Very good thinking!

I spent 9 years in WWII, Korean War, and served on submarines against USSR in the North Atlantic. There is nothing like a volunteer cadre in a combat environment.

I bleed for those in Iraq and Afghanistan who are on third and fourth tours after then enlisted prior to Bush II, Not right.

Although I was none too pleased when I was drafted in 1966, our all volunteer military has had a difficult time recruiting qualified prospects during our two current wars. Some form of conscription is called for but your well-intentioned proposal is unrealistic.

Because "bankers, corporate executives, and other extremely wealthy people have very disproportionate influence in our political system," any threat to them would be met with a huge media campaign using some facts plus a lot of lies and distortions to discourage passage of your proposed draft. Unfortunately, lies and distortion are very effective tools in the USA. In many cases they are more effective than facts.

Providing the same levels of pay and benefits to draftees in civilian assignments sound fair but would be very costly. Members of the military receive training, clothing, housing, meals, medical care, and death benefits, and given 30 paid vacation days per year.

Bringing back the draft lottery with peace corps or other options for conscientious objectors might have a slim chance of passage but your proposal would have none.

Draft corporations, not people.

Now that the Court has said they have all the rights of human citizens, how about drafting corporations? If corporations were not allowed to profit from war, peace would probably break out.

Oh sure, let's give the government the right to force people into government service. Get real. The US government is an enforcement tool for the worldwide elites. It has no morals or conscience. It is corrupt top to bottom. Never give the US government the right to control our bodies and our choices. Resist all wars, and work to convince all people not to join the US imperial military.

Are you out of your mind, Neihman? Shilling for some group or something? These INVASIONS were generated by a false flag operation (9/11) that exposed every young man, woman, and civilian who served or worked in either Iraq or Afghanistan to radiation sickness due to the depleted uranium ordnance and ammunition used there; which has unending and devastating effects on friend, foe, and the lands we've invaded alike; all of which has been swept under the nearest rugs for the last two decades. Don't even think about forcing civilians into political fiascoes like these. Shame.

NO DEM or miserepubilkan DRAFT! DADT or DAFT!

...That was supposed to read "GUT the Federal programs..." in the above post.

Excellent observation Anon 23:26 re: 911, false flag, and depleted uranium. It is astonishing to me that TO allows moronic articles like this for publication.

War is not healthy for children and other living things. A draft makes it easier to spread empires, and wars. Killing is the objective of the military; not peace. We should be spending our National funds on peaceful endeavors.

Who is this man believing he can compel his neighbor to service of anyone in the world? That is how we love our neighbor? Would the author please give us his short list of just wars?

Response to "Anonymous" who asked, "How would someone who was undocumented be drafted in the first place?"

Technically, you raise a fair point. And yet: I strongly suspect that if the nation said to its undocumented residents of service age: "We compel you to national service, as we compel other Americans of your age, which may be civilian service if you prefer; and after you complete your service you will have documents," compliance with the call would be rather high.

To Anonymous, who said: "I'll never consent to forced state service."

When you pay any tax - income tax, sales tax - you are serving the state. If you work for wages or a salary, as most Americans do, then the state, in taxing you, is appropriating your labor time, in the amount equal to the time you had to work to pay the tax. The only difference with mandatory national service is that the state appropriates your time directly rather than indirectly.

However, my proposal, in order be successful, does not require 100% compliance. In fact, it would work better with 98% compliance, which I think would be more likely. A person who resents on principle being compelled to serve society is not someone you want in a slot serving society anyway. Most people would not resent being compelled to serve society, if the service was obviously socially useful and the service was reasonably compensated. Under current law, people are compelled to jury duty; not everyone complies; juries happen anyway.

democracy works by "exploitation" which is targeting and harming the people for THEIR own personal profit and personal gain. It is a CRIME.
Kelptocracy is use of gov position for own personal gain. It is RULE BY THIEVES.
Democracy LITERALLY means fabricating fiction; setting the truth to the side and presenting a different idea instead (diaries from 1850's); enforced by thugs; and corrupt judges even then who made wanted men of those opposing it.
USA: land of the deceived. War is so profitable to them that they are currently forcing people from other nations to fight in countries not even theirs just so their "system" which is so profitable to them at the harm of the people that they want to force THIS on all people.
Bankers
politicians
media
Corporations of course (same in every nation)
Military (top and Pentagon)
who BTW, pocketed the $195m meant for the reconstruction of Iraq; the PEOPLE there will never get anything. BUT; they WILL be told that they are "free".
Wake up Americans!

Thanks Mr Naiman for a refreshing new outlook, humorous and provoking some of the funniest comments I have read in a long time. I'm still laughing, out loud yet.

It was the universal draft that led the public to mobilize to oppose the Vietnam War. If there were a universal draft, we would have pulled out of Afghanistan and Iraq long ago. That’s exactly why the military doesn’t want it, and that’s why we should demand it.

