Letters to the Editor

This letter is associated with the following article:
Bush says his troop drawdown is due to the success of the surge, but his own advisors -- including Gen. Petraeus -- have given a very different explanation.
  • "For reasons unknown Bush will not institute the draft..."

    I think the reason is clear.

    William Westmoreland, the commanding officer in Vietnam, stated the draft at that time was "discriminatory, undemocratic and resulted in the war being fought by the poor man's son." 59 percent of draft-aged men in fact received deferments or exemptions. However in this day and age I don't think discriminatory draft is an option any longer.

    If a draft is instituted without exceptions or defrements (marriage, college, etc) then the war would end immediately. No one within draft age or with sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, or grandkids within draft age would support this war and in fact actively, very actively oppose it. The chickenhawks would run for the hills or disappear.

    Do you think Cheney would have acted the chickenhawk during the Vietnam war if he was disallowed from deferments? Do you think Bush would have acted the chickenhawk during the Vietnam war if he was disallowed from getting a guaranteed non-combat role in the National Guard?

    Sometimes I want the draft to return just to shut up all the chickenhawks. Petty I know.