Gallup: Those Opposed to Military Draft Hit Record High

editor and publisher ^ | June 24 05 | Editor and Publisher

[churchillbuff]

With military recruitment shortfalls reaching a near-crisis, a new Gallup poll suggests further troubles, as far fewer American adults express support for their children enlisting. Gallup also has found that Americans opposed the return of the military draft by overwhleming numbers, with 85% against it, the highest level ever.

In what it calls a “significant decline,” Gallup found that by a bare majority, of 51% to 48%, parents would support a decision by one of their children to join the military. This is down from 66% positive to 29% negative in 1999.

Surprisngly, there is only slight difference among parents who have served in the military and those who have not. Just 56% of the veterans would support a decision to join the milltairy

Many back the idea of some sort of mandatory military training leading to joining the reserves after a kid reaches the age of 18. Some 35% back this notion, but this is still barely half the number in 1955.

[Nachum]

LOL.

Gee what a surprise. Young men don't want to be drafted.

[churchillbuff]

No way will my kids go to Iraq. If we had found WMDs, I'd encourage my kids to sign up, in the name of defending the US. But this invasion of a stone-age country with no army navy or air force was unnecessary, not required for the national security of the United States.

[flashbunny]

what a surprise. Churchillbluff posted this article...

[Seydlitz]

Anyone with any sense is opposed to a draft. The mass conscript army was a mere historical aberration (1789-1945) within the overall context of military history. War is for professionals.

[Doohickey]

Making up news again, huh?

[Rodney King]

But this invasion of a stone-age country with no army navy or air force

LOL. You're funny.

[churchillbuff]

But this invasion of a stone-age country with no army navy or air force LOL. You're funny.""

No, I'm accurate. Iraq didn't have an air force or navy, and had a fifth world army. If you say different, you're "funny" in the "funny farm" sense of the word.

[Seydlitz]

A new screen name is needed: chamberlainbuff.

[avg_freeper]

I bet they're also opposed to unicorns and leprechauns.

[Rodney King]

No, I'm accurate. Iraq didn't have an air force or navy, and had a fifth world army. If you say different, you're "funny" in the "funny farm" sense of the word.

What is an example of a 3rd or 4th world army, in comparison to Iraq?

[roses of sharon]

Don't be so hard on him, history begins when he wakes up in the morning.

Saddam and Sons were "contained" indefinitely, just a couple of "bad" guys.

[Dutch Boy]

The only people that are even talking about the draft are the antiwar libs. The draft is a tool the left uses to force unwilling into a dangerous place. The only reason for this is to cause us to lose the war. Rumsfeld put it as plain as anyone. Paraphrasing... 'Why would you fill a military organization with people that didn't want to be their?'

The left will stop at nothing to lose the war solely to make Bush and the GOP look bad. Analyze what the left says and it really doesn't matter who. Watch what the say and what they do. I am embarrassed to see the likes of Ted Kennedy, Dean, Schumer, Kerry, Reid, Pelosi, and a host of others in power. In my mind they are harming the nation worse than any foreign power or terrorist group can. They and those like them will cause this country's demise by rotting it from the inside. I saw Kennedy on the news last night and I nearly threw my TV. The sanctimonious filth that Kennedy spews makes me want to vomit. If you can't tell I'm very pi$$ed at the hearings yesterday.

[macamadamia]

"But this invasion of a stone-age country with no army navy or air force was unnecessary, not required for the national security of the United States."




You're talking about Afghanistan right?

[MNnice]

No one expects lefties and other testosterone-challenged people to serve in the military during war-time, but if a right-winger doesn't believe in taking up arms to defend the nation and rationalizes his cowardice away by claiming he doesn't agree with the policy, then he should just shut up and sit down and quit embarrasing those of us on the right who did serve.  An American soldier doesn't get to pick and choose his war.

 

I was amused when Rock the Vote, MTV and other leftist organizations started a rumor during the last presidential campaign that Bush and the Republicans were going to bring back the draft.  Nothing could have been further from the truth.  If these people knew anything about conservative ideology they'd know that the vast majority of conservatives oppose the draft for several reasons. 

