Compulsory for men only?! Don't think that one will get past the equal-rights ppl! (Or maybe it will - too many "equal rights" organisations are actually after positive discrimination in favour of their groups...)

Many European countries have national service still, but there's the option for conscientious objectors to do their service in community service - in police, nursing, etc.

The downside with national service though, as far as government is concerned, is that it's vastly expensive to fund. I don't believe the US would take too kindly to a 5% rise in taxes, considering the poor dears are already complaining about "high" taxes when they in fact have one of the lowest rates of tax in the world. It's surely the kind of thing that gets proposed to draw attention to the bill's proposers, not something that any GOP will pass.

Graham.