The American public will always back war they perceive as “just.” Of course military propaganda will always frame their wars as “just.” But nothing would bring a dose of hard cold reality to this lie faster than making every family’s sons and daughters subject to induction. What’s going on now are wars of choice, wars of aggression, and therefore they have remained undeclared. They are ruining this country.

Instead of a declaration of war, which would not fly, instead of a universal draft, which would bring armies of citizens to the street, the military has settled on using a small pool of soldiers, mostly poor and disadvantaged. They are recycled over and over and over, until they are maimed or ruined mentally or emotionally. In WWII, it was known that soldiers could serve under combat situations for only a limited amount of time before they would suffer severe mental and emotional damage. These poor GIs today are exposed to battlefield conditions for years. Many of them come home broken. No wonder the suicide rate is so high.

This “compromise” seems to me simply a way of assuaging the liberal conscience-- at the cost of driving another nail into the coffin of democracy in the US. Require years of mandatory national service because our national policy is now one of never-ending international thuggery?
I feel there is something shameful about this proposal.

Great article, best of National Service plans I have seen. I was a drafted in 1968, and then enlisted for reasons that had nothing to do with a war I didn't support. Sorry to all the folks who think war is a complete waste. But wars are here to stay. Learn history. Be real. We can't get along with our next door neighbor and you think world peace is going to breakout. You might as well believe in Santa Claus. These wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would have been all over if we didn't have a 'professional army.' Soon we'll outsource our armed forces to private contractors, and then the Blackwater/ Xe CEO's will run everything including the destruction of the United States for their own insane greed. A national service requirement without exceptions would help turn the corner on the death spiral we are now caught up in. If you don't like it, go to a federal penitentiary. Either that or help your fellow man. Maybe that will get us out of narrow, segregated socio-economic classes, that just make things work. Life isn't fair or free.

You have some good ideas here; but lets be honest. "Rich-people" have ALWAYS been able to 'find' a "way-out" of the Military. And IF...they do go in, they are babied and made into "hero's" or at least, "made to look-like" heros. Like Bush on that "Mission accomplished" CRAP. So what if he can land a jet on a carrier? THOUSANDS of pilots can do that! I bet he can't smoke the tire off the rim, or turn a 8-second ET on a Harley Davidson. Both of which, can get you killed. A "hero" is someone who willingly RISK HIS LIFE for others. When did G.W.Bush EVER do that? A TRUE Hero isn't "trained." he just IS......Whatever the "case" may be. There are different "kinds" of Heros, and landing a plane on a carrier, is no more "Heroic" than Tiger Woods, doing what he does best. No more than me, riding at 160mph on 2 wheels. By the way, whatever happened to "mission accomplished?" We are STILL there, and it looks like, DC has no plans of us EVER leaving. So if Mr. Bush, or President Obama, want to be a REAL Hero, END-THE-WAR. THAT, in and of itself, will make a true-hero out of ANYONE who does it. Peace to you all.........

With a draft in place, the American people would not have allowed this these wars to continue as they have. I don't think we would have invaded Iraq if we had an army representative of our entire nation.

I would do any thing to become a US citizen. I've been wanting to join the Navy and go to college but due to my legal status this is hard. There are many like me , we've could have choosen the wrong path and have been a problem to socity.

While I support Mr. Naiman's notion of mandatory national service, the ensuing discussion makes it clear most of us are still laboring under the Nixon Big Lie that the draft was ended for humanitarian reasons.

But that is not what happened; Nixon's motive was not humanitarian but tyrannical.

The Ruling Class had become alarmed by the huge revolutionary potential of providing military discipline and training to a soon-to-be-oppressed population -- e.g., the lessons of Russia, China, our own revolution c. 1776 -- and merely responded accordingly.

This is the real reason the draft will never be resumed.

Moreover the denial of such training and discipline -- particularly the discipline of functioning within a context of group solidarity -- is one of the four factors that make change impossible (for which see my blog, Outside Agitator's Notebook, "The Stolen Prerequisites of Liberation: Why Change Is Impossible," at lorenbliss.typepad.com, 24 June 2010).

If there were a real draft, maybe people would actually pay attention again and elect legislators who would 1) actually insist on declaring war before funding one, and 2) impeach a president who ignored Congress's role in declaring war.

The problem is we are in a series of UNDECLARED wars that are largely supported by mercenaries or people who are in the service for a job, not because they believe in this fight--whatever and whoever we are actually fighting.

What Naiman suggests allows the expansion of this practice. There is no accountability for the wars, and it permits the citizenry to look the other way wars we don't care to fight are a convenient solution to the underclass and immigrant populations.

If these wars are so important, draft everyone--and see how soon people take to the streets. THAT's why Congress won't do it. But it's exactly why it should.

if the draft were for AMERICANS, the pool would certainly be large. Apparently, WAR is the experience of many People and that is what should be changed. War doesn,t reduce population adequately.

