Because that is what i get from everyone. I dont think a draft is a bad thing. I think that the armed services are an adequate way for people to show their appreciation for living in a certain country. I wouldnt mind being drafted. I would have to get contacts first. Or laser surgery.

You can always move if you want.

i think that every citizen who meets the qualifications to serve should be prepared to do as such, but they should be even more capable of determining whether or not combat is absolutely necessary.

Originally posted by killed radio star
i think that every citizen who meets the qualifications to serve should be prepared to do as such, but they should be even more capable of determining whether or not combat is absolutely necessary. So in other words, no.

I think a 2 yr mandatory millitary term for everyone isn't such a bad idea.

Originally posted by Nimrod

I think a 2 yr mandatory millitary term for everyone isn't such a bad idea.

but do you think fascism is a bad idea?

<font color=#007AAA face="courier new">I think it's a great idea. We'll have marches on the capitol, the Weathermen would be re-established. Perhaps there will even be an assassination or two.</font>

Originally posted by Nimrod
So in other words, no.

I think a 2 yr mandatory millitary term for everyone isn't such a bad idea.

<font color=#007AAA face="courier new">I don't see you volunteering papo.</font>

Originally posted by Nimrod
So in other words, no.

I think a 2 yr mandatory millitary term for everyone isn't such a bad idea.


Some people are not fit to serve in the military, mentally physically or spiritually.

Originally posted by I_was_aborted



Some people are not fit to serve in the military, mentally physically or spiritually.

I had this same debate with an ex-Army guy at work, and that's what I said to him. It could be beneficial to many people, but it could do irreparable damage to others.

When people support drafts, they tend to focus on the aspect of serving your country, protecting the liberties you enjoy, giving something back. The important question is, would you actually be doing those things if you were drafted? Just because the current leaders of your country are sending you to a warzone, does this mean it's in line with everything you hope it stands for? With all the opposition to this war, not only the idea but the way it has been and continues to be handled, it's no suprise that people are against playing an active part supporting it.

So if the government tells you to jump off a cliff, does that make it a patriotic thing to do?

Originally posted by I_was_aborted



Some people are not fit to serve in the military, mentally physically or spiritually. So, so true. Most people I know fit this category.

Originally posted by DeviousJ
So if the government tells you to jump off a cliff, does that make it a patriotic thing to do?

<font color=#007AAA face="courier new">I think the obvious answer is YES!</font>

Originally posted by Mr. Rhinoceros


<font color=#007AAA face="courier new">I don't see you volunteering papo.</font> If everyone had to do it, I certainly would.

Originally posted by Nimrod's Son
If everyone had to do it, I certainly would.
<font color=#007AAA face="courier new">Your logic is irrefutable.</font>

Originally posted by DeviousJ


I had this same debate with an ex-Army guy at work, and that's what I said to him. It could be beneficial to many people, but it could do irreparable damage to others.

When people support drafts, they tend to focus on the aspect of serving your country, protecting the liberties you enjoy, giving something back. The important question is, would you actually be doing those things if you were drafted? Just because the current leaders of your country are sending you to a warzone, does this mean it's in line with everything you hope it stands for? With all the opposition to this war, not only the idea but the way it has been and continues to be handled, it's no suprise that people are against playing an active part supporting it.

So if the government tells you to jump off a cliff, does that make it a patriotic thing to do?

I completely understand about being agaisnt the war. I am not for it either, but i just think that, as a citizen of any country should have the loyalty to go into the service.

I guess taxes are enough support of the government, but i just think the idea of mandatory service isnt a bad one.

To call our military 'defense' is a total joke. The only thing that they're defending are the financial interests of transnational corporations. Slapping a flag on it and calling it patriotic doesn't mask the fact that we're sending people to bomb other countries and shoot foreign civilians for the sake of padding a CEO's salary.

Fuck the draft.

Originally posted by I_was_aborted



Some people are not fit to serve in the military, mentally physically or spiritually.

looks like captain america is shying away! cmon, you get to kill arabs.

i would be more for a draft IF IT WAS ACTUALLY A CAUSE WORTH DYING AND KILLING FOR!!

that said, is a draft EVER a good idea?? you're FORCING somebody to kill and be killed. that's pretty wrong, don't you think? if you force someone to go to another country and die, how is that any different from murder?

if people really believed in what the army was doing now (world war II for example), the people of this country would fucking volunteer to fight for a just cause.

Originally posted by I_was_aborted



Some people are not fit to serve in the military, mentally physically or spiritually. As I was on a high school, there was one school-mate who was really looking forward to the time spent in the army. You know till this year, in my country every male capable of serving in army had to serve for one year (it used to be 2 years). So as soon as you're 18, the doctor examines you and says if you can do it or no. So most of us got drafted, and this schoolmate, who was the only one really into the army stuff, he failed because of being alergic to some stuff. He was so pissed off.

