Times are already hard enough economically to "encourage" enlistment, and have been getting steadily worse for the working poor for quite some time. Nevertheless, recruitment into the US armed forces has become a tougher and tougher sell for several years, and does not promise to become any easier as US involvement in a civil-war quagmire continues.

More and more young folks would rather take their chances on the streets stateside than to sign up for a literally life-threatening endeavor. Even in cases where the "underground economy" of illegal commerce is the only alternative to indenturing oneself to Uncle Sam, fewer and fewer young people, even those with the most limited prospects, are willing to be recruited.

I really expected more interesting responses. This is a question that no one is asking; am I the only one who wonders why?

Amos, I'm especially disappointed in your contribution. Could you clarify who you mean by "them" and "they"? Is there some particular group of young people who you'd just as soon see in uniform, but whose competance as fighters you doubt?