Is a military draft a good thing for governments to have in place permanently?

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Policy Debates

26 Contributors
in this discussion.

Yes
31% of users

  • I am for permanent military drafts, even though plenty of people willfully serve without a mandate, and it would be a devastating blow if there was a huge shortage.

    If there is no permanent military draft in place, governments would have a hard time recruiting mass numbers of people to fight wars. Sure, those who are current members of the military have enlisted of their own volition. But, it can not be concluded that, if mandates were not in place, the military would be overrun with new recruits. Historically, during times of recession, people join the military in droves. But, if there were no economic strain on our society, we can not assume that there will be a mass turnout. A nation must be assured it is ready to go to war with the full support of trained soldiers.

    Yes SteepSanto68

  • An all-volunteer army is more likely comprised of individuals who consider themselves professional fighters.

    Although I do not want my children to be forced to join an armed service, an army representing a cross section of all county's citizens is more likely to include individuals who abhor the idea of war. These persons would be more apt to act in the direction of maintaining peace, rather than starting wars, as a professional warrior would.

    Yes SpyRobb

  • A military draft is a good thing, as long as it includes an alternative option of public service other than military, because it encourages public service.

    A military draft for young people who reach a certain age accomplishes several things. First, it obviously provides the country with a steady supply of trained soldiers in case they are needed to defend against aggressors--which is a VERY rare occurrence. Second, it provides young people with a high level of discipline which, hopefully, will translate eventually into self discipline. If these youngsters are properly evaluated and trained, this period of mandatory service can help them decide "what they want to be when they grow up," by providing them with hands-on experience in various fields of expertise. In addition, a universal draft will bring together young citizens from all walks of life. This crossing of social/financial/educational barriers is becoming more and more difficult and rare in American society. Since not all young people are suited to military discipline and/or service, it is important that an option of other kinds of public service be offered to those who need it. This would be in a community service of any number of areas. There is one other advantage to compulsory service for young people--they are most likely to commit crimes. Compulsory public service could take them through this age safely.

    Yes CI3Iike

  • I think it is a good thing for a generation that is slumping

    Mandatory military Service is not only beneficial for its army but also the children and the seniors. It’s beneficial for them because they can be assured that they are safe from harm not only from other countries but from their own country. Bringing high school graduates into the army will give them responsibility and will maturity for later on in life which they can make better life choice with the maturity because the Crime Rates show that the most popular age groups to commit crime are in the early 20’s. Parents don’t have worry when their child is walking home from school that they are going to be kidnapped. Seniors can be free from lots of elderly abuse. Another reason mandatory military service would be a good thing; it would keep a direct line to the army and would lead to us caring about the global issues more because our family would be involved with some of it. It would also provide more knowledge for the children because they would typically be proud of their brother, sister, cousin or whoever and want to know exactly what they are doing in the military. For most Mandatory Military Services they provide with a free education of college/university with books and education tools which a lot of families in Canada can not afford so once you get out of the military you have a guaranteed job that you can start right away. Meanwhile you are still getting a salary on top of the free education for only 36 to 48 months of work in the military. Mandatory military services would be good in Canada because of Canada’s small population; there is just not enough joining any more. Joining the army also gives you a sense of patriotism for your country.

    Yes Anonymous

  • No, I do not agree with the military draft because making that kind of sacrifice should only be voluntary.

    A man should not be forced to serve his country unless he signed up to do it. Entering the United States military is something that is voluntary, and needs to stay that way. There are enough men and woman in the United States signing up for the Military. No one should be forced to serve, and not everyone is mentally or physically capable.

    Yes ManM4gic

  • I support mandatory military service because it is successful when implemented around the world.

    When visiting Italy, I was told that my cousin was away at an army base, fulfilling his mandatory service. At first, I was horrified - I had never heard of that. But then I saw his room - there were pictures of him in uniform everywhere. There was so much pride in that room! In addition to establishing a positive sense of nationalism, mandatory military service would also help bridge the gap between high school and college - a time where many kids are struggling with what they want to do with their lives.

    Yes WordAdol

  • It is a great idea to have a military draft because it reminds the public that it could be their sons or daughters being sent overseas should the time to fight a war come about.

