The American Prospect
by Robert B. Reich

11/28/05

The War in Iraq may end sooner rather than later – not because prominent congressmen or military experts say we should get out, and not because the American public is losing patience. It will end relatively soon because we can't afford the price tag of recruiting enough soldiers to fight it. Our soldiers comprise what's called an 'all-volunteer' army. But the job of soldiering is 'voluntary' the same way any paid job is voluntary. You're not forced to do it. You're paid to do it. Since Richard Nixon ended the draft in 1973, most of the people who join the military do so because it's the most attractive job available to them. Some are motivated by patriotism, of course, but let's not kid ourselves. People facing a choice between a job in the private sector that's near home and safe, and one in the military that's thousands of miles away and may not be safe, will choose to remain civilians -- unless the military job pays more. And for any given age and level of education, it does...

http://www.prospect.org/web/view-web.ww?id=10665


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp