Mandatory military service: Would it make a difference?

[Desperado]

Service to country isn't a bad thing and people may actually learn something valuable. .

Never said it was a bad thing, you can learn a lot.
Im just opposed to a draft and forcing people to into military service.
Remember it is not 2 years either, it is eight-year service obligation.
2 years active duty
2 years active reserve and
4 years inactive reserve

 

[francoHFW]

What I find ironic are those who constantly hold up other countries as somehow superior to the USA in just about every area.....social issues, healthcare, etc....but they forget that most of those countries also expect most everyone of age to participate in military service for a brief period of time. Well, if these other countries are so great and they require members of society to fulfill military service, then why is it such a bad thing for the USA to do? There is a saying....freedom isn't free. Truer words were never spoken.

The other countries don't claim to be the Land of the Free either!

No, they don't......and I find that rather interesting, seeing as how those who insist on these other countries being so much better yet make the decision to live in a "free" country like the USA. What is this strange pull toward non-freedom by liberals?

They know all modern countries are free, except for the American freedom to get absolutely SCREWED by the greedy rich- thanks to silly Pub dupes. see sig pp1...

 

[Connery]

One thing we can all agree on: The current state of affairs regarding guns in this country isn't working.

We are in drastic times; something drastic needs to change.

So far we've been concentrating on restricting the quantity and/or quality of guns we citizens should be able to possess. Here and there we bring up weeding out those with mental problems as a solution.

I never thought I'd be advocating mandatory military service as a method to affect the intrinsic problem of our gun-violent society but there are compelling arguments to do just that.

If you look at developed countries around the world which require mandatory military service from it's citizens coupled with sensible gun control laws, they seem to fair far better with their rate of gun violence than our country.

Would mandatory military service also be a good way for society to weed out those with mental problems and those with anger management issues?

Just wondering.

Sure worked for these two fellas.


Ex-Marine Charles Whitman: The Texas Bell Tower Sniper

Charles Whitman: The Texas Bell Tower Sniper Lost Innocence

Ex-Marine Lee Harvey Oswald

 

[francoHFW]

Politicians have no place in managing a war. Generals are trained for many years to manage military conflict....politicians are trained to lie their asses off about anything and everything and to generally screw things up from the get go.

In a perfect world, Generals are trained for many years to manage military conflict and nothing more.
However, we do not live in a perfect world and since Vietnam Generals have tried their best to become politicians, the sad thing is they have succeeded at it.

It has nothing to do with it being a perfect world. The fact of the matter is that generals have been trained for years to manage military conflict and because of this they are the more capable of managing military matters, whereas politicians are not trained at all but assume the right to make military decisions. What's sad is not that military leaders run for office, though I certainly wouldn't advise it, but instead we have actors/actresses from Hollywood who now sit in Congress and act as Governors. Beyond stupid. And the media has made a complete mockery of our political system, as if it wasn't already bad enough. Yet the liberals think this is a great idea.....

Hilarious, considering the GOP is dedicated to a certain mediocre B actor/corporate shill...

 

[sfcalifornia]

Just that in the land of the free, mandatory service / involuntary servitude just seems so out of place. Quite an ironic that "freedom" loving people would want to impose 2 years in the military on everyone.

I'm just trying to figure out what it is that other developed countries are doing right and what we are not.
It's just interesting that the majority of developed countries require 2 years from it's young citizens and they don't suffer nearly the gun violence which we do. It's hard to prove the correlation but I'm wondering if it's more than a coincidence.

 

[Unkotare]

The other countries don't claim to be the Land of the Free either!

No, they don't......and I find that rather interesting, seeing as how those who insist on these other countries being so much better yet make the decision to live in a "free" country like the USA. What is this strange pull toward non-freedom by liberals?

They know all modern countries are free, except for the American freedom to get absolutely SCREWED by the greedy rich- thanks to silly Pub dupes. see sig pp1...

Your needle is skipping, you illiterate, predictable, partisan bore.

 

[Too Tall]

Weed out those with mental problems? That is a small percentage of the gun crime.

Why don't you Leftists ever come up with a plan to stop that majority of all gun murders which are committed by black men - who are just 6% of the population?

Can't you read?

I said: Would military service also weed out the mentally ill, meaning maybe military service would help solve a whole host of problems, including the gun murders committed by black men.

Military service would definitely weed out the mentally ill, probably in boot camp.

 

[Too Tall]

The military should not be the dumping ground for society. The military can't afford to babysit people in it that don't want to serve in the military....see the draft and Vietnam.

Many of the drug addicts and murderers in Vietnam were draftees that had no business being in the military. They would shoot other Americans in the back when given the chance out in the field if they didn't like them or they were in trouble for something.

The Lt is going to bring charges against you for drugs in the field....shoot him on the battlefield was their reaction.

This!

I served with a number of men that just didn't want to be there and they ended up in the brig and many times were court martialed and given undesirable or bad conduct discharges.

 

[RandallFlagg]

Sure worked for these two fellas.


Ex-Marine Charles Whitman: The Texas Bell Tower Sniper

Charles Whitman: The Texas Bell Tower Sniper Lost Innocence

It's funny that you would make your point with Whitman; for a couple of reasons...Yes, the man was a Marine (much like is now being discovered about that kid in Ct - he wanted to join the military as well) and read the lyrics of the song "The Sniper - Harry Chapin" who wrote the song after a long study of Whitman and see if, possibly, there weren't a great deal of WARNING SIGNS from BOTH of these nut jobs LONG before they went over the edge. I know it's a lot to read, but it shouldn't take you "intellectuals" long......




It is an early Monday morning.
The sun is becoming bright on the land.
No one is watching as he comes a-walking.
Two bulky suitcases hang from his hands.

He heads towards the tower that stands in the campus.
He goes through the door, he starts up the stairs.
The sound of his footsteps, the sound of his breathing,
The sound of the silence when no one was there.

I didn't really know him.
He was kind of strange.
Always sort of sat there.
He never seemed to change.

He reached the catwalk. He put down his burden.
The four sided clock began to chime.
Seven AM, the day is beginning.
So much to do and so little time.

He looks at the city where no one had known him.
He looks at the sky where no one looks down.
He looks at his life and what it has shown him.
He looks for his shadow it cannot be found.

He was such a moody child, very hard to touch.
Even as a baby he never smiled too much. No, no. No, no.

You bug me, she said.
You're ugly, she said.
Please hug me, I said.
But she just sat there
With the same flat stare
That she saves for me alone
When I'm home.
When I'm home.
Take me home.

He laid out the rifles, he loaded the shotgun,
He stacked up the cartridges along the wall.
He knew he would need them for his conversation.
If it went as he planned, then he might use them all.

He said Listen you people I've got a question
You won't pay attention but I'll ask anyhow.
I found a way that will get me an answer.
Been waiting to ask you 'til now.
Right now!

Am I?
I am a lover who's never been kissed.
Am I?
I am a fighter who's not made a fist.
Am I?
If I'm alive then there's so much I've missed.
How do I know I exist?
Are you listening to me?
Are you listening to me?
Am I?

The first words he spoke took the town by surprise.
One got Mrs. Gibbons above her right eye.
It blew her through the window wedged her against the door.
Reality poured from her face, staining the floor.

He was kind of creepy,
Sort of a dunce.
I met him at the corner bar.
I only dated the poor boy once,
That's all. Just once, that was all.

Bill Whedon was questioned as he stepped from his car.
Tom Scott ran across the street but he never got that far.
The police were there in minutes, they set up barricades.
He spoke right on over them in a half-mile circle.
In a dumb struck city his pointed questions were sprayed.

He knocked over Danny Tyson as he ran towards the noise.
Just about then the answers started coming. Sweet, sweet joy.
Thudding in the clock face, whining off the walls,
Reaching up to where he sat, their answering calls.

Thirty-seven people got his message so far.
Yes, he was reaching them right were they are.

They set up an assault team. They asked for volunteers.
They had to go and get him, that much was clear.
And the word spread about him on the radios and TV's.
In appropriately sober tone they asked "Who can it be?"

He was a very dull boy, very taciturn.
Not much of a joiner, he did not want to learn.
No, no. No, no.

They're coming to get me, they don't want to let me
Stay in the bright light too long.
It's getting on noon now, it's going to be soon now.
But oh, what a wonderful sound!

Mama, won't you nurse me?
Rain me down the sweet milk of your kindness.
Mama, it's getting worse for me.
Won't you please make me warm and mindless?

Mama, yes you have cursed me.
I never will forgive you for your blindness.
I hate you!

The wires are all humming for me.
And I can hear them coming for me.
Soon they'll be here, but there's nothing to fear.
Not any more though they've blasted the door.

As the copter dropped the gas he shouted "Who cares?".
They could hear him laughing as they started up the stairs.
As they stormed out on the catwalk, blinking at the sun,
With their final fusillade his answer had come.

Am I?
There is no way that you can hide me.
Am I?
Though you have put your fire inside me.
Am I?
You've given me my answer can't you see?
I was!
I am!
and now I will be,
I will be,
I will be,
I will be,

The ONE constant in all of this mayhem is mental illness. It never changes. If we, as a people spent a QUARTER of the time taking care of the mentally ill as we do beating our collective chests about "gun control", there is an even chance that tragedys like these wouldn't happen, be it in the 60s or the 2012. Think about it.

 

[Two Thumbs]

One thing we can all agree on: The current state of affairs regarding guns in this country isn't working.

We are in drastic times; something drastic needs to change.

So far we've been concentrating on restricting the quantity and/or quality of guns we citizens should be able to possess. Here and there we bring up weeding out those with mental problems as a solution.

I never thought I'd be advocating mandatory military service as a method to affect the intrinsic problem of our gun-violent society but there are compelling arguments to do just that.

If you look at developed countries around the world which require mandatory military service from it's citizens coupled with sensible gun control laws, they seem to fair far better with their rate of gun violence than our country.

Would mandatory military service also be a good way for society to weed out those with mental problems and those with anger management issues?

Just wondering.

The Swiss require military service of everyone, but the couple that with giving each person an automatic weapon and ammo, since everyone is also in the reserves.

