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if they every do bring back a draft, they should make it so if you oppose the war, you don't have to leave the country...then when everyone suddenly seems to oppose the war (what a coincidence that'll be), it will hopefully finally end....for those who do not wish to fight or leave, there could be plenty of other ways to serve in the homeland....being 18 myself and hearing talk of this stuff honestly scares me because it seems that you can't take this president for his word any longer....the way we are trying to get every middle eastern country to act like we do leads me to believe that it may return eventually, but probably not in the near future....bush himself has said he envisions his "war on terror" to be like the Cold War, which, everyone knows, lasted for a very long time...

AJ:

As a tax-paying (my taxes support the military, so I feel as though I serve my country, not only in this, but in many ways, thank you), voting American citizen, my opinion on military conscription (pro or con) does and SHOULD count, despite the fact that I am NOT a member, past or present, of the Armed Forces. It may surprise you to learn that many veterans (including my parents who were both in the Marine Corps during WWII) do not support a draft. Their reasons are varied and space prohibits my sharing them in detail. However, your assertion that only veterans should have any say in this matter does a disservice to to the right to free speech and public discourse that every American is guaranteed by the First Amendment – a freedom our troops (you included, thank you) have historically fought to preserve, by the way. So if this is the case, why would you advocate limiting the debate to the voices of a select few?

Tom from Portland writes: "Fact is, politics is no longer about bringing ideas and policy to the table, it's about job security and money, and the best way to get both is to make others look worse than you."

Bravo! Tom.

This year there's just more of the same in the current crop of "top-tier" contenders. Everyone has a plethora of plans or programs that will be so beneficial to ALL, but are the same tired mantras we've heard about for years. We've heard about every one of these things forever but there have been no results and it's always the other side's fault. Republicans hate poor people, so they won't enact health care, Dems hate big-business so they think everything that happens is due to some big conspiracy theory. Frankly, I'm tired of having to choose from among a field of candidates that always have an excuse. Look for the candidate that doesn't cast aspersions on their foes to make them look better, and I'll show you someone with the will, backbone and ideas to get it done.

A Bush lover calling John Edwards an idiot. Hmmmm...Ironic isnt it?

So then, what responsibility does a citizen have if the country is involved in a war he (or she) supports and fellow citizens are spending extended time on the battldfield? Is the $2.95 we all spent for a yellow ribbon decal for the trunk of the car back in 2002 sufficient or should we be forced to buy a new one every year – it is the only expression of patriotism by most of us? Is posting a comment here sufficient action for the patriot to do his duty for the nation? Is opposition to the draft anything but the self-serving rhetoric of a bunch of arm-chair soldiers who are willing to let others make all the sacrifices while he (or she) reaps all the benefits?

I note that young women seem peculiarly silent about gender discrimination when it comes to the draft.

Do not get me wrong. I did not enjoy being drafted in 1970 and I did not enjoy my two years in the Army. However, I did feel sorry for the poor bastards who went to Viet Nam while I, by pure good luck, drew an assignment at Ft. Benning GA.

As for those who support the war but prefer the "volunteer" Army to conscription... Many of the men and women in Iraq have had their duty term be extended involuntarily. They serve there against their will, while we shop in the mall and listen to our iPods. That makes even me feel guilty. Though I am a veteran, no one ever shot at me and no one ever threatened to extend my tour of duty.

I think the nation should consider enlisting healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 60 for selective service. Exemptions could be granted to single parents and combat veterans. We need a hundred thousand patriots to go into uniform and relieve those who have fought for us for so long. I'm willing to take my chances with the draft because I initially supported this war though I now think I was wrong. We may have been stupid to do so, but our nation has broken Iraq into many pieces. Innocent Iraqi children are suffering now because of us, and we need to stay there until the situation is fixed. It's as if we ran a red light and totaled someone else's car. We can't argue now that we used poor judgement and therefore should not be held accountable for the consequences.

They are motivated, but not really professional. Some of them are really sick people. My time in the military was one of fear. I had to get out of the military just to worship God again.

"Edwards says: "Our all-volunteer force has helped make America what it is today."

Um, no. Actually the mandatory draft during America's previous wars is what made America what it is today. Without a draft we would have a much harder time winning those wars. I'm not for a draft, but that was just a dumb statement by Edwards.

Tom of Portland,
What I failed to notice during your rant, was any mention of your service. As a Veteran, I can pretty well say to you what you had to say to a Canadian Citizen. If you havent had the stones to serve your country in the Military, I dont really care what your opinion is concerning our policy on the draft. Usually it's those who are too cowardly, too lazy, or too apathetic to serve who have a huge problem with the draft. OR on the other hand, they could just be folks who object to war in general, which is okay too. But those who sit in their recliners and obnoxiouly argue their support for a war which was a war of choice rather one of neccesity are cowardly hypocrites and should be too ashamed to even have an opinion. We live in a great country and a draft without any type of deferrment (except medical) should be instituted so that every citizen serves their country. So what if they dont want to be there. Life is tough, there are lots of things we dont want to do but we do them anyway. Serving our country should be one of them.

