Ron Paul, Elitist Pig - How the Chicken-Hawk Argument Stifles Intelligent Debate

Requiring military experience of the POTUS is too limiting and can rule out some good leaders who nonetheless revere our military and, unlike BHO, would value the advice of their generals.

Agree completely. The decision to go to war should be made by civilians, who may or may not have military experience. And hopefully, experience or not, have the sense to leave prosecuting the war to the military.

What I am saying is serving “IN” the military in NOT the same as HANGING AROUND the military with no 1st person stake in it. No one military personnel, enlisted or officer, has quote “personal” experience every single minute aspect of all military branches however, being an active duty member and actually serving under oath does lend to the ability of the person to effectively serve as the commander in chief of the military. That is just plain fact which has been proven time and time again.

Personally I think military experience is a plus, but certainly not a requirement. Hopefully the CIC doesn't expect to prosecute a war himself. I think your suggestion plain fact which has been proven time and time again is specious. Look at the last century. WWI, Wilson, no experience, WWII FDR, no experience, Truman, experience, Korea, Truman and Ike, experience, Vietnam, LBJ and Nixon, experienced, Serbia and Bosnia, Bubba, none, Iraq, Afghanistan, GWB, experienced, BHO, none.

I'd suggest only Ike's experience in the military was significant. And before that, Presidents with significant experience. TR, maybe a bit of a stretch. Grant. Harrison. Jackson, then we're back to Washington. It's never been an issue.

But I remember when they first started doing the draft “lottery”, I was in college and some guys got married so they wouldn’t have to go. Grade point averages also played a part. That was very early on, though, and I think that as the Vietnam war went on, some of the earlier disqualifiers no longer applied.

The rules changed frequently, but the first lottery was in late 69 for 70, the year I graduated college after my evil deferrment. Same college as Gingrich, and, surprise, Paul. I'm 99% that marriage was gone by, then, GPA wasn't an issue. At that time you got your four years. Local draft boards could be political. And as I noted the rules changed. Deferrments were just that, perfectly legal, and used legitimately by lots of folk. Illegitimately by some, Bubba comes to mind, which is worth criticism. But Paul and Gingrich did the same thing.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.