    We should only go to war if necessary. Many who think its okay to go to war with little provocation would never sacrifice them self or their children to war that think need to fought. War is such a terrible horrible fact of life that I wish would never happen ever again in society. War should be taboo. If a persons loved ones are at risk of serving in a war, it may have a person rethink the their position on the facts of the conflict.

    Yes R3ubHockey

  • If we don't have a military draft, if effect we are mining children from the poorest and least likely to vote to support our wars.

    People aren't NPCs but if your primary source of military people are from people who are not involved in politics even in the most minimal way we might as well be fighting our battles with mercenaries from other countries, we have no reason to believe that their communities will choose for them better jobs at home if the conflicts are not worth their children's' lives. Rich and middle-classes mixing during WW2 changed society in ways it doesn't now, and when middle-class kids get drafted, wars stop.

    Yes groovybox
Voice Your Opinion
No
69% of users

  • No, I do not agree that a permanent military draft is a good thing for a country.

    No, I think a country should be run by the people, for the people, as they see fit. That said, if the people elect to have a military draft, I do not think it should be permanent, because new generations will come, and new people will be there, and they may not want it. I do not think it's a bad thing, I just think the people should have the right to decide.

    No RavidbardeI

  • I believe a voluntary military is a stronger military, because the soldiers are there of their own free will.

    In America's recent past, the last time we used a military draft was in Vietnam. I believe that a numerous amount of crimes against humanity related to that war was a direct result of forcing young men into service. Some of those drafted were not of the moral high caliber soldiers that we, and the rest of the world, expect from our country. I believe Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle said, "There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer". The draft takes away from this sense of purpose and nobility. I can also relate the draft to others that are forced into military service, like the children of Uganda who are forced to fight. I think having a military draft is bad policy, and a lazy way of not training and paying for military soldiers, during times of peace.

    No BoringDale

  • I don't ever think that a draft is a good thing, because it isn't right to require a person to go to war.

    I can understand asking people who are for a war and in line with their government to go to war, even though I personally think that war is just plain wrong. However, I cannot see any sense in sending people who are of different political beliefs than their government, or who are simply against war, to fight in any war. It is possibly, and often likely, a death sentence, with no crime having been committed. Even when soldiers survive fighting one or more wars, they often have complex psychiatric disorders related to the trauma. There exists terror and brainwashing that occur on a regular basis in armed forces of all kinds.

    No PleasantCleveland49

  • A military draft is not a good thing for the government to have in place permanently, because a drafted military is not as motivated as a volunteer military.

    A military draft is not a good thing for the government to have in place permanently, because a drafted military is not as motivated as a volunteer military. The Marine Corps has always been a volunteer unit, and the Marine Corps has performed well above the level of the drafted Army. Now that the Army is all volunteer, the difference is less noticeable.

    No jackprague94

  • As long as there are enough volunteers to fill the need for military personnel, I do not believe that a permanent draft policy is necessary.

    I believe that it is desirable to use volunteers to fill the military needs of a country as long as the country's defense needs are being met. These people have chosen the military for a career and know the benefits and risks, so they are more motivated to do their job. A draft can be reinstated if a situation arises in a country that requires more military personnel.

    No R0d0Ferdy

  • I think that having a permanent military draft is a violation of individual rights.

    I do not think that our country should be allowed to have a military draft except during times of war. Although a permanent draft would provide a top notch military, I believe that individuals should be drafted only during wartime. I think a permanent draft would interfere with an individuals right to pursue his own interests. Individuals should be willing to fight for their country during times of war, but they should also be able to choose whether or not to serve in the military the rest of the time.

    No 5chuFriend

  • No, I do not agree with the idea of having permanent military draft in place.

    The draft is everything that is against the primary notions of democracy and a free nation. A government should not wield power of this form over their citizen's lives permanently. When the nation is in war and there is resource problem, then I can understand the use of it.

