Posted: Jan 21, 08 9:12am
Here is something that has been bothering me for quite awhile now: In the 60's and 70's (when I was much younger), I was against the draft as well as its inequities. Even in the 90's, I did not want any of my sons drafted into the army. Iraq has begun to change my views in terms of the larger picture and here is why:
As pointed out in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 (which you have to take with a grain of salt), most, though not all, of those joining the military today come from poverty level surroundings. It's a way out for those people so they are happy to have three hots and a flop regardless of cost. Also, much of the war in Iraq is being run by corporations such as Haliburton and Blackwater. This tends to take a great deal policy and management decisions out of the hands of government and thus leaves the government less responsible for what happens there. With a citizen army, Washington would be more answerable to its electorate. I also believe that the public would be more alert to the actions and policy in Iraq and that you would see more anti-war protests than you do now. I believe that the public discussion of this issue would be much greater than it is now and there would be a greater sense of urgency in resolving the war.
I don't want to see more soldiers killed and I still do not want my sons drafted. But maybe it's a cost of democracy to keep the people involved and make our leaders aware of who they are working for. I am still not sure of this line of thought but I would be interested in hearing the views of others.
