses = we will have already lost.The time needed to mobilize will be time we don’t have.Maybe then the American ppl will ask how the“most powerful military in the world”was able to lose?
39/ And at that time, it’s already too late.
40/ The worst thing we could do in a major conflict with high casualty rates is lose. The consequences may just end up being much more significant than what we have seen in these current small wars.
41/ This is why our country needs a draft. To encourage personal ownership of our leaders decisions, & become knowledgeable enough to criticize or support the decisions made.
42/ Scrolling past news reports of Americans killed in far off lands, with no need to know or care why they were sent in the 1st place is something that needs to stop.
43/ And with all these words, I hope I haven’t calmed anyones fears of a draft, fear is healthy, & necessary to put our country back on the right path. Because I do believe there is a problem, & for me the status quo is unacceptable.
44/ And to those 18-25 year olds, and the high school students that are close, being exposed to doing ones duty may be a foreign concept, but muster up a little masculinity...
45/ And if a draft ever came back, live your life by these simple words: “You don’t have to like it, but you should show up.” America needs to wake up to a simple fact, we all need to do our duty.
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