For the first time in a long time, there is talk of re-instituting a military draft. Bills in the Senate and the House of Representatives suggest the introduction of the draft. Both also call for women to enter the draft by having to enroll in Selective Service when they turn 18, just as men do now.
The Eagle does not feel it necessary to introduce the draft at this point. We think the Army is currently overstretched, having large numbers of troops in Egypt, North Korea, Europe and Japan. The military would be better served to redirect some of those troops to where more are needed. A draft hurts the economy because of the group of young potential workers that will be off fighting. Additionally, an army is more effective when the soldiers volunteer and actually want to be enlisted. A draft would bring down the morale both domestically and in the troops.
The reintroduction of the draft would surely spark a protest that would dwarf last year's war protests. The re-enlistment rate in current troops is stronger than expected, meaning there will be more soldiers in the near future than the military expected. Some of these extras can be put toward the areas of Iraq that need a larger military presence.
However, The Eagle does not have a problem with women registering with Selective Service. The fight for gender equality would be bolstered if women were eligible for the draft. Equal rights is the goal, and equal Selective Service will be a huge step toward it.
