Outside the Beltway

Legal Affairs Debate Club – Should the Draft be Brought Back? Pt. 2

James Joyner · Thursday, April 21, 2005 · 2 comments

The second installment of my discussion with Phil Carter is up: Legal Affairs Debate Club – Should the Draft be Brought Back?

I’ve sent the third installment, which will likely appear tomorrow morning.

FILED UNDER: Military Affairs, OTB History, Published Elsewhere, Phil Carter

About James Joyner

James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

Half Sigma says:

Thursday, 21 April 2005 at 22:19

No, the draft should NOT be brought back. People who WANT to be in the army make better soldiers.

Modern military superiority depends on smaller numbers of soldiers with superior armaments. Our military advantage lies in our rich economy which allows us to outfit our military with the best equipment.
LJD says:

Friday, 22 April 2005 at 07:18

Interesting that “mandatory national service” and “army draft” are used interchangeably. Even if there were a full-fledged draft, a small percentage would become combat troops. It takes several troops to field just one combat soldier.

I for one am FOR mandatory national service: to level the playing field, create some equity and interest in our society, and perhaps instill some work ethic and values in our young people. That does not go to say that they should, or would be fighting wars for us.