Is it ethical for a country to draft people into their military?

Oh, I agree but the Pentagon could resume tomorrow. This is yet another example why we need a Con-con, Constitutional Convention. There are so many abuses of power and of course those in power try to keep us feeling helpless...

Many of the checks and balances are gone. How can anyone justify that the legislature enacts mandatory sentences, when sentencing is the job of the judiciary, or that there are executive orders that take the job of the Congress away? This from a lifelong ultra-liberal! I can only imagine the conservative take -- we HAD to do this because ... yadda, yadda, yadda!

You remember Bob Hope? My favorite joke of his goes like this? Have you ever wondered why we don't have a one party system? Pause... Because no single party can fool all the people all the time! (Laugh) The parallels what Geo. Washington wrote in discouragment in his second term, that was essentially a resignation, but called the Farewell Address: (I'll paraphrase) People! If you value your freedom, do not trust a two-party system. It is susceptible to corruption, domestically, and internationally, by clever minds. Your freedom will be compromised or destroyed. As we keep doing bailouts and increase the debt, we ARE less free. Joanne. Don't you get it? Liberal/conservative, Wig/tory. The Brits had perfected the two-party system scan a hundred years before the US revolution. Even the revolution was a sham! I will not deny you your beliefs but they are framed inside of a contrived system. It's the Empire... Right now, we peons are being roughed up and one way or another, the Big Boys intend to keep bullying us into protecting the wealth of the few of the Empire... In the Big picture, Freedom and diversity through the theoretical system called pluralism is our only home. Freedom does not come in two forms, it has many, many forms.

No. It has the full power of the Pentagon sitting with the finger on the trigger or an Executive Order...

the USA still forces young men, at the age of 18, to fill out a "draft card" so that they can be drafted if the governemnt deems it necessary. the government can draft people, it just has chosen not to at this point. that could change at any minute. we still have the draft, it's just not currently in use........kinda like my broken washing machine.

Well, that was clear. To anyone who served, Welcome home. I think our system is very flawed because the draft IS an option. As I read the Constitution and Amendments the draft should be unconstitutional. This is another of those example of abuse of power that could be fixed with a Con-con (Constitutional Convention). Thank you for responding.

Are you sure? Did you Aussies actually declare equality through law? If so, I am impressed!

The header for this discussion, Is it ethical for a country to draft people into their military? Well... You did not answer this question. Your page says you are from the Philippines. What this about "converted?" That term is usually applied to switching from one religious faith to another... Thank you for posting.

We have similar beliefs. I looked at your profile which says you have a USA address. We are promised to freedom and the right to pursue our happiness. Our draft laws should be unconstitutional since the draft strips a segment of their freedom. Since the courts uphold the draft, we need a Constitutional Convention to aggressively end the many abuses of power including this one. I would favor the convention passing single point proposed amendments to be sent back to the States to be ratified as were the original Bill of Rights. I was not drafted but did enlist for the Vietnam war, by the way. Those 4 years taught me a lot.

A draft is not your leaders asking. It is forcing people generally with at least jail time for those who refuse. I am a strong advocate of an all volunteer army and police force. I am also terrified that we are moving toward WWIII. As a species we must find a way soon to outlaw war or we will very badly damage our precious planet.