Debate on Military Draft - Research Paper Example

Debate on Military Draft A military draft is a form of obligatory martial service that supplies the United States armed forces with sufficient men aged between 18 and 25 years. The draft acts as an insurance policy which ensures that there is adequate number of military men in case a war breaks out or in the event of state emergency. All the young men are required to register with the Selective Service. The candidates present themselves before a vetting panel to assess if they are fit to join the military. There is no alternative in the issue, mainly, which is why this draft is so debatable when citizens who join the military will in fact be struggling for their country’s good at risk of their own life (Hod 202). Not every person believes what their nation is warring for and yet they are expected to put there lives on the line. The draft which was initially referred to as conscription was first instituted in the civil battle in an attempt to increase an adequate amount of troops to battle in the coming war in 1860. For the period of World War I, the draft was used to get more than four million young men into the service for the Allied cause. In 1940, again the draft was used to increase the number of service men by one and a half million. The Vietnam and Korean War saw the increase of compulsory service before being phased out, was not seen again until 1940, when the army's numbers jumped to nearly one and a half million soldiers. Presently, young men are must to sign up with Selective Service. Military service is a classic debate between duty to society and individual liberty. Arguments for the military draft From a political point of view, a military draft guarantees that there are adequate soldiers to actually battle in whichever wars that are being fought. Where several countries are at war automatically means that more soldiers are injured or die and they need to be replaced. The United States of America has been involved in the Afghan and Iraqi wars for several years now; most of the tax payers’ money has been spent. Americans have seen greater than before rates of limb loss, distressing brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide. If there was no draft it would mean that the government will have to spend more money to recruit more soldiers and pay them just like the professional soldiers (Bades et al. 817). The military is a dignified profession and a large number of people choose to serve at the country for varied reasons. Some people join the forces at it is a family tradition while others do so as have fewer options when it comes to socioeconomic explanations in life (Ruschmann 772). Exclusive of a draft, Americans are left in a immense and risky luxury as they are able to able to dispatch war fighting to a largely secluded force of courageous volunteers. Consequently, most of Americans have little express relationship with the military. A draft for young people who attain a definite age achieves a number of things. First, it clearly provides the nation with a secure supply of skilled soldiers in case they are urgently required to protect their country against their enemies. The military draft will gives the youth a high level of obedience which, optimistically, will translate finally into self-discipline (Carper 495). If these young people are correctly assessed and trained, this phase of compulsory service can assist them to make a decision on what they want to accomplish in their lives by giving them a hands-on experience in a range of fields of know-how. On top of that, universal drafts will convene young people together from different backgrounds. This passage of educational, social, financial obstacle is increasingly becoming more intricate and extraordinary in American culture. However, since not all every young person is suited to military service, it is imperative that an alternative of supplementary kinds of public service be open to those who need it. Some can argue out that compulsory service for young people can ultimately guide them against breaking the law Another advantage of the military draft is that it can break down social barriers. For instance, whites and blacks were both drafted in WWII, and this effectively to the blacks gaining significant admiration amongst the white military men. The forces know that collective hardship helps cohesion and brings men closer together. This is the reason why Basic Training is made so rough; to teach the forces how to rely on each other. Afghanistan and Iraq wars enabled American soldiers to discover instrument to shatter the ethnic barriers in order to create America a truly unified country. In essence, many American soldiers are afraid of contravening anything; as a result they say we have to work inside the tribal fences. Tribalism is abhorrence to a healthy democratic system. We should as an alternative arouse nationalism (Gay 307). Arguments against the military draft However, the draft is an atrocious infringement of individual right, and even a well-intended motive cannot put it otherwise. In a liberated the social order no one should be forced to forced to kill, take up arms, or put his life in danger. The war in has claimed more