Dan Minette wrote:
>
...
> > I was considering it too. But my guess is that American
> > politicians know that an actual wartime draft would be political
> > suicide. (And unlike some other countries (e.g. Germany) we don't
> > have it in our culture to accept a peacetime draft. Maybe if
> > unemployment skyrocketed, we would eventually change our minds.)
>
> We had it from the end of WWII to the end of Nam. During 'Nam it wasn't
> peacetime, but before Nam really got going and after Korea, there was no
> big war going on. I think you are right that it wouldn't pass now, but I
> think that's part of an unfortunate development...expecting other people's
> kids to fight wars that we decide are in the national interest.
Dan--
Correct. But I meant "as in Germany". The system is that
every able-bodied young male has to do something. It can either be
around 15 months of military service, (regimentation, no combat,
serious drinking...) or a bit longer of alternative service
(changing bedpans, say). In economic terms, it's a labor tax.
That's a bit different from having a draft in place but not
calling anyone up.
---David
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