The Next Step??

[Charlie P]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Frequent tours for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have stressed the all-volunteer force and made it worth considering a return to a military draft, President Bush's new war adviser said Friday.
"I think it makes sense to certainly consider it," Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said in an interview with National Public Radio's "All Things Considered."
"And I can tell you, this has always been an option on the table. But ultimately, this is a policy matter between meeting the demands for the nation's security by one means or another," Lute added in his first interview since he was confirmed by the Senate in June.
President Nixon abolished the draft in 1973. Restoring it, Lute said, would be a "major policy shift" and Bush has made it clear that he doesn't think it's necessary.
The repeated deployments affect not only the troops but their families, who can influence whether a service member decides to stay in the military, Lute said.
"There's both a personal dimension of this, where this kind of stress plays out across dinner tables and in living room conversations within these families," he said. "And ultimately, the health of the all- volunteer force is going to rest on those sorts of personal family decisions."
The military conducted a draft during the Civil War and both world wars and between 1948 and 1973. The Selective Service System, re- established in 1980, maintains a registry of 18-year-old men.
Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., has called for reinstating the draft as a way to end the Iraq war.
Bush picked Lute in mid-May as a deputy national security adviser with responsibility for ensuring efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan are coordinated with policymakers in Washington. Lute, an active-duty general, was chosen after several retired generals turned down the job.

[BenGarrett]

I don't think it'll happen. For one, the American public would never support it, even if it were necessary. And politicians today worry more about keeping their constituents happy than they do about doing the right thing for the country. For another, it isn't necessary. The military continues to meet its recruiting goals, even if they are having to offer incentives to do so (a $20,000 quick-ship bonus is probably more cost-effective for us taxpayers than rebuilding training bases should the draft be reinstated).

[Champlain Islander]

Yup they are paying big bucks as enlistment bonuses and lowering the physical requirements and waiving some criminal history. Theywere getting better educated men and women than they had during the Nam draft but now that people are seeing Iraq for what it is I expect enlistment will go down. More money might entise some but after seeing troops go for 2, 3 or even 4 tours they will probably not want to get involved.

[CalHunter]

Although I think reinstituting the draft is a mistake, arguing for its' return also ignores the basic underlying problem. We obviously do not have enough troops in the Army and Marines to sustain multiple operations in Iraq and Afghanistan at present troop level requirements. Either we need to figure out how to need less troops over there or increase the basic size of the Army and Marines.

[mr-pirk]

Until WWIII, the draft will not be re-enstated.

Thanks
Mr-Pirk

[James B]

It won't suprise me a bit if the draft comes back. It worked fine in my generation and history has a way of repeating and always has. I think there will be military action in Iran sooner than later.

[Phil from Maine]

Until WWIII,

Does that mean the war on terror is not?

[kevin1]

There is no need for a draft, and the only possible excuse for one would be Bush starting yet another war, which the public would not support a draft for. The "all vol" service has so far been well received by the public and has produced a better military, muddying the waters now would be political suicide for the republicans, so they won't back it either.