Rep. Rangel Will Seek to Reinstate Draft

[aktarian]

Need and political acceptance are two different issues.

I know. I was asking under what circumstances (or events) would US public support the draft because they would think it's necessary. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

The military's need is for increased manpower in the Army and Marines generally and in critical, highly trained, specialties where there are shortages. Say, for example, certain language skills. Most people across the political spectrum, though not all, agree that such a need exists.

Filling that need is a question of costs or trade-offs. The draft would entail real costs, not simply provide a ready supply of less expensive manpower so Congress should look at possibly a combination of options, including outside the box ideas, instead of eliminating anything a priori. It may very well be that a new draft isn't the best way to go in terms of utility and I think public support would be lacking right now.

OK. Do you think it's feasible that a combination of draft/volunteer armed forces would come along? Certain slots are filled by long term professionals (pilots, Marines, airborne....) and others by conscripts who serve outside US only if they volunteer to do so?

also now Arab/Farsi/.... speakers have to be persuaded to join, with draft they would get in armed forces anyway and it would be only a matter of persuading them to stay in. Might be easier.

Speaking of which, what would make the public " see" the need? Frankly, a military disaster on par with a second 9/11 and nothing less.

OK, that was my original question. Thanks.

Bush could have had the Army and Marines expanded in the wake of 9/11 by issuing a call for volunteers. Congress would have given him a draft, had he asked or nearly anything else at that particular moment in time. Public political support hinges on mass emotional reactions to conflict at the moral level, not statistical or factual arguments. Factually, the U.S. needed a large military build-up prior to Pearl Harbor but FDR, as Tom pointed out, could only muster support for a barebones effort by a single vote in Congress. On Dec. 8, FDR could ask for, and get, the moon.

But do you think it would last a long term? Assuming there is a draft and Iraq is invaded in march 03 anyway do you think that people (troops, families....) would say "Hey, we agreed to draft to fight terrorism but Iraq is something else"?