tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30829516.post328143988232300185..comments2024-03-27T03:03:44.660-04:00Comments on Vleeptron_Z: 2 old fart superannuated US Army veterans rap about The Issue That Dare Not Speak Its NameVleeptron Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01913822255924924435noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30829516.post-68788260137556789572010-05-16T00:15:33.527-04:002010-05-16T00:15:33.527-04:00What a novel idea it is these days to agree to dis...What a novel idea it is these days to agree to disagree. Bush years polarized the hell out of this country - I get so excited when I see a Republican in the media that seems to be of this galaxy even if I don't agree with a single thing s/he is saying.<br /><br />I could have never seen it coming but my opinion on the draft has changed radically with the Iraq war. I spent most of my twenty-something years dodging the mandatory military service back home in Turkey. I was not given a choice of doing civil service and a complete 18 month interruption of my life to play soldier was not something I was going to accept. Especially with the risk of partaking in an undeclared civil war that I didn't believe in. I was willing to give up my citizenship or go to jail if I hadn't been able to qualify for the 3 week symbolic service for the diaspora.<br /><br />Anyway, I wholeheartedly support your point. Bringing back the draft should be the centerpiece of a much needed realignment of the American foreign policy (and spine). Provided that there is always a civil service option for the objecters, I am all for it - just like I would have been up for teaching at a remote Turkish village for 36 months in lieu of 18 months in the military.<br /><br />The term "volunteer army" doesn't come close to describing the full picture. For many in the service, it is the last resort and the only legal (or feasible) choice. Provided that the majority of the armed forces are made up of the disenfranchised have-nots, we will be in many more unnecessary wars started by those who need not worry about their own kids. I am sure that we would still have gone to Afgahanistan but that we would also have come up with either clear objectives or an exit strategy by now. Instead we are locked into 2 vague wars conducted without the screaming urgency of a nation on its feet.<br /><br />Like I said, I would have never in a million years seen this coming, especially with 2 kids of my own, but bringing back the draft is the deterrence factor, the nuclear option, the surgical axe we need to prevent these wars of political convenience.ozziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258695977554463862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30829516.post-58074213747551526122010-05-14T12:14:27.996-04:002010-05-14T12:14:27.996-04:00Funny that, the Swiss are currently considering a ...Funny that, the Swiss are currently considering a change from Mandatory Draft (meaning that I have served ONE DAY in the Swiss Army during evaluation day) to volunteering. <br />Back then when I were a lad (late 80s) you were considered a traitor if you opted for civil service and you were not considered as a real tough bloke or a real man if you had not achieved your basic training and you had to for annual service till you were 45 or fifty.<br />These days you get released from duty at 35 or even earlier.<br />The people who are responsible for recruitng are complaining about the fact that draftees are getting fatter and dumber. And since it has become easier to choose between mandatory service and civil service more and more opt for the second option. At least now they let women do service, but without arms. The good ol' times when we could brag that we could mobilize a qoarter of a million men in 12 hrs are definetly over and to be honest I am not very sad about that fact.<br /><br />During the Bush era Vleeptron questioned the possibilty of re-introducing the draft, what has caused that change of opinion ?patfromchnoreply@blogger.com