    No Wolfe66

  • People Fight for what they Believe In

    A draft isn't necessary when the government is pursuing a cause that the people support. Patriotism rises greatly when nations are challenged and many people come forward to volunteer. A government that is only pursing its interests, or the interests of a small elite, requires compulsion because the people don't support its cause. A draft is a good (Machiavellian) strategy to control the population and pursue corporate interests, but it's immoral to compel (under threat of prison or summary execution) the service of those who do not support you. That's slavery, with or without a weekly paycheck.

    No Anonymous

  • I do not think that having a permanent draft is a good idea, serving the military should be a choice.

    A draft should really only be instituted in a time of war when troops are desperately needed. Serving in the military is such an important decision that should not be entered into lightly. Men and women who join the armed forces have made a commitment to serve their country during times of war. A mandatory draft instills fear in those who do not want to serve in the military.

    No C0ImEIite

  • Everyone should be able to decide if they want to go to war or not.

    It is unfair to force people to go to war and to fight if this is not something that they want to do. We have plenty of people right now that voluntarily go to war and we don't need the government forcing us back to a draft. This would just be another way for them to control and destroy people's lives.

    No B3rkIffy

  • I do not believe a democratic society should mandate military service.

    Unless a country is in a war on its own soil, the draft should not be enacted. A military manned with people who choose to be in it would better serve a society than forced military service. Citizens should be allowed to choose their career, not a government. The draft also has historically only targeted males, so if a draft was to be enacted again, young women would have to be included, to provide equal protection under the law.

    No KourtneyB

  • A military draft is not a good thing for a government to have continually because it is unfair to begin with.

    A military draft is not a good thing for a government to have continually because it is unfair to begin with. Generally speaking, a war that cannot garner enough supporters to go and fight it might not be a war that should be fought. The current US draft is also sexist as only men are required to register.

    No H0bi3Invader

  • A military draft is not a good thing for governments to have in permanently because we are not in a constant state of war

    It is not a good idea for governments to have a military draft in use permanently because it could give way to more lack uses of the military. If there is an ample supply of bodies to have in the military, it becomes easier to make the decision to deploy them. Additionally, it should be someone's choice as to whether or not they want to serve in the army or not.

    No SandDari

  • Military drafts aren't good because if a conflict begins with another country, if your at the right age, they will mandatorily make you sign up.

    When you are born, you don't expect to grow up and have to worry about your life. If the government made the military draft permanent, you would have no freedom of choice to back away. That isn't fair as this country needs soldiers to fight, but what is the point in fighting when everyone dies and peace is not reached among everyone. Everything goes back to normal, but lives are lost for what good reason...none exactly.

    No waffletime

  • No, as long as there are enough people joining voluntarily it's not necessary.

    I believe that a military draft is unnecessary. As long as a country has enough people joining the service voluntarily, a draft isn't necessary. A military draft can cause a lot of friction and bad feelings, its seen as almost a punishment to some people. If you force people into serving, and they don't want to serve, and they get deployed, it could have grave consequences.

    No PinkMych

  • A military draft should only be used when necessary.

    A military draft should be used only as a last resort. The incentives that are in place, such as the GI bill, are acceptable ways to ensure that the military has a large enough force. It is more fair to allow citizens to enlist voluntarily and to be rewarded for their service. A draft should only be used when entirely necessary.

    No VasilBuddy

  • The military draft should only be used when increased manpower is necessary.

    The use of a military draft should only be used in the most dire of circumstance, when an increase of manpower is necessary for national defense. To have a permanent military draft is to build the roster of active military with individuals that really have no desire in a military career, and performance will suffer accordingly.

    No ThegaXen

  • Military drafts are not a good thing for governments to have in place because the structure of the military can not support a drafted inductee.

    Military drafts are not a good thing for governments to have in place because the structure of the military can not support a drafted inductee. The government should not have a military draft in place because the structure of the military can not support the type of soldier the draft produces. The modern military of today needs its soldiers to be trained effectively to handle the equipment, the information and the responsibility that comes with being a soldier. Having a drafted soldier in the armed forces who does not want to be serving will reduce that soldiers effectiveness in training. In addition, the training and its costs would be wasted on drafted soldiers who only serve a minimal service requirement.

    No 53r3n3Piers
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Is a military draft a good thing for governments to have in place permanently?
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