Question about military draft

[GaryAdams]

rcyannacci, thank you so very much for pointing that out.......
lets see under Reagan didnt we still have that little thing called the "cold war"
under Bush sr, we had that small thing the Gulf war.
now that brings us to Clinton,hhmmmmmmmm thinking here,darn i cant think of any reason when Clinton wouldnt suspend it.......


still fuzzy? or is that only happening when we cant figure out why Clinton didnt suspend it?

 

[ToriLammy]

Originally posted by rcyannacci
Gosh, history is so fuzzy...

And who followed Carter...I was so young then, but wasn't it 8 years of Republican leadership...no wait, 12 years? And they didn't feel the need to suspend it?

Again, I still have the question I posted earlier- if our government is still committed to selective service as a security measure, then they should not flinch from including women. Only, if that happened, I bet a whole lot of Americans would suddenly be less committed.

No politician wants to be the first to suggest/require/request that women sign up for selective service so it's just not going to happen. Because that is not going to happen I seriously doubt that there will ever be a draft again. Women in the US can not claim they are truly equal until they are willing to be drafted or send their daughters off to war. We used to have this debate back in the days of the DB and the majority of regulars (both R & Ds) agreed that the next draft whenever that may be should include women.

 

[rcyannacci]

I'm not arguing that any one of the presidents should have suspended it. I'm only pointing out that if it's to remain valid, then it needs to be extended to the full population. That it isn't extended to women just points to its ineffectual nature. If there is and will be no draft, then it should be suspended, whoever is in office.

 

[Teejay32]

Geez, I had a nice quiet little snit going in here last night, what happened?

It makes no difference to me whether SS is suspended or not. Congress will always have the power to reinstate it again if need be. But it should be more widely known that the draft is not seen as the best method of getting people to defend the country, the days of needing "cannon fodder" are over, etc.

 

[mortimer45]

GaryAdams a question?

Do you speak any other language besides sarcasm? Because FYI, it does not make you look as smart as you seem to think it does.

 

[BuckNaked]

Originally posted by rcyannacci
If selective service is so necessary as a security precaution, why aren't all 18 year olds required to register? Shouldn't we ask women to register as well? Or, perhaps, that would be a bad PR move for those who advocate war?

I agree, women should be registered as well.

 

[GaryAdams]

wow mort,

seems to me i was discussing the topic the OP asked about...


where as you have decided to only question others intelligence?

perhaps you have a view about the topic at hand?

or maybe your just here to insult others?

 

[mortimer45]

Originally posted by GaryAdams
wow mort,

seems to me i was discussing the topic the OP asked about...


where as you have decided to only question others intelligence?

perhaps you have a view about the topic at hand?

or maybe your just here to insult others?

actually, no, it was a genuine effort to try to get you to stop and take a look at how you are posting. You use sarcasm all the time. I don't even think you are aware of it any more. I did not question your intelligence, I stated that the way you post does not make you look as smart ( perhaps I should have chosen the word clever ) as you might think it does.

 

[snarfer1]

Originally posted by BibbidiBobbidiBOO
DH, a republican, is in Iraq right now, so that you can sit in your house and type what you want. I am in my warm house doing my best to help keep his spirits up and taking care of our kids.

Thank you and your husband. My family appreciates your sacrifice and his service. May G-d bless you.

-Tony

 

[snarfer1]

Originally posted by shortbun
no one here understands quite what the word "volunteer armed forces" means in the poor communities. For many young people,
it's join up or go hungry. $5.15 and no insurance does not
provide a stable life. I know a family living in a van right now-
a mother and three children. She will not move them into a
shelter because she's afraid they will be molested and she's very
slow to take help because she's so proud. These are the boys
who join "volunteer armed forces". You uppity republicans
sitting there in your warm homes not caring what is going on
in the real hard world make me sick.

Do you REALLY think you live in or can even recognize the real world. From reading your posts I know that your world and my world have a small if not null intersection.