than 4,422 lives and injured some 32,000 in the last nine years; 2,168 American soldiers have passed away in the line of duty and a further 18,215 have been wounded in Afghanistan to date. Men drafted into the military are likely to be having families to take care of back home, this move will result losing their jobs and lacking financial stability. This action can result to possible debts and resentment from the citizens and the government losing out in terms of tax revenues. These men will be forced to leave their families and responsibilities, which will be a depressing and an anxious time for all those affected. Politicians will eventually have a hard time to push any bills on military draft as there will be a lot of resistance (Graham 532). Also some of the recruits drafted may be half-hearted and reluctant, this will in-turn make them demoralized and less inclined to fight on the combat zone. Refutation of Argument Even though there is a well-built argument in opposition to the draft because of likely disloyalty, the sense of patriotism within a nation state will establish to what extent disloyalty will be present. Children should be brought up to love their country, guard their freedom, do what is correct, and care for and love their families. If this is entrenched in their moral fiber, the young people will be enthusiastic to serve their nation. In addition, the draft creates more dependable society. One who is brought up to depend on his country is not responsible when a task falls on his shoulders. The case that one would not yearn to go in a foreign country and go on a shooting spree can be easily countered by the pointing out a mistake in logic. The military draft does not actually oblige that one must go abroad or that one must gun down people or endanger one's life. Lastly, the draft could in fact save lives, rather than ruining them (Berger 675). The more superior force of loyal citizens that are enthusiastically serving their nation, protecting the frail in the society, fighting for sovereignty, and doing what is correct, the improved chance that wars will end speedily and the less possibility there is that wars will commence. Nobody wishes to go to war with a country packed of loyal, decent, conscientious, and motivated armed services. The motivated and moral will emerge victors. Conclusion United States of America replaced the compulsory military draft with an all-volunteer force in 1973. The last draft call by the Pentagon issued was issued 18 tears ago but lately there has been advocacy from some people to reintroduce conscription. Nevertheless volunteerism has worked, and worked fine. The AVF has produced soldiers who are not only of above standard brainpower but enthusiastic warriors, patriots geared up to fight for their state. The predicament facing America today is not a service overflowing with those who desire to be there but a political headship prepared to risk war for nonessential interests. A draft cannot alter that. If it could, Americans would not have had to build a monument to 58,000 citizens who died in a meaningless war two decades ago (Anderson 527). However, just like history has it, there will be periods in the future when Americans will be faced with the dilemma of whether we want to place thousands of our youthful people in troubles way. Once such a time comes, our hope is that America will be required to stop and rethink about military draft. Therefore, the military draft has some extremely real benefits under some very particular situations. Counterinsurgency works effectively with plenty of defense forces. Not satellites, planes or tanks. Soldiers with fire arms at every street bend or eyes surveying in every direction. The current military arrangement is severely stressed in COIN operations, since we don’t have an adequate amount of men. They must rely on amazing mobility. But even then, the opponent can comparatively easily just choose to be where they are not. With more service men, they would be almost all over the place, and the rebellion would fizzle sooner than it ever gets rolling. Works Cited Anderson, Martin, and Barbara Honegger. The Military Draft: Selected Readings on Conscription. Stanford, Calif: Hoover Inst. Pr, 1982. Print. Bardes, Barbara A, Mack C. Shelley, and Steffen W. Schmidt. American Government and Politics Today: The Essentials. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Berger, Jason. The Military Draft. New York: H.W. Wilson Co., 1981. Print. Carper, Jean. Bitter Greetings: The Scandal of the Military Draft. New York: Grossman, 1967. Print. Gay, Kathlyn. The Military and Teens: The Ultimate Teen Guide. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2008. Internet resource. Graham, John R. A Constitutional History of the Military Draft. Minneapolis: Ross & Haines, 1971. Print. Hod, Boz. The Need for a Military Draft: Prepare to See the World. S.l.: AOM Pub. Unit, 2004. Print. Military Draft: Potential Impacts and Other Issues: Report to the Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Defense, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate. Washington, DC: The Office, 1988. Print. Ruschmann, Paul. Mandatory Military Service. New York: Infobase Pub, 2003. Web. Read More