AGAINST A PEACETIME DRAFT

The bogging down of the occupation of Iraq, and the need for continued large-scale presence of American troops there, has for the first time since the Vietnam era made the re-imposition of a military draft a real possibility and a matter of serious consideration (Lindorff). The following discussion will argue against the re-imposition of a peacetime draft, with "peacetime" taken to mean in the absence of a Congressional declaration of war. No such declaration of war has been made since World War II, though several wars have been fought. Thus, the argument following is not confined to conditions of full peace, but applies to all but the most severe national emergencies.

There are three fundamental arguments against a draft: philosophical, political, and military. The philosophical argument is that a draft, as compulsory service, is essentially contrary to the American value of personal freedom. We should therefore, at least, confine it only to the most extreme conditions, those of declared war. Undeclared military actions have been frequent enough that they can regarded nearly as a routine component of modern American foreign policy, and compulsory servitude should never be routine.

The political argument against a peacetime draft refers here not to its domestic unpopularity, but to the impact of a draft on American policy. Put simply, the ability to use a draftee army in interventions abroad

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, a draftee army, made up of citizens who did not specifically choose military service, would pose a greater constraint against military adventures than a volunteer army does. In the prewar debate about Iraq (so far as there was one), the prospect of being sent to war, or having a loved one sent to war, did not arise for most Americans. "Someone else," who had volunteered for the job, was expected to do the fighting. The debate might have been more vigorous if the prospect of war had hit closer to home for more Americans. As for the military argument against a draft, the impulse to defer to military commanders is a strong one. However, their arguments apply primarily to elite, front-line fighting forces, for which commanders have always preferred volunteers if sufficient volunteers were available. However, the modern military also has a very large logistical "tail." This has in fact been substantially turned over to private contractors, at a considerable loss of efficiency, and often resulting in needless additional burden upon the fighting forces. It is better to draft truck drivers than to hire what amount to mercenary truck drivers from Halliburton. Argument Revised: The bogging down of the occupation of Iraq, and th

Category: Philosophy - A