Military Draft/National Service
Should we reinstate the draft? if So, how would that work and who would be exempt? In lieu of military service, should there be a mandatory national service requirement? Who, if anyone, should be exempt?
Radical: Ashwin
Reinstating the draft would be one of the worst ideas our country could make. For over three decades, volunteers have filled the ranks of the U.S. military, and this all-volunteer force has served the nation well. The arguments in favor of a draft are not well grounded logically, empirically, or even philosophically. The persistent and widespread myth that poor, less-educated minorities are overrepresented in the enlisted ranks is simply untrue. In fact, the current findings show that the demographic characteristics of volunteers have continued to show signs of higher, not lower, quality.
Furthermore, people try to emphasize a value of “volunteerism” in the form of National Service. But they don’t see that it’s voluntary nature automatically lose its meaning when a National Service is required for all citizens. Would you still call it voluntary when a mentally challenged person finds it hard to serve, but is forced to clean the beach? Of course not. What about you guys, high school students, who would be forced to tutoring pupils? Will you be happy when you have enough work from school but still need to teach others? Of course not. On the other hand, if the country is mandating a National Service for everybody and allow certain people to not serve, for example, the handicapped who don't want to participate as much as others, or some of the high school students who skip tutoring just like they skip classes. Would everybody feel that they were treated fairly if others don't serve completely? Wouldn't it make people even more resentful? The draft and the idea of national service are very bad ideas.
Liberal: Sid
America is a nation founded upon the value of civic duty. A democracy requires that its participants take an active role in the government in public life; however, a democracy is also founded upon the principal of choice- thus, the liberal platform does not endorse the military draft.
The military draft would undermine military readiness and expose socioeconomic differences that would tear apart society. The American military is a world-renowned force; instilling civilians into the military would dilute the quality of the military and cause a tremendous increase in military deaths. Additionally, with the war in Iraq winding down, there is simply no need for a draft.
To foster civic involvement, the government should expand programs such as the Peace Corps and other national services outside of the military. This will give Americans the chance to serve their country in non-military ways.
The liberal platform supports the renewal of bills similar to the GI bill to fund the education of soldiers and volunteers in other national services and stresses the importance of civic participation.
Conservative: Viraj
Patriotism is important to America as a nation but does not justify forcing someone to sacrifice their life in battle. Our country is known around the world for its democratic ideals and for offering the freedom to choose our way of life, and a military draft infringes upon that ideal.
Reinstating the military draft would only increase the quantity of the military, but not its quality, which is imperative in constructing a capable army. The stressful environment of combat and the advanced technology and in-depth training that soldiers have to undergo demand specialized skills and a motivation to serve their country. Unity and a shared sense of purpose in the military are far more important than amassing a large, disarrayed group of conscripts. An army of volunteers means a decreased number of casualties because people motivated to engage in combat are more likely to do well.
In a time of war, patriotism and unity in a nation is crucial. Empirically, however, the Vietnam draft is probably the most-protested and well-known in the history of the United States, largely as a result of the draft. It fostered anti-war sentiment within our country, which harmed the way that our country was perceived. During Vietnam, potential draftees were burning their draft cards or becoming expatriates, embarrassing America for forcing its people to fight.
In addition to public disapproval, wars in Korea and Vietnam when our country instituted the draft were described as “tragically wasteful” by Robert Scales, a retired general and former commandant of the Army War College, because the war was primarily fought with drafted soldiers. Unnecessary lives were lost due to the young and inexperienced army of teenagers that were drafted and committed to combat within a year of enlistment.
Furthermore, the military draft is unfair, as rich families have historically bought their sons out of war in the past by purchasing fake medical records, for instance. With fostering the anti-war sentiment, decreasing the quality of the military, and going against our fundamental American ideals of democracy, the military draft is not fairly administered.
America has the finest, most powerful military on earth because our soldiers freely choose to serve. We should keep it that way.
Ultra-Con: Petie
As the Ultra-Conservative candidate, I believe that a national draft imposes on the individual liberties that are endowed to us by God, and the constitution of the U.S. Statistics from wars past show that drafted soldiers are more likely to die in combat. If the person does not want to be in a war and are forced to go, they aren’t likely to return. Furthermore, conscription lowers morale for all those involved. Wholesome American families, who would normally support their country, started to turn against the country during the Vietnam War as families were torn apart.
Conscription is also a faulty form of mandatory service, because the rich can find ways to evade the draft. "Connected" people have always found ways to break these laws, often taking advantage of good American citizens in the process. Some people will even go as far as to pay another person to go to battle in their stead. The draft can also be abused by corrupt government officials to push the agenda of certain unholy organizations. The main point is, the draft is abhorred by my party, and by many Americans who enjoy the freedoms with which we live.
I believe that military service should be voluntary. However, I think military programs should be more readily available in schools, such as the R.O.T.C. program, which stands for the Reserved Officer training Corps. Students who are more exposed to the military will be more apt to join, and have a strong urge to protect their country.