The end of the draft in the US was the effective end of mass protest against war. Young people in this country no longer feel personally threatened by violence happening half-way across the world. I'm not suggesting we need to re-institute the draft, just explaining the lack of urgency in thhe protests of the war.
And as for the "mercenaries" comments, unless you live in a country that is defended by groups of citizens spontaneously assembling with pitchforks to resist threat, why don't you just shut your pie hole.