• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Conscription- Would you serve?

Would you Serve if you were conscripted?


  • Total voters
    51
In the spirit of honesty, I must admit I doubt there'd be any combat duty I'd be fit for, either, IRL -- but once upon a time I was young and strong, and I believed then as I do now it is horribly unfair not to ask all young people to serve, if any of them are to be asked.

I'm fairly sure Israel does exactly this, or at least once did. Seems to have worked well for them.

We could learn from Israel. if we could change our attitude....but..
We are fortunate to be surrounded by friends and "non-enemies", Israel is not...
Even at age 72, I'd volunteer if invaded directly(as Israel has been in the past), but NOT for another foreign adventure - even China trying to take over Twiwan.....which could happen....
 
I recently discovered that the USA maintains a roll of potential conscripts. This got me thinking.

For the purpose of this thought experiment let us assume the USA and it's allies has gotten involved in a long, messy and very bloody battle with China over Tawian's independence. This has involved fighting on mainly Chinese soil and China are clearly on the defensive.

If there was a clear mechanism to opt out of service, not necessarily conscientious objector but other excuses as well.

My Question is thus, would you serve if you are conscripted?

Explain your answer.

Note: I'm not nessecarily focusing on fighting china, more of an external threat. Also, for the purposes of this thought exercises, females are on the SSR as well.

It's highly unlikely that they would want to conscript a 69 year old Vietnam era war protester, but, since we're talking hypotheticals:

If it were a situation like WWII, in which the nation had been attacked by other nations bent on world domination, the US had declared war, the entire nation was on a war footing, then yes, I'd go.

If it were a situation like Vietnam or Iraq, hell no, won't go!

and conscription isn't quite as unlikely as you might think. We had a draft just a few years back, after all, and didn't have to send professional military back for tour after tour until they were burned out.
 
What I don't get is that we are "expected" to send people, supplies and $$$$$ to every country in the world that is "attacked" by random acts of nature (flood, earthquakes, etc). But we are somehow "bullies" or it is none of our business if we send the same support to a country that has been intentionally attacked by another.

What's the difference?
 
What I don't get is that we are "expected" to send people, supplies and $$$$$ to every country in the world that is "attacked" by random acts of nature (flood, earthquakes, etc). But we are somehow "bullies" or it is none of our business if we send the same support to a country that has been intentionally attacked by another.

What's the difference?

The problem is, we often send troops to nations that haven't been attacked by another.
 
The problem is, we often send troops to nations that haven't been attacked by another.

Iraq? Saddam was killing more iraqis than any earthquake or flood ever did. Afghanistan? That's where OBL was at the time and we have stayed with the agreement of the govt (we need to GTFO)

In principle, I agree. I just don't see any real difference in helping victims whether they be of natural disaster or a govt/dictator who is killing them. If "you" don't want us doing one, then STFU when we don't do the other.
 
I would serve in a supply role if I was called. Calling up guys my age would mean that there was a war to end all wars. I'm to old to sleep in a foxhole.
 
Are you kidding? If I was not almost 50 and married, I would have re-upped to go to Afghanistan etc.

I don't care what anyone says I love the US Military all branches and all who serve!

Hua! OOOshaaaaaaa... BOOM! Artillary!
 
Iraq? Saddam was killing more iraqis than any earthquake or flood ever did. Afghanistan? That's where OBL was at the time and we have stayed with the agreement of the govt (we need to GTFO)

In principle, I agree. I just don't see any real difference in helping victims whether they be of natural disaster or a govt/dictator who is killing them. If "you" don't want us doing one, then STFU when we don't do the other.

No one attacked Iraq.
We can't go around the world deposing every dictator.
It would have made far more sense to have gone into Afganistan, and, if necessary Pakistan, with a multi national force and captured or killed Bin Laden and his cockroaches, then gone home.

But, no, we had to use the attack on the twin towers as an excuse to start not one, but two wars, one of which had absolutely nothing at all to do with said attack.
 
Are you kidding? If I was not almost 50 and married, I would have re-upped to go to Afghanistan etc.

I don't care what anyone says I love the US Military all branches and all who serve!

Hua! OOOshaaaaaaa... BOOM! Artillary!

BOOM1 Back at you. battery b, 7th battalion, 16th artillery, sir!
 
No one attacked Iraq.
We can't go around the world deposing every dictator.
It would have made far more sense to have gone into Afganistan, and, if necessary Pakistan, with a multi national force and captured or killed Bin Laden and his cockroaches, then gone home.

But, no, we had to use the attack on the twin towers as an excuse to start not one, but two wars, one of which had absolutely nothing at all to do with said attack.


bolded: and we can't go around the world spending $$$$ every time the ground shakes, the wind blows or someone gets a little rain either. THAT is my point. since people like you don't want us doing the one...they need to STFU when we don't do the other.
 
I may catch hell for this but whatever. I would not serve again for my country. I have purposely moved to the most remote land I could find and am trying my best to drop out of society. Most of the time what I post in here is just on a theoretical level, I don't really give a damn. Next time I go to war will be because the war has come to me, I will die defending my home not my country. To be honest I'm pretty fed up with my country right now and wouldn't lift a finger to protect half the people in it, you are on your own.
 
