Will The U.S. Bring Back The Draft?

Gen. Gus Perna, commander of Army Materiel Command, administers the oath of enlistment to 27 future Soldiers during the 2019 AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exposition ROTC/Future Soldiers luncheon, March 28. (U.S. Army/Richard Bumgardner, USASAC Public Affairs)

Military.com: Bringing Back the Draft: 5 Possibilities for the Future of Military Conscription

Late in the evening on Jan. 2, as Americans contemplated a return to work after the New Year holiday, shocking news began to ricochet across the internet: The United States had conducted a deadly drone strike on Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, one of that country's most esteemed military officers. Suddenly, the U.S. appeared to be on a war footing with a sovereign nation, one with nuclear aspirations.

As whispers of a possible World War III gained viral speed, something unexpected happened: The nation's attention turned to a small federal institution that has been little more than a historical footnote since the end of the Vietnam War. Google search traffic for "the draft" reached its highest levels since at least 2004; the U.S. Selective Service System's website, which officials say was undergoing maintenance at the time, slowed nearly to a halt as panicked visitors flooded in. In the days that followed, the U.S. Army was forced to issue an announcement combating a malicious hoax. No, officials said: We will not conscript you and order you off to basic training via text message.

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WNU Editor: I do not think bringing back the draft is the priority of the U.S. government right now. But when this pandemic is over I do foresee severe economic times and a geopolitical situation that will be extremely tense. In this environment some countries will be testing what they can get away with, and the usual response will be to show a sign of military force to dissuade an aggressor nation. Will the U.S. have the means to project this force, for now I will say yes. But I would still keep all options, including the draft, on the table.