Stars and Stripes letters: Bring back the draft/WMD no joking matter

[lebkuchen]

Bring back the draft

I’m wondering why units are redeploying to Iraq again within six or seven months after coming home from their tours. The military is understrength and something needs to be done about it!

The military was downsized because someone felt we didn’t need as many servicemembers in our military. That’s a joke. We need more servicemembers now than we have for the past 30 years because they are spread out everywhere. God forbid another country has problems and we step in to help. Where are those troops going to come from?

Months ago, someone up in the big house mentioned reinstating the draft and it was shot down. It was said that we’ve had a voluntary military for 30 years. What difference does that make? We need more servicemembers, and we need them now. Troops are being deployed for 12 long months, and someone seems to think that being back with families or originating stations for six or seven months is enough time for recuperation. These same units are then being redeployed back out. We’re also keeping men and women in the military past their enlistments to try to keep the number of servicemembers that we do have.

We need to reinstate the draft. Why? Plain and simple, we need more troops! I know that reinstating the draft would affect a lot of families, including mine. But apparently we have no other answer. We’re not getting all the help that we asked for from other countries. I applaud the countries that have helped. But apparently it still isn’t enough.

From what I understand, our military is planning on being in Iraq at least until 2006 or longer. Are these same servicemembers going to be redeployed over and over and over again because we don’t have enough? We’re all sacrificing so much, and a lot of servicemembers are complaining about their situations. But nevertheless, they’re still sacrificing. We should let them complain about their situations. They have every right. They’re still doing what they were sent out to do. And the sad thing about it is that the one person who said at the beginning of it all that we will need to sacrifice is not sacrificing anything at all, except maybe some sleep.

I’m so very proud of all the servicemembers who are sacrificing to do what they were sent out to do. I appreciate what they do so much.

Betty J. Russell
Fort Riley, Kan.


WMD is no joking matter

This letter goes out to the men and women of the American armed forces. Not only did our commander in chief send them on a wild goose chase for weapons of mass destruction, he now thinks it’s OK to use their efforts in a joking manner.

We frequently hear our commander in chief say “support our troops,” and he did just that recently by making five variations of WMD jokes. I bet those jokes really hit home for the family members and friends of the almost 600 dead servicemembers and more than 3,000 wounded in the Iraq war.

Voters should show the commander in chief that the joke is on him in November. President Bush should be shown the support that he’s shown the U.S. armed forces.

Gabriel Rodriguez
Yokosuka, Japan


http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=21362

[bluestateguy]

1. Ms. Russell can send her own kids or grandkids

I almost wish I was still of draft age when the draft was reinstituted so I could take the draft notice, wipe my ass with it, and flush it down the toilet.

[drhilarius]

2. I support the draft....

...if you supported the war. I mean, if you were so gung ho about sending other people's children off to die, then you shouldn't have a problem sending your own.

[lebkuchen]

3. The writer from Ft. Riley, Kansas likely has a husband or child there

right now or who is coming back or who is already dead.

There are many troops who realize they're in a mess, and they need our help. They are e-mailing family, the media, and free-lance writers sympathetic to their quagmire-like situation to "spread the word."

http://www.riley.army.mil/view/article.asp?id=713-2004-04-01-41786-53

Five Fort Riley Soldiers Killed in Iraq

Five Fort Riley Soldiers serving with the First Marine Expeditionary Force were killed as a result of enemy action in the Al Anbar province March 31, while conducting security and stability operations.

[Union Thug]

4. I support the draft.. but...

...only as it will be applied to those with the most to fight for. As such, the poorest people and their families will be excluded, but the children of the rich and powerful will almost certainly be forced into the military.

He who has the most to lose has more interest in the fight, after all. Let those who benefit the most do the fighting.