Mr. Edwards obviously has no recollection of history. From the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, and Vietnam, America was served by draftees. They along with volunteers have mnade America what it is today.
We should consider mandatory service to this country, military or civilian, of all citizens, born or naturalized, 18-35 for two years. Freedom is not free.

I don't know if the draft would be a good idea.

For example, I wouldn't mind the training. I think that's a good thing. But then, in the military, they will train you to kill ... I definitely would have a big issue with this.

I would not be trusted with such an order. I have a problem with killing people. Kill me or put me in jail, but I will not take the life of another.

Would you want people like that in the military?

Sure, the military is short on manpower, and they think the draft would solve the problem, but would you get the quality of people that you wanted?

You might get people, but if they don't listen to you, then it's probably better not to have these people.

I think the volunteer army is good – for those who choose to have this career. Not everyone is cut out to be in the military, but they can be good in other areas.

Interesting how nearly all the comments here are about how we need a draft to play political games, not as the best way to... you know... win wars.

Our volunteer armed forces are professional, motivated, and the best the world has ever seen. We do not need a draft.

John Edwards is an idiot. There is no talk of a draft from the Bush administration, one of the generals said he would support considering it, not implementing it. That aside, the President has said many times that he will not implement a draft. Edwards is simply trying to bring life to his pathetic campaign.

Drafts should only be used for wars of national defense...not for poorly thought out "pre-emptive" wars. If administrations didn't spend their time getting the U.S. into stupid and unnecessary wars, their would be no need to talk about increased militarization. Edwards, once again, is right on.

If anyone thinks the draft will end a war, you are ignorant. I support the war, the effort to liberate another country so they have the rights that we do and are no longer oppressed by a dictator. Is it tough? Heck yeah, but so was the founding of our country with a war for indepedence followed by a civil war (seems oddly similar to what is going on in Iraq). The only military should be a volunteer military, I wouldn't want someone watching my back that doesn't want to serve. By the way, if you live in Canada, I don't care about your opinions on US policy so back off. I'm tired of hearing dems blast President Bush and conservatives bashing dems. Fact is, politics is no longer about bringing ideas and policy to the table, it's about job security and money, and the best way to get both is to make others look worse than you. I don't need Edwards talking about poverty when he spends more on a haircut than I spend on food in a month, and I don't need Hilary talking about RWC...enough!! I also don't need people calling Fred Thompson the next Ronald Reagan, there is only one Reagan, and he was the last great president who truly served the people. We should be so lucky to ever find someone close to him again.

A draft would be the worst move the Bush Administration could make, and it would tear this country apart. There is more to the Iraq crisis than "bugles in the blood" and nationalistic fervor. We also need to pay closer attention to what is happening to our civil liberties these troops are dying to protect. A draft to continue to support a hugely unpopular, undeclared war? Why don't we just toss the Constitution in the trash while we're at it?

I served in this war as Marine MP and I believe an all volunteer service is the best, but the draft might be necessary so the "sheep" will pay attention to what goes on in the world and will think longer before going to war. Ultimately, I do think all high school graduates should serve one year in any service or the peace corps to grasps what goes on in the world outside of the "bubble" that we live in.

First impression time is over for the Edward's campaign. His $400 haircuts and good ol' boy mannerisms are no longer bought by those voters looking for a candidate with merit and muster. He back tracks out of confrontations worse than "the Hill" and should now stay bunkered back in his neon light facaded palace and leave the air times for those candidates like Mitt or, hopefully, Fred, to let voters know what we can do to stabilize our mentality and sensibilities as American people, realize our
economic structure as proof that we are a confident nation who SHOULD stand behind our President, especially a President like ours currently who has a backbone, shows leadership, will stand behind his own values even when many do not agree. The position of 'President' should be held by the one individual the American people feel has what it takes to keep us UNITED. We should begin weeding the dead wood now.

Greg on Phoenix:

Amen, brother.

This is not a partisan issue. Charlie Rangel (D) has been advocating a return to the draft for several years, but I didn't notice any of the candidates jumping on a soapbox to criticize him.

I was drafted in 1969 after finishing college. I was fortunate in that I did not have to go to Vietnam. After that experience, I concluded that national service does not prevent us from being "free" as John implied. There have been selfless individuals throughout the history of this country who have dedicated some portion of their life (up to and including the ultimate sacrifice), to ensure that we all remain free. Some did so voluntarily and willingly, others were conscripted.

I can say with all sincerity that national service not only benefits the country, it benefits the individual and gives them an appreciation for sacrificing for this great country that so many take for granted.

I was drafted in 1970 but I was lucky and did not go to Viet Nam. I served my time as a medic in a stateside military hospital and went back to civilian life.

Having thought about it because of my own experience, I believe that those who support a war – as I did with Iraq and as almost all of you did too – must be willing to fight it rather than to send others to fight while they go to graduate school or have a baby. I noted early on that the President's daughters have spent the war at nice universities like their father did. Likewise the Cheney children, the Clinton girl, and the sons and daughters of most in Congress who voted for the war – with notable exceptions.

I have wondered how the Bush twins would have performed as guards at Abu Ghraib. How would you or your son perform in that hellish environment. Most of us sacrificed no more than $2.95 for a made-in-China "Support Our Troops" bumper sticker which is now faded and illegible.

Fortunately, our Founding Fathers were made of tougher stuff than we are.

I hope these people that approve of bringing back 'The Draft', are old enough to even remember the horrors of Vietnam and how many American lives were lost. When you want to know the effect something will have on a population you go to the people that have experienced it. Ask a vet what he saw and then see how you feel then about sending your 18 year old child into war. Do we really need WWIII? A war that would bring out every nut job in the ENTIRE WORLD to fight against the West. They fight a lot dirtier, mostly, than American's do and they give no second thought to the value of their own lives. If Bush continues to aggravate the rest of the world and thumbing his nose at world powers we are going to see an even bigger war than Iraq could ever be and we will be sending our children and our grandchildren to war.

The Dems lie? Oh please! Every other word out of every Republican's mouth is a lie. The Dems are not perfect but Republicans are arrogant and have been caught in more lies than a Searsopedic and it takes forever to get rid of them. The Bush administration is America's moths, eating away at the fabric of Land of the Free. It's really sad that Billionaires for Republicans has a real place in Society (that get the most ridiculous tax breaks), and that is socially ignorant.

The draft is unconstitutional. How can the "freest" nation in the world force people to do something they do not want to do. Then those people also are of a certain age and gender, causing the constitution to be broken even more. The war in Iraq was never even declared, so how could you send a draft to an undeclared war.

Vote for Liberty in 2008, not authoritarianism.

Thank you for serving, Mr. Jones.
And I agree with you 100%.

I am of the belief that our country would be made much stronger, and smarter, if all high school gradutates (both male and female) were given the choice of completing 2 years of service in either the military or the peace corps immediately following graduation.

As it is, the college experience in this country is relegated to nothing more than a four year party for the majority of young Americans and it is no suprise that most of these kids coming out of college take being American for granted.

This would guarantee that we never had any problem with troop numbers and our population would benefit from having more mature, hard working young adults to contribute to the work force.

BEST WAY to END the War in Iraq is the DRAFT!

I agree that a draft is a bad Idea we don't need millions of ground troops
anymore, we have too good of technology
to need a draft.
I disagree with Edwards remarks about Bush he hasn't even made a official
statment about his generals comments
He's just using it as another way to bash Bush.I wish candidates would define themselves rather than define others. I want to hear solutions not just that you have some. I am a conservative Independant who votes 80%
of the time republican only because the Dem's lie more and are socially ignorant.

Wasn't Edwards in FAVOR of the draft just a few months ago? Huh?

I was in the draft in 1969. I went to Vietnam. The guys that were drafted came from all walks of life. Most of them were very bitter about being in a war. In that time, the draft by lottery was proven to be unfair. If we had a lottery draft today, wealthy and upper class people would find a way to get around it and only the poor and middle class would serve;just like they did then.

Dee,

You're naive if you think a draft is going to stop or detract people from starting wars.

Vietnam had a drafted military. The draft did not stop Lyndon Johnson from escalating the war. The draft was used during the American Civil War, both World Wars, the Korean War, and Vietnam.

The draft does not stop war.

Hold on Mr. Edwards. Would you be against the draft if the children of every senator and representative, and every member fo the Bush administration GO FIRST?

I'd like to see how in favor the republicans are of this trumped up war based on lies when it is THEIR children that are being killed to support a lie.

Sen Edward,you voted to authorize the Iraq war in 2002. If you support the war,then you should support the draft. Nowadays there is talk of the "war on terror" and "taking the fight to the terrorists" but very few of these politicians have children enlisted.

Why don't the Bush twins or the Romney brothers (all five of them ) enlist for the fight. Oh, don't tell me, it's a "volunteer" army and they chose not to "volunteer".

Fellow American, wake-up. When Paris Hilton or Britney Spears goes to rehab there is all the hype and frenzy ,but our servicemen and women are dying in Iraq and there is no outrage.Where is the shared responsibility?

Maybe if there is talk of the draft we Americans will get of our lazy asses and really start to question the policy of sending OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN TO WAR.

BRING BACK THE DRAFT AND THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE TALK OF STARTING ANOTHER WAR.