Uh-oh, McCain apparently supports reinstating the draft

[CARLHAYDEN]

The draft makes no sense anyway, because what the military needs is high skilled personnel, not a bunch of low skilled cannon fodder.

So draft 'highly skilled' personnel - how else are you going to get them into the military (a dangerous and poorly paid job).

Actually, back in the 50s and 60s, if you got your MD, your chances of being drafted were ten times higher that your average high school graduate.

Those MedSchool students about to graduate used to approach service recruiters ahead of time to secure the best option they could because they knew they were going to serve, and could choose their branch if they didn't wait to be drafted.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Had we had a draft in 2003, we wouldn't be in Iraq right now.  Period.

Re-instituting the draft is about the best idea possible if you believe in pacifist ideals.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Those MedSchool students about to graduate used to approach service recruiters ahead of time to secure the best option they could because they knew they were going to serve, and could choose their branch if they didn't wait to be drafted.

If we reinstate the draft, and if 31-year-old men with eye trauma are eligible, I'll volunteer for the Navy.

I love the open sea, and no one is ever going to pull a USS Cole ever again.

[JSojourner]

If we are going to "defeat evil everywhere" how can we do it without a draft?

I am not saying Mac supports a draft.  Just that he has said he will defeat evil wherever it shows its face in the world.  Even if we "defeat" two thirds of the evil in the world using diplomacy, we haven't nearly enough troops to defeat the other third.

This goes back to the silly, but certainly well-intentioned, notion that the US should intervene everywhere.  In fact, I think it was one of our forum Democrats who said we should invade Sudan, Somalia, Burma, Iran and North Korea.  While keeping busy in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Add Russia, China, Vietnam, Venezuela, Cuba and Syria to the mix -- not to mention the various evil regimes in Africa -- and reinstating the draft would be mandatory.

Well, JS  we are not going to wage war everywhere to stamp out evil. You notice how neutered and quiescent Dubya has been the last couple of years, outside of Iraq?  The boy is a veritable dove of peace, a lamb, who seemed to be just going through the motions over the Georgian thing about his good friend Putin (whose soul he has fathomed, and it was good).

Which is why Mac's assertion, several times over the last few days, that we will defeat evil wherever it is found gives me pause.  He said it at Saddleback, repeated it at the VFW and seems pretty committed to it.

When the lady said we needed a draft to get all this done, he said he didn't disagree.  But again -- I am not sure that means he is pro-draft.  I just get the sense that he hasn't really given it (or much of anything) a lot of thought.

We've had eight years of rule by a guy who "goes with his gut".  Even though I sincerely respect and trust Mac's gut more than The Decider's...I think it's time for someone who reads books, consults experts in both parties and listens.