I pretty much agree with what killed radio star has said. Also, the army isn't only about fighting, or is it? Here everybody was dissing army, but as soon as the floods hit us in a couple of last years, the army was the only one able to organize all rescue operations and such.
So I don't agree that serving in military does have to be necessarily a bad thing.

Originally posted by Nimrod
So in other words, no.

I think a 2 yr mandatory millitary term for everyone isn't such a bad idea.

This from the nut who criticized me for being an anti(Iraq)-war veteran.

It should be voluntary. You should get what you pay for.

<img src="http://images.ucomics.com/comics/trall/2004/trall040503.gif">

Israel has this policy. Has it helped them?

Not so much.

Originally posted by sppunk
Israel has this policy. Has it helped them?

Not so much.

They need to have manditory service in Isreal, if they didn't they would have nobody to operate their U.S. planes and tanks and would get over run by all their neighbours.

Originally posted by RopeyLopey
As I was on a high school, there was one school-mate who was really looking forward to the time spent in the army. You know till this year, in my country every male capable of serving in army had to serve for one year (it used to be 2 years). So as soon as you're 18, the doctor examines you and says if you can do it or no. So most of us got drafted, and this schoolmate, who was the only one really into the army stuff, he failed because of being alergic to some stuff. He was so pissed off.

I pretty much agree with what killed radio star has said. Also, the army isn't only about fighting, or is it? Here everybody was dissing army, but as soon as the floods hit us in a couple of last years, the army was the only one able to organize all rescue operations and such.
So I don't agree that serving in military does have to be necessarily a bad thing.

So did you serve, or did they basically say 'you're fit to serve, so you will do in the future'?

That last point is an interesting one, but I think this thread's really about conscription to make up the numbers for ongoing military operations, rather than a standard period of service. As such it tends to serve a specific political agenda, and isn't necessarily just about serving your country in general. One way to see the difference is to compare the war in Iraq to WW2 (as tweedyburd tried to do in another thread) - I bet you'd find that many people who would be opposed to serving in Iraq would not have opposed serving in WW2, because of the cause itself.

Welcome to the EU by the way :)

Originally posted by sppunk
Israel has this policy. Has it helped them?

Not so much.

Just as an aside, did you know Benjamin Netanyahu's nephew is a conscientious objector? Well not technically - he's been court-martialled for refusing to serve and they wouldn't grant him this status, so he's facing a 3-year sentence (I think they try to make him serve again after that period - he's already been locked up for a bunch of consecutive sentences after refusing to serve at the end of each)

I honestly don't think it would be that bad. I wouldn't mind it serving if my number came up...of course I'm saying this from the safety of my home. Requiring everyone to serve two years might be different, but even then I'm not totally against it. Lots of other countries do it and it doesn't seem to have any averse (word choice?) effects on the general population....

Originally posted by Andrew_Pakula


They need to have manditory service in Isreal, if they didn't they would have nobody to operate their U.S. planes and tanks and would get over run by all their neighbours.

Even with their policy, they can't beat a country that has no real military. It's all so surreal.

Originally posted by Junebug
Lots of other countries do it and it doesn't seem to have any averse (word choice?) effects on the general population....

Yes, well, since WWII, lots of those countries haven't gone to war at all.

Originally posted by DeviousJ


So did you serve, or did they basically say 'you're fit to serve, so you will do in the future'?

That last point is an interesting one, but I think this thread's really about conscription to make up the numbers for ongoing military operations, rather than a standard period of service. As such it tends to serve a specific political agenda, and isn't necessarily just about serving your country in general. One way to see the difference is to compare the war in Iraq to WW2 (as tweedyburd tried to do in another thread) - I bet you'd find that many people who would be opposed to serving in Iraq would not have opposed serving in WW2, because of the cause itself.

Welcome to the EU by the way :) No, I didn't. They examine you when you're 18, and as soon as you finish your high school, you gotta go. Only in case you were heading for university, you were allowed to serve at first after you receive your degree.
Also, as they saw I am going to the university, my training would have been different - I'd be trained to the position of officer and higher.
But this year our army went professional, so I don't have to serve anymore. Otherwise they would call me in October.

I see and understand the difference. I just want to point out army doesn't necessarily equal war and only war. I guess draft doesn't apply here automatic service in the real fight, or does it? You know Nimrod said : "I think a 2 yr mandatory millitary term for everyone isn't such a bad idea." - so I thought you all understand it this way as well. Or did Nimrod think serving for 2 years in the WAR isn't a bad idea? I don't think so.

I think the point of that article was that military just want to know what they have in store - pretty much the same thing our army was doing since like WWII.

Eh, thanks for the welcome. People around here are a bit skeptical about the whole thing, so let's see in like one year ;)

if i thought the ideals of the united states were worth fighting for.... maybe

if the armed forces (especially the army) had any dignity left in them... maybe

if new recruits were subject to the brainwashing they are to completely fall devoted to every word of their government... maybe

i hope there is a draft initiated, maybe it would help some people get off their lazy ass and question why the government would need more people to fight in an OFFENSIVE war, and just say no!