In a society as large as the US, there will always be dissenting opinions on just about every issue. This doesn't mean we do nothing.

In this case, while I understand the general opposition to the wars, and the objection therefore to supporting them in any way, that same mentality must be seen across the board. For instance, I was flat out opposed to the bailouts - still am convinced they did nothing but line the pocket of those at the top and drive us horrifically deeper in debt. Nevertheless, I must bear my portion of the cost against my will. It is the price one pays for living "in community."

For years, I have supported the notion of a draft similar to that used (at least in the 80's) in Germany where, upon graduation, one served either in the military or the police force. I believe the options that Secretary Gates has put forth are fair and just. A small price to pay for living in America - and one way to reduce joblessness across the country and help to stabilize the economy! I'm all for it!

My husband is a retired Air Force NCO.

He & I have talked about a universal draft for years; but only if it includes ALL the ABLE- BODIED. No one would be forced to serve in the military against his/her will. Any alien, documented or not would receive full citizenship at the end of their term of service.

There are other countries that require their citizens to do this.

All those born and raised in the US would need to register for this draft. The draft would be by lottery regardless of age or economic status. Those that choose not to join the military could be put to work providing services in line with his/her abilities/education. E.g. A drafted banker could be sent to serve, somehow, the poverty stricken with their finances.

Perhaps the service could also encompass the peace corps, various job training programs, and the like.

Lot of details would need to be worked out, however, deferments would be few & difficult to obtain. E.g. those in medical school or medical interns... but only until their internships were over.

This idea is worth a serious discussion.

PS: This is not my finest logic or writing, as I have lost some of those finer points to illness.

As the parent of a teenager whose well regarded public high school just had military recruiters at tables during lunchtime, having the children do chin ups for stars, I must strongly object to any such ideas, on the grounds of when reality is starring you in the face.

continued

continued

Or their balls blown off by a mine.

I will never support armed subscription given what the meaning and might of the military industrial complex has come about to be -- there is NO honor in these conflicts the Bush/Cheney administration got us embroiled in, through Iraq or Afghanistan. It is just about money for the oil companies.

Writer, Sir, go volunteer your own daughter. Maybe she can come back without a breast or an arm, and you can go trump for the industry now developing more sophisticated artificial limbs for the masses of willing cannon fodder they're going to need in their future hell hole.

What if they gave a war and nobody came?

Conscript people in writing poetry. Have children earn stars for pull-ups at lunchtime performed for poets sitting at recruitment tables.

AT THE END
By Gunter Grass

Men, who, as the saying goes,
think a thing to the end,
have always thought a thing to the end;
men who whom not aims-possibly possible ones-
but the final aim-a worry-free society-
sets up the winning post behind mass graves;

I'm really surprised at how many of the commenters don't get that providing alternative service would end the wars. How many would choose to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan if they were given the option of service to better their own country?

I take Mr. Naiman's proposal as, indeed, a "thought experiment". I don't believe he thinks it is possible, but he is presenting it to make us think. Too bad the above commenters who interpret what he says as some kind of war-wongering didn't read the article very carefully and think about it!

Get the hell out of Iraq and Afghanistan. And then come back and talk about poor latino kids getting a grand piece of paper called "citizenship" in glorious excchange for body parts or lives.

Yeah, some "Dream."

Who are you really selling for, 20:10? And of course, while Mickey Weinstein is great on what's going on "in" the military culture, he's still working FOR the military culture, isn't he? And it's larger "mission'!

Truthout is simply a more sophisticated vehicle to reach other audiences for the administration. While they continue their policy of endless war for oil. These spinmeisters like Naiman were doing overtime, as well, for getting Obama into the presidency. So they could on , but in Afghanistan, instead; their in-fighting among each other over *how* to conquer the world. They're all war mongers, though.

Good proposal, but one caveat. What if almost everyone opts for National Service instead of the Military? Though in times of true national emergency, like World War 2, that would be unlikely to happen, and it would make controversial wars, like Afghanistan and Vietnam, less likely.

The MIC doesn't want to get out Afghanistan, but they have a little problem .. where and how are they going to keep getting their cannon fodder? How long can they keep deploying the same people again and again? The ones who signed up while their schools didn't tell them the truth about these contracts, or what they'd really have to do once they were there.

The answer to this problem is not more cannon fodder, but GETTING OUT.

Oh, Anonym0us on 10/17 at 5:35 - What a wonderful idea! Then we could retool the military into a REAL defense force in half the time! By that I mean, 100 years instead of 200 years . . .

Please, all, consider how war is fought today: the fighting force - more and more the force treated better - is made up of "Contractors", mercenaries, Blackwater . . . it would be completely admirable to pull our troops back home and remake the military. What about so many CEOs having taken over at the multi-national level? I think Blackwater are totally un-American, but the world will not think so. Everyone else will hold them as an American force, an American problem. Nobody wants to regulate the g*dd*mned CEOs of course.