Frequent tours for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have stressed the all-volunteer force and made it worth considering a return to a military draft.
I think it makes sense to certainly consider it,” said Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute.
“The repeated deployments affect not only the troops but their families, who can influence whether a service member decides to stay in the military.” Lute said.
“There’s both a personal dimension of this, where this kind of stress plays out across dinner tables and in living room conversations within these families,” he said. “And ultimately, the health of the all volunteer force is going to rest on those sorts of personal family decisions.”
President Nixon abolished the draft in 1973. Restoring it would be a “major policy shift” and Bush has made it clear that he doesn’t think it’s necessary.
Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., has called for reinstating the draft as a way to end the Iraq war.
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August 11, 2007 at 9:07 pm
the Grit
Hi LC,
Of course, if the Clinton-Gore Administration hadn’t down sized our Military by over a third, our current problem would not exist. Still, Lute is the only member of the Armed Forces I’ve heard this from, and his statement seems more like political tail covering than anything else.
the Grit
August 11, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Lord Crimson
Hi Grit
Clinton-Gore was like placing Spanky and Alfalfa in charge of the country.
When Generals start talking about the draft it usually means they know something more than the politicians are willing to reveal. There could be something in the wind, but I doubt we will find out until after the election.
Lord Crimson
August 13, 2007 at 5:48 pm
the Grit
Hi LC,
I would place a modest bet on the concealed information being a demand by a group of high ranking officers that the size of our Military be expanded in a way that takes some of the pressure off the National Guard. I say this because I would do the same in their place, since the purpose of the Guard is not the role to which they are being put.
the Grit
August 13, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Lord Crimson
Hi Grit
You could very well be right. The Guard is being misused and if foreign “obligations” increase, like they probably will, then a more permanent approach makes sense. Therefore I decline accepting your wager as the odds are extremely high you would win.
LC
August 15, 2007 at 10:40 pm
the Grit
Hi LC,
Remind me not to play poker with you.
the Grit
August 16, 2007 at 11:48 am
Lord Crimson
Hi Grit
Who was it that said, “you gotta know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em?”
LC