Bring back the draft… and transform American attitudes about the Iraq war, security, terrorism, and vengeance.
Our current crusade in Iraq marks its 3rd anniversary. Many Americans continue to believe that our invasion of Iraq was a critical step to insure security from terrorism, was justified by the 9/11 attacks, and removed the imminent threat of weapons of mass destruction. Those who believe these falsehoods have been duped by intentionally misleading rhetoric, and blinded by their paranoia of terrorism and desire for retribution for 9/11.
Why do we collectively accept these lies? In many cases it’s more comforting to believe than to disbelieve. A world in which America is the patron of justice, and the President the leader of a noble cause, is more settling than the heresy of belief in ulterior motives. We can sleep soundly at night trusting the providential protection of the trinity Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld.
In many respects we have become an electorate of faith, rather than reason. Those who question our faiths become as evil as those who threaten our American way of life. After all, our faith is our American way of life. So it stands to reason that if you don’t share our faith, you’re likely an enemy. Thus the xenophobia is practically sacred.
Eisenhower warned, “…we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
George Washington admonished, “…avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments which, under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.”
Today we ignore these warning in part because our military is not a force drawn from our civilian ranks in the same sense it once was. I’m proud of my service in the volunteer Air Force from 1985 – 1992, but I’m well aware that the volunteer military is not a representative cross-section of our society. It is unduly made up of the working class and less politically connected of our classes. I have no doubt that if our military were more equally constituted by middle-class, college educated, and economically advantaged young men and women, the public debate on Iraq would be wholly transformed.
Bring back the draft. Ensure that jobs at hazard in war zones are done by the military, not contractors. Don’t “outsource” war. Subject every college student to some possibility of military service. I guarantee an outpouring of activism on the college campuses overnight.
I allow that there are some justified applications of military power, and I believe we must fix the mess we created in Iraq, but let’s have an honest discussion about the costs. And let’s make sure the burden of those costs is appropriately shared.
Michael
Previous: Ban the Monoblogues! -- Next: Go see “Why We Fight” Comment from davekg7hj: I got sent to Portland for my draft physical in 1969. Beat it on a medical (induced high blood pressure). That single event more than any other set me against the Federal guvmint to this day. Not that I didn’t love my country or want to serve in the military. I enlisted in the Army in 1971 for three years, and served in the National Guard when I got back. Any form of compulsive service is slavery, no matter what euphemisms we choose to try to hide it behind. The essence of socialism is the subordination of any individual’s rights in favor of the power of the government. If the guvmint can enslave 19-21 year olds, the principle and precedent is that it can enslave any and all of us and take our property, and we are only better than the chinese mainland by a matter of degree. I love my country; it is this government I fear. I like much of what Smith has to say otherwise, but will oppose anyone who advocates any form of slavery. Posted by davekg7hj Apr 2, 01:27 PM # Comment from Michael Smith: Dave, It’s the passion you bring to this issue that I think should surround any decision to commit troops to foreign soil. The current system circumvents a true debate and unfairly rests the burden of defending our nation on a social/economic class that generally lacks political connection. I’d concede some room to your point on “slavery” and provide a form of alternate civilian public service for anyone drafted. It may still be “slavery”, but it’s not in the line of fire. If you see any form of compulsory service as equal to socialism, I’d point out that it’s our free electoral processes that distinguish an American draft from socialism – if enough people object to service to their country, then any candidate advocating such service can be rejected at the polls (just as you suggest you will). Michael Posted by Michael Smith Apr 2, 06:55 PM # |
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