-Tony

 

[landmark]

Originally posted by poptartlette
Although not a draft, extending military service is happening. Reservist and National Guardsmen have had their tours of duty extended well beyond what they have been called up for. There are many Reservist and National Guardsmen that have been to Gulf I, Bosnia, Kosovo only to be called up for Gulf II. Of course that is their duty, but it is only going to last so long, as many are not re-upping. Unfortunately, many who are trying to leave the Reserves and Guard are having their duty extended are not being allowed to retire or leave the military. Soon it will be left to the regular branches of the military to serve on foreign soils in battle, as many of our troops in Iraq are weekend warriors, while much of the full time military remains in the states to do their specialized jobs. The next move would be to call up retired military back to active duty.

I know a few Guardsmen that have fought in Gulf I, Bosnia, Kosovo and Gulf II and think that there should be a limit as to how many times one is called up to fight in a war.

My DH was active duty military for 12 yrs and then got out to work with the federal government but stayed with the National Guard to finish his 20 years. He left active duty Feb 2003 and was on a plane to Bosnia Dec 2003 was home for 3 months then activated to guard a nuclear power plant for 4 mos then returned home and learned on April 28, 2004 that he would be deployed to Kosovo on June 1, 2004. So I do have to agree that the reservists and national guardsmen are definitly picking up alot of duty. I don't think I know anyone right now with someone in the Reserves or Guard that haven't either been/are/or are going to be deployed. However, as I'm reminded time and time again by others "They knew it was a possibility when they signed the line."

 

[poohandwendy]

Can anyone here produce any evidence that there is a possibility of a draft being reinstated anytime in the next 4 years? Anyone?

I mean, the ONLY people who keep bringing the draft issue up are democrats. The president says he will not reinstate it, the people do not want it, the military doesn't want it, selective service has been around a LONG time and there has been no draft, not even a hint of it...so IMO this is NOTHING but a chicken-little boogie-man-is-coming scare tactic meant to do nothing but divide people even further. It's disgraceful, IMHO.

 

[GaryAdams]

well mort im glad we have you patroling the DIS boards looking for sarcasm.......


again,perhaps you have something to add to the topic in the post?

maybe your time would be better spent discussing the topics instead of singling out posters to call names?

if worse comes to worse, you can always put me on ignore,it is a great little function.

 

[GaryAdams]

well said poohandwendy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[poohandwendy]

Thanks Gary, this issue is just a bit ridiculous because I see no evidence that people are not enlisting and we are running out of WILLING servicemen and women to fight for our country.

I know a few Guardsmen that have fought in Gulf I, Bosnia, Kosovo and Gulf II and think that there should be a limit as to how many times one is called up to fight in a war.

Is there a limit on how any times a police officer should answer a 9-11 call? I hate to even need to say it but, fighting in a war is exactly what the job entails. It just is. It's a shame that many people have been deploed as long and often as they have, but I for one...really, really appreciate their hard work.

If anything, we should be discussing HIGHER WAGES and better benefits for our military service people. And you know what, that would provide even MORE incentive for enlisting on a volunteer basis! We would have even less reason to talk about a draft! Nope, let's just keep discussing the possibility of pieces of sky falling down on our heads.....

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

"No politician wants to be the first to suggest/require/request that women sign up for selective service so it's just not going to happen. Because that is not going to happen I seriously doubt that there will ever be a draft again. Women in the US can not claim they are truly equal until they are willing to be drafted or send their daughters off to war. We used to have this debate back in the days of the DB and the majority of regulars (both R & Ds) agreed that the next draft whenever that may be should include women."


_________________

College Professor's view was that excluding women from military service historically was to balance the risk of death to women from pregnancy and childbirth. He said no society had survived with putting majority of women at double risk.

Better medical care in Developed countries has brought mortality rates down for both military service and childbearing. Many war mortalites were actually from disease rather than battle.

