<p>Zaph,
You can look at any of our wars (at least since the Civil War) and see initial exhurberance on the part of the population manifested in a lot of yourng men and women “signing up”. You will also see that as the wars turn out not to be “quick” the exhuberance wanes and in EVERY case the country has resorted to a draft. I agree with your point on a 'logical level" but the reality is that a draft is the only way this nation has ever been able to assure sufficient troop strengths to execute the mission. The first gulf war would have been no different had we not rolled over Saddam and substantially left the region so quickly.<br>
A draft also does something quite interesting. When it exists, suddenly the general population really starts paying attention to policy like it never did before.
Good discussion folks.</p>
<p>“United States has conscripted its armed forces for only 35 of its 230+ years — nearly all in the 20th century”</p>
<p>im a little confused by that statement—we conscripted soldiers at least as far back as the Civil War. We didn’t do it at times we weren’t at war, but we have been using it as a means for filling the ranks as needed for the last 144 years (present war excluded)–Civil war, WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam. No draft utilized during Spanish American or First Gulf Wars (those didn’t last long).</p>