I may catch hell for this but whatever. I would not serve again for my country. I have purposely moved to the most remote land I could find and am trying my best to drop out of society. Most of the time what I post in here is just on a theoretical level, I don't really give a damn. Next time I go to war will be because the war has come to me, I will die defending my home not my country. To be honest I'm pretty fed up with my country right now and wouldn't lift a finger to protect half the people in it, you are on your own.

half? I think you are being too generous.
 
I may catch hell for this but whatever. I would not serve again for my country. I have purposely moved to the most remote land I could find and am trying my best to drop out of society. Most of the time what I post in here is just on a theoretical level, I don't really give a damn. Next time I go to war will be because the war has come to me, I will die defending my home not my country. To be honest I'm pretty fed up with my country right now and wouldn't lift a finger to protect half the people in it, you are on your own.

Why would you catch hell? I know plenty of people that would agree. I don't because of my Christian values. I would lay down my life for my fellow man or woman for any just reason. It's who I am, but you are your own man.

Always remain true to yourself.
 
Hell yes, I would, as long as it wasn't protecting Obama or some other unconstitutional dumbasses power against Americans, not that I would be much good to them. I have already served 22 years and 8 months and only left because I was ordered into permanent retirement for medical reasons. I could still shoot ok, but might need to call the "scooter store" to get something to get around with, legs and stamina just aren't what they used to be.

And against socialist commie assholes like the chinese, oh yeah baby, count me in anyday. For the opportunity to cap some socialist ass, I would do it for free and pay for my own scooter.

BTW, selective service registration for men over 18 has been around since the 80s. Last I heard from them was a change of address request, sent them my mail address for my basic training flight. That was in 1985, so nothing new.
 
I may catch hell for this but whatever. I would not serve again for my country. I have purposely moved to the most remote land I could find and am trying my best to drop out of society. Most of the time what I post in here is just on a theoretical level, I don't really give a damn. Next time I go to war will be because the war has come to me, I will die defending my home not my country. To be honest I'm pretty fed up with my country right now and wouldn't lift a finger to protect half the people in it, you are on your own.

Meh, I can see that. I feel a similar way sometimes. If we got invaded, the enemy would want something like me to be conscripted and bound to international law and treaty.
 
thanks to all the vaccinations the Army has forced upon me, I can no longer donate blood at any of the "for profit" centers. it costs more to rerun the tests to clear the false positives than the blood is worth. I, apparently, have HEP-B antibodies in my blood that always gives a false positive for HEP-B. I freaked out the first time it happened when they sent me the notice because it took them a couple of days to send me the confirmation test that showed it was false positive (by which time, I had coughed up the co-pay to go to my family doc to get checked out)


Before I shipped out to Iraq, Kellog Brown and Root stuck me with a whole mess of vaccinations curtisy of the DOD including the anthrax vaccine. That just sucked. I cant give bood anymore either. And I've still got some of the side effects from all crap they gave me still. I volunteered for 3 years over in that hell hole as a contractor hauling fuel and commanding fuel convoys. Could have left at any time but didnt. I still dont know why. Short term insanity perhaps?:confused: It sure as hell wasnt the money, it wasnt that good. I earned EVERY penny. Quite frankly they didnt pay near enough.

As far as serving if conscipted, that would be a definate no.

A) I know for a fact that the army or other military for that matter is not my baliwick. I would be in the brig most of the time. I dont tolerate stupidity very well, especially if my or other lives are involved. I've had more knock down drag outs with stupid butter bars and the like to last me for several lifetimes. In hindsight its a very good thing we were unarmed because I for one would have shot several of them if I had been. No joke.
B) Concription is slavery. I am no ones slave.
C) Any country that cant muster enough people, without consciption, to save their sorry hides, deserve to be destroyed.

Thats the way I see it.
 
Before I shipped out to Iraq, Kellog Brown and Root stuck me with a whole mess of vaccinations curtisy of the DOD including the anthrax vaccine. That just sucked. I cant give bood anymore either. And I've still got some of the side effects from all crap they gave me still. I volunteered for 3 years over in that hell hole as a contractor hauling fuel and commanding fuel convoys. Could have left at any time but didnt. I still dont know why. Short term insanity perhaps?:confused: It sure as hell wasnt the money, it wasnt that good. I earned EVERY penny. Quite frankly they didnt pay near enough.

As far as serving if conscipted, that would be a definate no.

A) I know for a fact that the army or other military for that matter is not my baliwick. I would be in the brig most of the time. I dont tolerate stupidity very well, especially if my or other lives are involved. I've had more knock down drag outs with stupid butter bars and the like to last me for several lifetimes. In hindsight its a very good thing we were unarmed because I for one would have shot several of them if I had been. No joke.
B) Concription is slavery. I am no ones slave.
C) Any country that cant muster enough people, without consciption, to save their sorry hides, deserve to be destroyed.

Thats the way I see it.

Just curious but I thougt contractors made good money.
 
Just curious but I thougt contractors made good money.

it depends on the type work. I worked closely with the safety contractor when I was deployed to Iraq and I know he was making $$$$$. he didn't like the contractor's quarters so he was staying at the hotel at the Basrah airport at $3000 a month. My oldest son is a code writer for HVAC automation and he is leaving for Afghanistan in October and they are going to pay him $1000/day plus expenses.
 
Back
Top Bottom