 

1)  Conscription is a left-wing idea.  They're the ones who believe this nation is one giant collective.  Notice all their legislation is mandatory.  The Medicare drug benefit was opposed by the democrats because it didn't cover everybody, whether they needed it or not.  Bill Gates doesn't need a government health plan.  Hell, I don't need a government health plan.  Means testing Social Security or opting out of the program altogether is embraced by the right, but opposed by the left because it would no longer be a mandatory collectivist scheme.  We oppose regulation and government mandates of any kind.  Conservatives and libertarians believe in voluntarism.  You'll notice that all our legislation is voluntary.  Social security personal savings accounts?  Voluntary.  Medicare drug benefit?  Voluntary.  Toll lanes?  Voluntary.  School vouchers?  Voluntary.  Military service?  Voluntary.

 

2)  Conservatives believe the military should be populated with warriors, not people motivated by benefits or who are simply looking for a job.  We believe that the role of the military is to kill people and to destroy things.  People who can't accept that role shouldn't be in the military whether by choice or by conscription.  I don't know what the left believes the role of the military is other than I suppose to provide three hots and a cot while the "soldier" is waiting for his education benefits to kick in.  I gave up a full college scholarship to enlist.  Pat Tillman gave up millions to enlist.  The pacifists on the left said we were nuts.  My people were warriors.  It was my turn.  That's the only rationale I needed.  The military draft legislation proposed by the democrats in congress isn't designed to make the military stronger or better, but "fairer."  By conscripting everyone, they claim, the sacrifice of war will be spread evenly across the population.  Well screw that.  I don't care if the military is "fair."  Not everyone was born with the warrior gene.  I want it filled with willing warriors who are there to fight and die if necessary.

 

I'm glad that the enlistment numbers are falling short of expectations.  It tells me that the people who are enlisting are highly motivated and the nancy-boys that are being talked out of it by their mommas are not the ones we want anyway.

[neutrality]

I believe this was a non-sponsored gallup poll so not really. Expected and not very interesting results though.

[kabar]

No way will my kids go to Iraq. If we had found WMDs, I'd encourage my kids to sign up, in the name of defending the US. But this invasion of a stone-age country with no army navy or air force was unnecessary, not required for the national security of the United States.

Will your kids go to Afghanistan? Or do you think that "was unnecessary, not required for the national security of the United States?"

We went into Iraq as part of the Bush Doctrine. Iraq has been on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism for decades. After 9/11 we couldn't allow Saddam to survive given his association with terrorists (including AQ), his development and actual use of WMD, and his irrational behavior including invading two of his neighbors.

We couldn't fight the WOT with Saddam still in power. He would provide AQ with a safehaven and use AQ as surrogates (including arming them with WMD) in his secret war against the US. He did in fact try to assassinate Bush 41 in Kuwait and there is an Iraqi connection with WTC I. WMD was a very real consideration.

The US had been bombing Iraq almost daily for a decade enforcing the Northern and Southern no-fly zones. It was costing us billions of dollars maintaining them as well as putting our pilots at risk. If Saddam had not been removed, we would still be enforcing no fly zones and the Oil for Food program would be providing Saddam with billions of dollars to spend on WMD and the support of terrorists, e.g., the $25,000 family allowance for suicide bombers.

You are fortunate you can choose your wars now that we have a volunteer force. If you don't understand that we are engaged in a WOT and that the frontlines of that war are now in Iraq, you are living in a fantasy world.

[nicko]

who did you serve with, MNnice?

[sean327]

I guess your private intel agency knew more than the CIA, the Brits, the French, Germans, and the frikin Russians.
You should sart sharing your intel with the Govt. so we can get it right next time!

There may not be WMD in Iraq but the terrorist sure as hell are there, and I think it's a good thing that this war is being fought in "their stadium", because this is one time where being the home team is not a good thing.

[ThreeTracks]

No, I'm accurate. Iraq didn't have an air force or navy, and had a fifth world army. If you say different, you're "funny" in the "funny farm" sense of the word

Actually, they outnumbered us in terms of infantry, armored vehicles, and artillery.

Their tanks and infantry weren't up to our standards, although they were obviously still dangerous, but their arty tubes were decent South African ones, at least as good as our own.

Our dominance of the air, our superior coordination of effort, our faster operating tempo, and our ability to strike all over the country simultaneously, were what gave us such a quick victory over the Iraqi military, that and the fighting spirit of our individual soldiers and Marines.

Don't think that because we won quickly and with minimal loss of life that victory was pre-ordained. It could easily have been a lot worse.

Still think it's funny?

- ThreeTracks