Monday, August 09, 2004
Who needs draft?
Michael Moore and the Democratic Party might be demoralised by the war in Iraq, but fortunately young Americans aren't:
(Hat tip: Tanker Schreiber)
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"Whether for patriotism, adventure or economic opportunity, recruits are streaming into Fort Benning, Ga., this summer for infantry training and a frontline role in the war on terrorism.It seems that America spontaneously wants to expand its armed forces - let's hope the Congress can provide resources, and Pentagon the sensible guidance on the best use.
"Even as news outlets emphasize the chaos and casualties of Iraq, and a divided U.S. citizenry debates the wisdom of the war there, the Infantry Training Brigade at Benning is flush with volunteers, many of whom can expect to face combat in the coming months or years...
"The Infantry Training Brigade at Benning has grown from 24 companies to 30 since spring, and will reach 37 companies by December. The increase in training capacity will be enough to produce 10,500 more infantrymen a year, atop the current annual average of 14,000."
"Lt. Col. Allen Smith, deputy commander of the Infantry Training Brigade, said in a phone interview that the courage of these young men, arriving in groups of 220 almost every Friday, will compare well, in time, to the celebrated, draft-induced 'Greatest Generation' of World War II.Well, I'm sure we can offer a few suggestions: fighting Islamo-fascism, or helping the spread of democracy and liberty to parts of the world which haven't quite experienced them yet.
"Despite the dangers and hardships of Iraq and Afghanistan, Smith said, 'We still see a very dedicated young man [enlisting] to serve his country. Tom Brokaw wrote the book about The Greatest Generation. We say, well, this generation has a lot [too]. It’s just that history hasn’t identified yet what this generation is going to do'."
(Hat tip: Tanker Schreiber)
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