To the Editor:
Paul Kane suggests the possibility of mandatory national service for all Americans at age 18, including compulsory military service. This is a dangerous proposition at a time when we should be redefining our national priorities and our international image.
To increase the size of our military—already the second largest in the world—would be perceived as a sign of aggression and a continuation of the militaristic policies that led to much of the hostility toward the United States.
In addition, this proposal would further handicap the United States in our production of educated workers. Delaying higher education can only make worse the dearth of Americans qualified for high-level positions, increasing the outsourcing of these jobs.
Our human capital would be better served by investing in education than by dedicating millions of youths to military service.
While a spirit of volunteerism and service to the community and nation should be fostered, a policy of mandatory service—military or otherwise—would only serve to weaken our country at home and abroad.
Daniel Getler
Brooklyn, April 21, 2009
Note from KBJ: The following paragraph from Paul Kane's op-ed column is shocking:
War is no longer made up of set-piece battles between huge armies confronting each other with tanks and airplanes. As we move toward a greater emphasis on rapid-response troops, the Army has tightened its physical fitness regime and the Marine Corps has introduced a physically grueling Combat Fitness Test for all members. Yet an Air Force study last year found that more than half of airmen and women were overweight and 12 percent were obese.
So much for military discipline.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 