could war necessitate reinstatement of the draft?

[rudds]

i admit i'm curious about this issue (as it might affect me directly), though i don't think it's likely. your thoughts?

i'm leaving for class now, looking forward to informed discussion when i get back.

 

[Robert01]

Probably not. Dub isn't that stupid -- more people will lose their lives. Nobody wants that.

 

[jehh]

not needed

our modern military doesn't need manpower, it needs expensive high-tech weapons...

Jason

 

[vegetation]

Don't think so. There's enough reservist to activate to keep US bases functional. NATO and other countries will provide front-line troops if needed.

 

[db]

Didn't need it during the Persian Gulf war, why need it now?

 

[blcjr]

Well, I don't get either the first response, or the original question, really.

The likelihood of a draft is zero, not because Dub "isn't that stupid..." but because our armed forces are sufficiently manned for any likely response. We're not going to get bogged down in a guerrilla war with a pissant nation like Afganistan. We are going to go after terrorists. Hopefully, this tragedy will sanction our right to go after any and all terrorists, once and for all, wherever they are. The objective will be not just retaliation or revenge, but preemption. The near unanimity of NATO (France joined in, but as always with weasily comments) indicates that the hunt may go the cells in Europe and other places where these vermin live and operate. Since terrorists are essentially warriors without borders, no border should stand in the way of our hunting them down and eradicating them. This will be a long and difficult process, but before now national sensibilities prevented us from engaging in this kind of action on the sovereign territory of allied nations. Things just may have changed.

IAC, the nature of the response is not one that will call for thousands and thousands of new conscripts, like Vietnam or WWII did.

OTOH, would it inconvence you, rudds, to put you school and the rest of your life aside and do something in the service of your country in response to this tragedy?

 

[h8red]

You don't need more men to make glass parking lots! Except for the men making the bombs

 

[LordThing]

I wouldn't be so quick to say so. In an all out war, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a draft. Especially if the thing lasts more than a few months. Which it will if we go over there and deploy ground troops. But since article 5 has been inacted and the insurgence of volunteering I am sure is happening, there is still a possibility that there will be enough manpower to not need a draft.

 

[iamwiz82]

i doubt there will be a war, mainly because i am sure new recruits have swelled the Army to a rather large size. There are many reports of people siging up for the Armed Forced on tuesday.

 

[ToBeMe]

I'll agree with Lordthing.......don't be so sure a draft will not become reallity.......If this were to span out to perhaps several "fronts" and a ground war is needed in each theatre, make no mistake, the US will have by far the greatest number of troops involved! Of course, as evident in a prior thread, I believe many "inactive" Marines, Army, Navy, AF will reactivate and the above mentioned surgance will help, but, the scale this *could* escalate to would make a draft neccessary.

Right now it all depends upon what course of action is enacted. From the bits & pieces being mentioned though, it appears they are leaning toward a full scale assault on whomever is deemed responsible or anyone whom had ANY part in this. It seems ground work is being laid to the US citizens for a prolonged all out war......not a limited conflict as we've seen since Vietnam! I've spoken by email with relatives still active in the corp and friends made while I was active and all seem to agree that the possibility is real and present of a full scale war should the targets present themselves by our own findings or otherwise.......

Sorry if these are "scary" or "unpopular" comments, but, I also don't think this is the time for many to feel a draft absolutely won't happen............

 

[Windogg]

People shouldn't worry about getting drafted. Chances are slim and even if you are, the United States military is very services heavy. Only 1/4 to 1/3 of troops are actual combat troops. Of those expected to serve in frontline combat, a good chunk will be used to defend other interests. The rest will serve in supply, logistics, communications, intelligence and other ancillary services. Even then your skills will be leverage, if you are good with mechanics, you will likely serve with a maintaince crew. If you are good with computers, you will likely serve with electronics, etc..

Should you serve, your war story to your grandchildren will be like the following:

This really happened, NO SH!T!!! (Fairy tale begin with Once Upon A Time. Military stories begin like that).

Yup I was with the rest of the boys in the 4519th Strategic Trucking Battallion (Heavy) when those chumps from the 9210th Tactical Forklift Company tried to start a ruckus by hogging the satellite TV remote. Boy did we show them, we took the flush handles off their toilets so they had to open the cover each time to flush the toilets.

Windogg