Bring Back The Draft?

I was reading an article, to which "www. military.com" had directed my attention, about bringing back the draft. The opening paragraphs follow:

WASHINGTON - Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 under a bill the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee says he will introduce next year.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

In a way I sympathize with the goals of the sponsors of this bill. I can see the point of there being less readiness to start a war if the military was picked from the population at large.

However I think the best bet for really controlling the urge to war for fun and profit would be to mandate the selection of politicians over 50 and their wives, sons, daughters, grandsons, grand-daughters etc., first.

Of course there is another alternative that has been suggested before: Only those that have served in the military, or similar capacity, could vote or hold office and that only after having completed their service. That should both reduce the political support for war and make sure that the military was not short of manpower. And frankly if the possibility were opened to everybody in what ever capacity of military or community service they were capable of, I see no ethical or 'democratic' problem with the concept.

If military and quasi-military organizations were developed to perform, or assist with, all sorts of general "community services" ( for example: nursing aides and orderlys, teachers assistants, environmental cleanup, simple home care for the elderly and disabled, etc) there would be plenty of work to go around for all those wishing to avail themselves of their political privileges and the services provided could greatly improve the life of the community as a whole.

I do not think that democracy and an all-professional military are compatible and I do not think that being alive is particularly sufficient qualification for the exercise of political power. And while I certainly do not condone limitations to political rights based on such irrelevancies as gender or skin color or even age, I do think that it is reasonable to require a certain level of demonstrated commitment to the society that one wishes to exercise control in. A couple of years service to the society at "room and board and a little spending money" levels of reimbursement would be a good method of demonstrating that commitment.