On the Brink?

Is it just me, or does anyone else sense that the world may be on the brink of a third world war?

Consider, if you will, Lebanon’s reeling from Israel’s merciless, yet justified, attack against the Islamist terrorist organization, Hezbollah, which controls the southern half of that war torn country.   Add into the stew, Iran, under der Führer, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has pledged to wipe Israel off the map and who likely has an elite Iranian fighting force of in Lebanon. Couple that with the continued insurgency in Iraq, the resurgence of the Taliban forces in Afghanistan.  And all the while, never forget our little friends inhabiting the northern half of the Korean peninsula, not to mention the Castro wannabe, Hugo Chavez, in Venezuela.

Perhaps more than ever before, we stand on the precipice of becoming militarily engaged in a global struggle.  The question that concerns me is… “Are we up to the task?”

The answer is two fold.

If we are talking about military manpower, the answer, right now, is a resounding “no!”

Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld has been quite successful in implementing his “leaner, meaner, more mobile fighting machine” theory as applied to the armed forces of the United States.  As a consequence, we have a standing army of less than a million.  These are supported by a combined Reserve and National Guard component of about one million.  While my figures may not be right to the number, the actual “combat” element is about 600,000 worldwide.  Add in another 100,000 Marines and that constitutes our current on-the-ground fighting force.

Of that force, a significant number have already served one, two, and (in some cases) three tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, or a combination of the two.  They are tired!

As much as it galls me, the United States may need to take a serious look at the resumption of conscription or “the draft.”  If such a step is necessary, all sorts of question will come into play.

Will the draft be universal? 

Will there be deferments, after the order of those in the Vietnam Era?

Will the draft be gender neutral…in other words, will females be drafted?

Will the draft be inclusive...in other words, will gays and politicians be drafted?

What will the duration of the term of service…2 years, 6 years, duration of the war plus 6 months?

There is another option, and we have the munitions and technology to make use of it, but it is an awesome, fearful, and evil thing.  I am talking about the use of “tactical nuclear” weaponry.  Such warfare would enable a small force to engage and destroy much larger forces, but the collateral damage (civilian deaths) would be enormous.

I don’t know what President Bush and Secretary Rumsfeld have in mind, if the worse case scenario develops.  I lost confidence in the both of them quite sometime ago, but I just don’t believe there is time to wait until the election of a new President in 2008 before dealing with this situation.  Consequently, we must rally behind the President’s decision and support the courage of our troops in this fateful hour.