Reinstating the Draft

To whom it may concern,

At the height of the Iraq War, there was a movement to reinstate the draft for the armed services. This measure was being discussed for several reasons. At the height of the Iraqi insurgency, recruitment was at an all time low. And as a means to deter current and future military action, a mandatory draft would directly link the public to such decisions. For many of those who initially protested the war, it was a very cerebral exercise in futility. For those who were in the armed services, it was their duty, responsibility, and job. For the families of the servicemen, it was a day they had been preparing for. The US high command had learned their lesson well from Vietnam. Now we are engaged in a prolonged war on terrorism with literally no end in sight. A mandatory draft would create an very tenuous balance between approval and protest. It would engage the public and promote good citizenship. It would actively promote participation in our democracy. Without it, the wars we fight would be solely determined by our leaders, our generals, and the military industrial complex. Without a volunteer military, a prolonged war would be virtually impossible. We would be forced to do what was never done prior to this war on terrorism; We would have to develop alternatives like economic sanctions, political and diplomatic pressure, multi-lateral engagement, and the strengthening our defenses at home. 9/11 did not happen because the terrorists are particularly smart, but because we were embarrassingly stupid and without foresight. Will the draft ever be reinstated in the United States?

GUNNAR HAND, AICP