There's been a lot of talk these days of reinstating the military draft here in the United States, with major news outlets (including Newsweek) polling the public and providing op-ed pieces on the subject. Proponents of the draft speak to a desire to right the wrongs of the Vietnam draft and the exceptions that were made for the priviledged, promising a more balanced program that will draw evenly from the population.

As soon as one sits down to figure out how to force citizens to fight wars, the first point of priority has to be deciding who will not be subject to the rules. Will we draft those who have fought and struggled over generations for equality, such as women, physically handicapped citizens, and homosexuals? To exclude these groups who, in their private lives, have contributed fully and wholeheartedly to society could be an irreparable mistake. On the other hand, to include a proportional amount of these populations can easily make our military look desparate in an age where public perception is as important as it has ever been.

The most significant problem with the draft is the draft itself. The concept itself can come across as an admission of defeat in the government's battle to win the hearts and minds of its own citizens. Where is the spirit of democracy in a plan that would legally force a society to fight battles they may not feel should be fought? This isn't a wholesale condemnation of the idea, just a strong disagreement with it.

In the days, weeks, months, and years following September 11, 2001, scores of Americans found themselves compelled to provide their minds and bodies to serve their government and its attempts to secure the interests of the U.S. against tyranny and terrorism. Our military was being stocked by a new "Coalition of the Willing" - volunteers. I truly believe that if the American people are educated on both sides of the issues our country is involved in, we will offer ourselves and our skills to assist in the conflicts we feel are most righteous.

With roughly 160,000 troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's difficult to avoid the question - "How many more do you want?" Maybe things have changed over the years, but I've found that people are a lot less inclined to give their all in work they're forced to do. The first time a child of a member of Congress is given an exception, there's going to be Hell to pay. Thing is, since Congress writes the laws, how many members do you think will allow their children to face the same fate as yours?

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