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Hypothetical Cowardice?

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We must treat real threats realistically. 

But what to do with bizarrely hypothetical ones?

Last week, former Congressman Joe Heck (R-Nev.), chairman of the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service, addressed witnesses at a hearing in Washington: “So I want to pose a hypothetical scenario and ask your response.”

“We are in the Red Dawn scenario being attacked from both Canada and Mexico,” he related. “There is no Selective Service System. The All Volunteer Force is insufficient. There’s been a presidential and congressional call for volunteers, for people to step up. However, the response has not been enough to meet the threat, the actual threat to our homeland.” 

“How would you propose to meet the demand?” inquired the chairman.

Seriously? We must prepare for military conscription because of the likelihood that Canada and Mexico will launch a joint invasion?

Leaving one ridiculous supposition, during the public comment period, I confronted the other: hypothetical American cowardice.

“This is really all about trust,” I told the commission.

“Do you trust the American people to step up in times of crisis — from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 — or do you not? I submit that all evidence points to the fact that they will, because they have

“Or should we trust Congress with the awesome power to take our sons and daughters away because they choose to, because there’s a ‘big emergency’ or maybe just because we figure it will help with ‘social cohesion’? I submit that all evidence points to the fact that we cannot trust Congress.”

I urged commissioners “to tell Congress: trust the American people — end draft registration, don’t extend it to women, and do not force any sort of national service.”

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.


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Congressman Joe Heck, draft, selective service, volunteers, national service

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8 replies on “Hypothetical Cowardice?”

I must note that WWII occurred before several generations of Americans had been indoctrinated to hate their own country, and see it as the cause of harm in the world.

But the response to subsequent threats, even non-threats, has been clear and strong. It demonstrates that indoctrination has been as unsuccessful as many of their other propaganda efforts.

My biggest concern is citizens willingness to fight wars that we should not be. Of course, giving politicians more control to take our young men and women into conscription is not the answer to that problem.

I am sure that one of the millions of WWII draftees or thousands of deserters would have been happy to have had Paul Jacob bravely volunteer to take his place.

Mr. Jacob,

You continually mention Pearl Harbor and we didn’t need a draft. The figures that I found showed that during WW II 60% of American GIs were draftees. We couldn’t have won the war without a draft.

In the United States an (est’d) 120 million people own an (est’d) 350 million guns and (est’d) 300 Billion rounds of ammunition. I challenge anyone who suggests a ‘Red Dawn’ scenario is even possible to name any General who would like to lead the charge.

In this country, about 15 million hunting lcenses are issued every year. They are issued to people who presumably have items of military utility — scoped rifles, camouflage clothing, survival gear — and who are adept are moving stealthily through wilderness for the purpose of making one-shot kills at hundreds of meters distance. We sometimes call such people ‘snipers’, and we have 15 million of them. ’15 million’ is more than the six largest armies (including ours) in the world — comnined.

Tell your general staff “We’re invading America on Monday” and watch every last one of them turn in their stars.

One of the millions of draftees or deserters in WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam might have been glad to have Paul Jacob volunteer to take his place. But what do I know? I’m just a guy who was there.

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