But from a quick Google search on maternal mortality-

"This surveillance summary provides an in-depth analysis of data for 1991–1999 from CDC’s National Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. During that time period, the surveillance system identified 4,200 pregnancy-related deaths, for a U.S. pregnancy-related mortality ratio of 11.8 pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births. Source: MMWR, February 21, 2003/Vol. 52/No. SS–2;1–8"

"
In many developing countries, complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of death among women of reproductive age. More than one woman dies every minute from such causes; 585,000 women die every year.1 Less than one percent of these deaths occur in developed countries, demonstrating that they could be avoided if resources and services were available. 1
In addition to maternal death, women experience more than 50 million maternal health problems annually.2 As many as 300 million women – more than one-quarter of all adult women living in the developing world – currently suffer from short- or long-term illnesses and injuries related to pregnancy and childbirth.3
Maternal Death"



"Women in the US can not claim they are truly equal until they are willing to be drafted or send their daughters off to war."

An equally valid claim would be that Men in the U.S. can not claim they are truly equal until they can physically carry a baby to birth.
Research is being done on this subject! Personally i think we should stick with the original design specs.

Think men and women were designed differently for a reason but that allowing all women who volunteer to serve is a good compromise.

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

Originally posted by shortbun
no one here understands quite what the word "volunteer armed forces" means in the poor communities. For many young people,
it's join up or go hungry. $5.15 and no insurance does not
provide a stable life. I know a family living in a van right now-
a mother and three children. She will not move them into a
shelter because she's afraid they will be molested and she's very
slow to take help because she's so proud. These are the boys
who join "volunteer armed forces". You uppity republicans
sitting there in your warm homes not caring what is going on
in the real hard world make me sick.

Seeing a lot of hardship here on Cape Cod. Few choices available for jobs, even less fulltime or with benefits. My town is relatively well off but mostly because of the Boston Commuters and affluent retired. (Realize that all retired are not affluent. DM looked at Cape several years ago but couldn't afford it. Bought a house for 1/3 the price in Florida.) But anyway, the well paying jobs are not in my town.

So talking with a neighbor one day about a school override. She thought the $250/yr additional property tax for the next 10 years was insignificant. Actually she mentioned it was less than she was paying for swim lessons for her kids. I didn't say anything to her but that was the year we couldn't afford swim lessons for our 1 child. What was insignificant to her was a major sacrifice for us. We did vote for the override. Schools were 1/3 over design capacity.

Anyway, most people talk to other people in the same financial circumstances so though i wouldn't say 'uppity republican' i would say someone who may be unaware of the depths of hardships facing others.

Reccommend Barbara Ehrenreich(sp?) Nickel and Dimed: On Not making it in America.

A democrat in a cold house(62 degrees daytime, 60 at night)

 

[shortbun]

Originally posted by rcyannacci
Where exactly did I mention Kerry in either of my posts?

Edited to add: I wonder if a new drinking game might be in order. A shot everytime a Bushie puts words in a liberal's mouth in order to divert the discussion to an inane tangent.

Line 'em up! We'll be dead by 7pm!!!!

 

[jfulcer]

Can't we all get along?

Can't an honest, straightforward question be answered straight out and without all the political discourse and drivel? I believe the OP has gotten at least two well thought out responses to the question - let's not this degenerate any further 0into <i>another</i> Democratic vs Republican debate.

It's getting soooooooo old. Really. And some of you are NOT playing nice.

 

[navy guy]

Registering creates a base to call upon if ever needed. IT is a basic thing to do anda should be done. As for the draft, an all volunteer force is the best route. A draft will never occur again-especially with the slacker generation we have now.

NAvy Guy
USS JOHN C STENNIS

As for benefits-free medical free dental free vision and non taxed supplements to basic pay. Travel when on deployment to foreign nations without a passport. This summer I went to Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Canada, and three stops in Hawaii.
Could never get that on my old Disney Salary. Our benefits our great and will get better.