McChrystal and the Draft

Holy dick on a stick I apologize for almost letting this one slide on by.

General (Ret) Stanley McChrystal said recently that if the country ever goes to war again that America should implement the draft.

I'll let that sink in for a second.

One more, just think about it.

You're confused right? If you're like me, that statement is somewhat hard to comprehend coming from a guy like McChrystal. Regardless of the controversy about him, he was still a four star general who spent many years of his career intimately involved in the Special Operations community. The suggestion of a draft coming from a guy who knows better than most what true professional Soldiers can accomplish is... it's just confusing. Especially with the wars of today becoming more and more unconventional, what good could possibly come from drafting a bunch of occutards in to our military?

When I listened a little longer, he made a semi-valid point. He said that with a draft, the weight of the war would be felt more throughout the entire population of the country, rather than the select, proud few who have chosen to bear this weight upon their shoulders. I find it hard to disagree at first. It does make some sense... until you once again take a second to think about it.

I go back to just a few months after 9/11 when even then we didn't have the political will enough to get Bin Laden at Tora Bora. MONTHS! We had Bin Laden's ass three MONTHS after 9/11 but we refused to do what needed to be done to get him. Not since Pearl Harbor has America been so united, yet we held back. It ended up taking a decade of war and one hell of a political call (aside: I don't care if you've got Republican tattooed on your forehead, Obama deserves a hell of an 'attaboy' for giving that operation a go!) to finally get Bin Laden. If we don't have the will to do what needs to be done in a situation like that, there is truly nothing, and I mean nothing, that you can do that will unify the people ever again and forcing a bunch of kids to go fight will do nothing other than enrage an already heavily divided country.

While I understand his idea that a draft would put America's heart in to the fight, I fail to see how he ignores the gaping fissure of ideals that currently resides in the middle of this country. You simply cannot ignore that and expect your idea to hold any water.

So, I ponder, why would he say such things? Is it some sort of subtle dig at those who he feels spurned him? Is his one meal a day finally catching up to him and his brain is lacking the proper nutrition to think straight? Or am I no better than a civilian when compared to his military knowledge and expertise and I can't comprehend where he is coming from simply because I can't see through his eyes?

In my humble opinion, not only will there never again be a draft, but there should not again be a draft. Though again, maybe I am blinded by my own inability to see the truth.

What do you think?