anytime a country enters into a world wide conflict it must activate a draft, it is the only answer and the only way to be fair to the troops involved.

A war on "terror" is stupid and with out doubt a worldwide campain making it a world war in which there is no visible end as the world has always had terrorists and always will have, hell, George Washington was concidered a "teriorist" to the English but we concidered him a revolutionary hero. It seems to me that anytime someone disagrees with Bush he is concidered a "terriorist" when in fact Bush is the actual person who is terrifiying people. But back to the point if you start an eternal war then you better sure as hell start a draft and start cutting pay to those involved, they should serve there country and not have to be paid for it.

I remember in the 60s we were only paid 11 cents an hour or so as a private when we served and we had to have the draft to fill our ranks, it was the only answer and the only fair way to engage in the war.

The guys in the military now are mercenaries, paid soldiers who get a paycheck like regular civilians, we better get our heads out of our asses and start requiring people to SERVE THERE COUNTRY for other reasons than personal gain. We did it then why shouldent the current military do the same, they get the same bennifits or better than we did.

You can't even spell 'benefits' or 'their' and I think that says it all. There are so many flaws in your argument if it was a plane it would crash.

Well leave up to a know it all to point out the miss spellings. Do ya think you could come up with something better to counter his argument. Sorry I must of spelt something wrong and that must make me incapable of reasoning or thinking. Come on give us some real arguments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a real argument. You and the other dumbass are out of your tiny minds.

Here's another. Do you, in your wildest ignorant dreams, think the children of the privileged classes will ever be put into harm's way by their daddys and uncles that run The Show?

Another,you drooling shitheel. Terror is best dealt with by police, not armies. There is no Nation of Terror that we may invade and then have no idea as to what to do afterwards, Stupid. Your fellow brushcuttin' Retard In Chief has no fucking clue how to deal with Terr 'n Terr-ist;neither do you.

You goddam 27 percenters need to die off, PDQ.

I guess now we know why they call you Lash. ;-)

I agree with you that a draft isn't going to result in any increased sacrifice by the rich and privileged though.

...would be to galvanize the lazy, materialistic, cell-phone addicted kids of today into the realization that bad government decisions were no longer something that affected someone else, but something which could KILL them. That might actually wake them up and start the rebellion against Bush on a large-scale basis.

My feeling, though, is that the GOP is on their way out, and that the whole point's going to become moot. Too bad, since we could have used a bit of rebellion.

Ahh… a bit of rebellion for rebellion sake. I like it. What is the point? GWB will be out by 2009 so why rebel (that’s the great thing about democracy in the US- No rebellion). I used to be a punk rocker (well, ok I still am) but rebellion is a messy, violent thing. The Bolshevik revolution, the US Civil and the French Revolution, yep those were a lot of fun! Want to be a true rebel, walk onto a college campus and tell people you support the War in Iraq and that you like Dick Cheney. That is really being a rebel (takes guts too, gaurentees you won't get laid until you leave campus:) Your “rebellion” already happened and you will reap the rewards this November. Things will be so different come 2009…HA! (no they won’t)

"Fair?" You're joking, right? The draft wasn't fair before we went all volunteer. Women aren't allowed in combat units (I am a woman) so where's the fairness there? Gays aren't allowed in the military (DADT aside) so where's the fairness there? That doesn't even get into the basic social crap that went down in the beginning. The draft was a complete joke. Rich white boys went where when they were drafted? A cushy Pentagon job. What makes you think that's going to change? People in power are just going to pull strings to make sure there little darlings never get sent to the front lines. The poor man is the one who's gonna get shot.

There's nothing fair about it.

Mercenaries huh?....from a vet no less, thanks brutha. Those junior enlisted on food stamps may want to take this issue up with you though, and find out where all that extra cash that they are pulling in went.

So what is your suggestion, that we all serve and not get any compensation for it other than the good feeling we get in our hearts to serve and defend the freedoms of shitheads such as yourself that will stab us in the back with each chance they get?

Have you tried that with any job you have ever had? You love what you do so much, you do it for free...huh, Forrest?

Rubma, I have to take exception with one thing you say.

I've know airmen on food stamps. I know it happens. But it's really not because they don't earn enough, it's because they haven't clue how to budget.

Leaving aside hugely expensive parts of the country, most airmen I knew managed to put a few dollars in the bank after paying the rent or house payment. Many of us in Europe banked quite a bit and I didn't get separation pay, hazardous duty pay, war zone bennies or anything other than COLA.

The airmen I knew (I stress, the ones I KNEW and who worked for me) on food stamps were victims of failure to plan, budget and make wise spending decisions.

Please correct me if I'm wrong (and I know you will) you are or were an officer. You guys make a whole lot more than enlisted, but that doesn't mean enlisted can't live pretty well simply by passing on the flat screen and the new car every year.

I'm enlisted Ads. Chief Petty Officer, E-7 is my paygrade. I agree, there are some financial retards out there and they do plenty to misuse the money they do make. However, there are also plenty of places around the country where the cost of living is quite a bit higher than other parts. For example, I transferred from San Diego to Oklahoma City. Significant cost of living difference....across the board. My BAH was cut in half with the move, as expected, but I hardly doubt the difference between living in San Diego and living in OKC is a mere 900 bucks a month.

I find most of the problems exist with the junior enlisted that have dependents. The money they get paid makes it tough to raise a family and do much more than live from paycheck to paycheck, unless the spouse has a job too. I remember the Marines several years back pushed an initiative to not allow Marines to get married until they are NCOs, and not enlist anyone that has dependents. I thought it was a good idea, considering we do have a lot of financial problems to deal with amongst the junior enlisteds with families....especially in high-cost areas. Problem is, it was seen as a violation of their civil rights....and was abrubtly put to bed forever.

From a leadership standpoint, it was a great idea to me. I can't afford to have a kid working on the flight deck, or in hostile environments, with his head focused on his finances and the problems it creates for his family that is left alone in CONUS.

But even our original poster recieved a stipend for his efforts...and it pisses me off to be called a mercenary simply because I draw a paycheck for what I do. No friggin' way I am going to become rich on that paycheck, but it does put a roof over my head and food in my family's stomach...and god forbid, an education. Is that really too much to ask for what I'm willing to lay on the line?

Nice to know another enlisted is around.

Just an anecdote. When I was stationed remotely in Korea I lost my BAH and separate rations because I was living in the dorm. My spouse was also active duty so we did not get family sep pay. He had to stay in the states.

I was an E6 who had an E4 working for me. His wife was a nurse who earned more than I did. He got to keep his BAH because of his spouse and he got family sep pay. He would tell me every pay day how much more he earned than I did.

I remember the discussion about not allowing junior members to marry. The AF kicked it around too. I agree, it would have been a useful idea since most of the problems I encountered as supervisor were young marrieds having financial or marital fidelity issues.

I agree with you that you are not a mercenary. I deeply respect your service and commitment. However consider this. The vast majority of Americans are content to pay you to defend their country for them. They don't want to do it and they don't want their children to do it. They'll certainly stand paying some kid like my nephew $10,000 to enlist just to keep their kids at home.

You haven't lost any respect because you enlisted for the right reason. The American public has lost my respect for talking about patriotism but not being willing to put their valuable lives on the line to defend the country that feeds them.

I have always disagreed with the different pays for those with and without dependents. I feel we should get paid for the job we do, not our marital status.