As someone who opposed the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, arguing unsuccessfully with my fearful friends and relatives that this was the wrong course, led by an incompetent Executive, this Memorial day is a nightmare.  The mounting heap of loss and sorrow is overshadowed by the growing majority understanding that this war was wrong. 

Yet, we are all responsible.  We, all Americans caved to fear, and blind faith by allowing our Representatives to endorse an incapable President, and his advisers to jump to war.  And war we got.  We own this war.

And so while Mr. Bacevich resents that our representatives will not heed his call to turn off the Iraq war with some mythical switch, he knows that war has a life of its own.  Just like his son had reason for Service, war has thousands of motivations and grievances.  And until more are addressed, hostility will continue to consume lives like a burning fire.

When will we learn? As Rep. Barney Frank has said, "I'm not a smart guy, and I knew this war was wrong".  Well, a lot more Americans know that now than when they overwhelmingly supported the march to war.  And the dawning has been slow. No manner of long finger-waging by me or others will reach the self-involved, the clueless, and the idealogue.  It is time to institute universal service, and restart the military draft for ALL adults.  No deferments. In that way all Americans will have a stake in the collective national decisions. And as we hillbillies like to say, they'll have "a dog in the hunt", which is a certain way to keep everyone interested in what it is we are hunting for. 

between the ages of 16 and 21, your words hit me right where I live.  Today I watched C-Span, featuring John Bruhns from VoteVets.org and someone named Blanke from the right wing Iraqi vets organization (can't remember the name).  Anyway, at one point John Bruhns was talking about the huge burden borne by a few in this country and a caller asked Blanke if he was in favor of the draft.  He said yes.  Bruhns is undecided.  But here's the issue:  if we are supposedly fighting this "war on terror" for the welfare of all our country, and we are all supposed to be in this thing together as Bush keeps urging, then why don't we have a draft?  Don't we usually resort to a draft when we are fighting for our lives or our country's security is at stake?  Why are we letting the same people do all the fighting? 

I think I would support a draft in spite of my fear for my children.  I would support it because it isn't fair that so few bear the burden.  And I would support it because nothing would get the attention of our celebrity obsessed and  appallingly disengaged American public faster than the prospect of THEIR kids or they themselves being drafted and sent to this boondoggle. Institute a draft, draft everyone including college students and Administration offspring, and just watch how fast we withdraw. 

It's a litle late to institute the draft for *this* "event" (hard to call it a "war"), I think. But, suppose we did get a draft, with no exemptions, starting tomorrow.

Given the bases which closed during Rummy's "streamlining" of the military... Where would they train, and who'd train them?

Given that the ones there *now* are short of proper equipment... What would we send the new ones in with? Sharpened sticks?

And, since not all of them could be sent (nor would be needed all at once), would you like to place any bets on the chances of *yours* (and mine, and, perhaps, everyone's on the lib-blogs, since the Big Brother is watching us all and placing us on the select lists of potential terrorists) being sent, pronto, but Bush's and Cheney's and other chickenhawks' kids "somehow" drawing very, very high numbers?

than anything else.  I'm not saying there wouldn't be practical issues such as what you've pointed out. 

Would simply recognize the split mission of the modern military.  The same folks that hammered Saddam's army to the the ground in days are not the same folks that would be required to stabilize the country.  Therefore the training requirements would be less weaponry oriented, and involve many of the standard citizen skills; police work, public infrastructure, courts systems, financial services, industrialization, social services, medical services, etc. These lightly trained citizen soldiers would move in behind war fighters to stabilize a war ravaged country by virtue of their sheer numbers, and civilian skills. They would be physically fit, lightly armed, and supported by heavily armed elements of the professional military.

In this way, ALL Americans would experience the decision to intervene in foreign nations.  And many Americans would see first hand for the first time the nature of foreign cultures and perspectives.  Seeing with their own eyes the humanity that they had formerly only glimpsed on the boob tube.  These draftees would serve short active duty (2 years) with extended Ready Reserve status (6 years). They would be paid little, in recognition that service is a duty of all citizens. It would change the face of the military, and open war zones to the eyes of all Americans.  It would bind us to a shared common goal.  Every American would legitimately sit at the table as we pondered war (and it's aftermath).  It is time to get real, it is time for the Universal Draft.