Hi Folks!
Here is an idea, an alternative to conscription....
Someone have an idea of what one single day of American bombing costs? Well, start witht the salery of the entire research team for each of the gadgets on the ships, the research into the armaments, the saleries of the folks who maintain the ships, the fuel costs for boats and planes, the cost of the individual bombs, the pay for the crew, maintence on parts for planes and fleet... and one can go on for a while until you see what a staggering cost it is.
Then look at the poverty in the lands we fight in, (often the desparity between the lives of the majority and the leadership)
Now think of our constant pouring of money into defense... A modest proposal...
Link SERRIOUS money to ecconomic aid linked to human rights and cut our military down to vertualy nill. We will likely be safer. The concept that the rest of the world wants to "steal" what we have out of "jealousy" over looks the fact we take 70% of the worlds resourses. Well, if we gave back at least most of what we put into military defense, we would have little need for an army, and more, we would likely have enough left over for a health care system.
Need, want and pain gives rise to religious fundimentalism. Folks who are happy and well fed are not likely to be much of a threat.
Wars that need to be fought will attract enough volunteers, and frankly, none will attact volunteers, so wars don't really need to be fought. Fact is we put a big scare on folks to make them fight wars that are not in their own interests.
Cheers
Larry
PS and thouse of you who point to WWII, I will remind you that Germany and Japan would have been stopped cold if not supported by the likes of Henry Ford. Link ecconomic aid to human rights then give lots of it.