of course I appreciate their sacrifice. But... and it's fine if you disagree with me - do you honestly believe that every war the US has been involved in has been to defend our homeland? For example, Gulf War I. We majorly kicked butt, but, was freeing Kuwait worth OUR going to war? When did we become the world's peacekeepers? It seemed to start with Teddy Roosevelt. What was the national security purpose of the Spanish-American War? Sure, it got us the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii but it also set a precedent.

And, maybe you don't like the fact that I care about young men (and women) and don't want their lives to be sacrificed unless it's necessary to actually protect our country and our freedoms. Going to war for "glory" or to line the pockets of various corporations is not worth it, IMHO. Too many widows and orphans left behind, and grieving mothers and fathers as well as the lives cut short. Some wars are worth it but not all of them have been. Our country should value the sacrifices of our military and not waste their lives unless it's actually necessary. JMHO

One piece of hypocrisy that truly hacked me off - during Vietnam it seemed that only certain families had sons drafted. If your Daddy was a Senator - you got to serve at home or an exemption was found. One reason I respected JFK - he actually served in the military. So did a lot of the old Hollywood types like Jimmy Stewart.

And... while I get it if an 18 year old WANTS to volunteer for the service but... if he or she can't legally drink alcohol, why are we drafting them? Either lower the drinking age back to 18 or raise the draft age. Again, seems hypocritical to say - you're not old enough to responsibly drink but you are old enough to potentially be forced into a situation where you might die.