Argument Essay-Reinstating the Military Draft
In recent years, global events, combined with the policies of the current presidential administration, has prompted a huge resurgence in United States military intervention around the world. Subsequently, hundreds of thousands of enlisted men and women have been sent overseas for combat duty, many times in capacities for which they did not enlist, nor were they properly trained. For these and other reasons that I will soon present and substantiate, a valid argument can be made that the military draft should be reinstated.
First, let us revisit the question of armed services personnel being sent on international combat missions, for which they did not originally enlist. Granted, military service is not a routine occupation, but even so, people who agreed to National Guard service as a means of protecting their home state and neighborhood have been sent to places such as Iraq and Afghanistan and being slaughtered in huge numbers under false pretenses. Revisiting the other original statement of this argument, because many of these soldiers were not originally designated for this duty, they are ill trained and ill equipped for the duty, thereby setting themselves up to be murdered en masse. It is not unrealistic to call this a calculated human sacrifice, all good intentions aside. What is needed to stop this is a draft of people who will be properly trained and equipped for combat; people who can be qualified for the duty before they are placed into it, rather than sending the unready, unqualified and untrained, hoping for the best.
The draft should also be reinstated as a simple matter of fairness; documented sources clearly show that many who “voluntarily” join the armed services are the poor and uneducated who do so due to economic disadvantage, with the promise of bonus money, opportunity and job security (Rangel Introduces Bill to Reinstate Draft). What they actually get is a one way ticket to eternity, courtesy of the United States of America. Much like many of the menial jobs in America, the poor are sent to fight the battles of the rich, creating an unfair balance of responsibility. Regarding this imbalance in the military between the haves and have-nots, the draft must also be reinstated across the board, meaning no exemptions for college students or those with rich parents or political connections. Everyone who is physically able to fight must be called upon to do so (Koch). Regarding this removal of limitations on the draft is critically important, lest the draft once again target the poor, undereducated and underprivileged, once again protecting those with wealth and/or connections.
In closing, allow me to summarize the basis of this argument: an overall draft of every able-bodied American man and woman should be reinstated because of the fact that a disadvantaged segment of the population is at this point doing most of the fighting and dying, as the United States finds itself embroiled in combat in many different parts of the world. The move to reinstate the draft is supported by present and past political leaders (Rangel Introduces Bill to Reinstate Draft), (Koch), and no rational person can argue the need for this draft, as well as the fairness of an overhauled draft system. The present state of affairs in the world demands no less, and the protection of the American way of life deserves nothing but the best that can be given. Without a draft that incorporates equality into its policy, disaster is sure to ensue.
Outline
I. Background of the argument to reinstate the draft
A. Increased American military engagements worldwide necessitates more troops
B. The troops must be properly trained and skilled
II. Unfair deployment of national guard troops
A. These troops, while not having enlisted for international combat, are thrust into it
B. National guard troops are not properly trained/equipped for this duty
C. Unprepared and ill-equipped troops will be destroyed by the enemy
III. Inequality in the enlisted ranks
A. The poor and undereducated are often compelled to enlist as an economic necessity
B. The rich will hardly ever volunteer to enlist
IV. Argument for a “fair” overall draft
A. All eligible, able-bodied Americans should be eligible for the draft
B. No exemptions for college students, the rich and/or connected
V. Additional support for the argument for an equal draft
A. Supported by past and present government leaders
Works Cited
(Koch Noel Why We Need the Draft Back 1 July 2004)Koch, Noel. “Why We Need the Draft Back.” Washington Post [Washington DC] 1 July 2004: A23.
(Rangel Introduces Bill to Reinstate Draft 200318)Rangel Introduces Bill to Reinstate Draft. 8 Jan. 2003. CNN Online. 26 July 2006 <http://www.cnn.com>.
