Registration should be abolished

HE SAYS

Registering with Selective Service System for the draft last fall was uneventful and seemed deceptively unimportant.

I logged onto the Web site, filled in my data, and bam! I was now officially registered. I have "consented" to be thrown into a uniform, shipped across the world and hurled into any war the president supports.

Don't get me wrong: I do think that people should give back to America, but I am not sure that the draft in today's world is effective or essential-- becoming a soldier for your country is not the only way to support the nation. In an age of smaller-scale conflicts that demand expertise and special operations, drafting inexperienced "average Joes" seems ludicrous. The chance that our nation would need massive numbers of soldiers for a conventional conflict seems slim. With new smart bombs, long-range cruise missiles, and unpiloted, remote-control planes, the need for drafted soldiers seems to be nonexistent.

I think registering for the draft should be abolished, making an actual draft more difficult and less-likely. If there ever came a time when we absolutely needed soldiers, Congress should create appropriate legislation for that specific situation, or simply urge citizens to enlist voluntarily. This way, there are more checks against rushing into war.

And if the draft is absolutely necessary, it should be as equitable as possible. Women and men should both have equal chance at being called up. Rich, well-connected families should not be able to gain exemptions for their children. Wars should not be fought primarily by the poor.

Although it's easy to write-off as ordinary, registering for the draft should be an important reflection. Teens need to realize what registering really entails and that every plan for their future could be changed in an instant. The draft should always be seen as a last resort -- a necessary evil, not a primary weapon.

MEMO: See 2 related stories under the headlines: 1. National service. 2. Draft should treat men, women equally.

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