Who is going to rob a house that has Two adults in it know they have at least Two assault rifles?

Who is going to mug someone they know has military combat training?

Seems the idea works.


Good luck getting your fellow leftist to give a fuck and look at the facts.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Switzerland.....the new GOP model? Interesting.

 

[Freewill]

Apparently to the Homeland Securtiy, or at least the Obama part the answer is no. No because veterans, according to the Obama administration, are a risk.

Nope. The Obama administration has donev great job dealing with Veteran's issues. You fail.

Talk about fail, read what I posted and read what your response. You crash and burn.

Homeland Security Classifies Returning US Veterans as Potential Terrorist Threat

Homeland Security Classifies Returning US Veterans as Potential Terrorist Threat « America's Watchtower

 

[gwennie]

Service to country isn't a bad thing and people may actually learn something valuable. .

Never said it was a bad thing, you can learn a lot.
Im just opposed to a draft and forcing people to into military service.
Remember it is not 2 years either, it is eight-year service obligation.
2 years active duty
2 years active reserve and
4 years inactive reserve

The 8 year service obligation is for the voluntary military. I would imagine that it would be much shorter during a draft or mandatory service obligation. At least it was for Vietnam. The thread started with someone mentioning a 2 year mandatory service obligation....so go with that. Again, the liberals are doing many things to force people to do things in a way that they disagree with, so I'm not sure why they have a problem with others who would force them to do something they disagree with.

 

[gwennie]

The other countries don't claim to be the Land of the Free either!

No, they don't......and I find that rather interesting, seeing as how those who insist on these other countries being so much better yet make the decision to live in a "free" country like the USA. What is this strange pull toward non-freedom by liberals?

They know all modern countries are free, except for the American freedom to get absolutely SCREWED by the greedy rich- thanks to silly Pub dupes. see sig pp1...

Feel free to leave the USA at any time......

 

[gwennie]

In a perfect world, Generals are trained for many years to manage military conflict and nothing more.
However, we do not live in a perfect world and since Vietnam Generals have tried their best to become politicians, the sad thing is they have succeeded at it.

It has nothing to do with it being a perfect world. The fact of the matter is that generals have been trained for years to manage military conflict and because of this they are the more capable of managing military matters, whereas politicians are not trained at all but assume the right to make military decisions. What's sad is not that military leaders run for office, though I certainly wouldn't advise it, but instead we have actors/actresses from Hollywood who now sit in Congress and act as Governors. Beyond stupid. And the media has made a complete mockery of our political system, as if it wasn't already bad enough. Yet the liberals think this is a great idea.....

Hilarious, considering the GOP is dedicated to a certain mediocre B actor/corporate shill...

And right now liberals are dedicated to a "president" who had no viable experience whatsoever that qualifies him to be president, who engages in political games so thoroughly corrupt that they make the republicans look like school girls, who allies himself with radicals who are out to destroy the American way of life, who spent 20 years in a church with a preacher who hates white people and encourages blacks to go out and commit acts of violence, who associates himself with "occupiers" that are mostly a bunch of criminals, who allows diplomats to die because it's politically expedient, who forces women to take the fall for him yet preaches about women's rights, who manipulates the black base of his party and offers them nothing more than lip service, etc..... Wanna go on and on about how Reagan was "greedy" or shall we go on and on about obama's pathetic and miserable excuse of a president that has done nothing but create the most divisive, racist, and violent presidency in history?????

 

[Desperado]

Service to country isn't a bad thing and people may actually learn something valuable. .

Never said it was a bad thing, you can learn a lot.
Im just opposed to a draft and forcing people to into military service.
Remember it is not 2 years either, it is eight-year service obligation.
2 years active duty
2 years active reserve and
4 years inactive reserve

The 8 year service obligation is for the voluntary military. I would imagine that it would be much shorter during a draft or mandatory service obligation. At least it was for Vietnam. The thread started with someone mentioning a 2 year mandatory service obligation....so go with that. Again, the liberals are doing many things to force people to do things in a way that they disagree with, so I'm not sure why they have a problem with others who would force them to do something they disagree with.

Im going with what it has been.
The service obligation has always been the same..... 8 years
For the most part it was 2 years active duty and the 2 years active reserve
was usually made inactive. Trust me on that, Im speaking from experience as I was drafted in 72.

 

[gwennie]

Never said it was a bad thing, you can learn a lot.
Im just opposed to a draft and forcing people to into military service.
Remember it is not 2 years either, it is eight-year service obligation.
2 years active duty
2 years active reserve and
4 years inactive reserve

The 8 year service obligation is for the voluntary military. I would imagine that it would be much shorter during a draft or mandatory service obligation. At least it was for Vietnam. The thread started with someone mentioning a 2 year mandatory service obligation....so go with that. Again, the liberals are doing many things to force people to do things in a way that they disagree with, so I'm not sure why they have a problem with others who would force them to do something they disagree with.

Im going with what it has been.
The service obligation has always been the same..... 8 years
For the most part it was 2 years active duty and the 2 years active reserve
was usually made inactive. Trust me on that, Im speaking from experience as I was drafted in 72.

Oh, I know. Now they are wanting 4 years active. Times change....