Mark Roberts [01/22/2003]

To the editor:It is funny how the left wing media and liberals themselves chant about the ability for a draft to take place. They would like to tell you that there aren't enough fine men and women in the military to face the threats our nation might have to face. I would agree with them, however the U.S. military has other hardware than the M-16, these come in form of tanks, bombers, fighters, cruise missiles, and helicopters. These are what the military terms as "force-multipliers." These are the pieces of equipment which keep our country free and our people in the military safe and living. Make no mistake about it, the more technologically advanced we become, the better our chances are of fighting multiple-front wars and being victorious. I think it is amazing that Clinton can send our troops into harm's way all throughout his eight years as president and no one gives it a second thought. I think the numbers show that more American military personnel died in the eight years of "peace" under Clinton than in the war on terror. There was Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Albania, Iraq, terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The military has the best and brightest joining it. There is no need for a draft. The military would rather have 50 determined people than 500 non-willing draftees. The talk of a draft is only a throwback to those ancient Vietnam war protesters. And it will continue to be talked about by uninformed, number-driven analysts. I remember Iraq had the fourth largest army in the world in 1991 yet it only withstood our military, which is one of the smaller armies in the world, for 100 hours (About four days). Susan Bruce's calling of Bush, Cheyenne and Rush Limbaugh to put on a uniform and serve(Column, Jan. 3, 2003) is merely an attempt to discredit people. Nothing in the Constitution says you must serve and I fail to see the validity in having them serve, what is her point? Is she trying to call for a military comprised of middle-aged people? Is she trying to say that their lack of serving in war is proof that they don't know what they are talking about? What is the point Susan? Plenty of people, including you, haven't served and have little to no actual knowledge on the military. So in order for you talk of peace using you own logic shouldn't you have to experience war? The draft will never happen again. If it does, you will see the military fall into disarray and those that serve unwillingly will discredit what this great nation's military accomplishes every day and that is freedom justice and the American way. The war on terror is not about selfishness. It is the preservation of our freedoms such as the one we take part in every day, the First Amendment.