Upon reading Eddie’s remarks, I have concluded that he is not a principled person. I am wondering if a dog poops in his yard and city ordinance requires him to clean it up if he will fight city hall or clean up the mess? His comment that he is willing to ‘volunteer’ his service for cause yet if ordered or otherwise conscripted to fight for the same cause he is not willing to fight. The cause is as it is without respect to how it landed in his lap. He should rise to the occasion.

The Draft is necessary. As our nation enters a war many decisions are made based on the scope and scale of the national crisis at hand. Increasing levels of response and readiness are defined as Defense Conditions or DEFCON’s. The DEFCON converts a peacetime economy into a wartime response. Also part of the Defense Conditions are mobilizations such as partial and total mobilization. The draft would most likely be necessary in a total mobilization. With a total mobilization our entire economy is converted to fight the war as we saw in World War II.

Eddie’s remarks about corporate America are disheartening because corporate America is a weapon in itself that the US is employing improve the quality of life for all. These trade agreements encourage corporate America to expand into new markets. People desire products and get jobs. Their quality of life improves. At times we have to defend these interest militarily. His disparaging remarks about the rich are even more disheartening because the ability to become one of the rich is open to him.

In the grander scope of life, mankind has always splintered. With each splintering there is advancement of humankind. The formation of civilization, religion, Governments, economies, etc… The last major splintering was when Dutch settlers came to America and a new form of Government was founded. The longest standing form of Government on the Earth ever, The United States of America. Over the years we have been maturing. Vietnam was more like our adolescence as we came into a new world. Today, our leadership is stronger and more learned. We are environmentally conscious and our corporations are more socially responsible. Our citizens enjoy a stronger sense of freedoms than before and each citizen is obligated to give back for future generations.

But that is not all, mankind’s next splintering has begun. We are splintering to outerspace. This will force us to live together in ways we never have before. Political and religious boundaries will crumble. Wars will diminish as we become more alike. Look around the world. People in gowns are now wearing business suits. They are speaking our language and desiring the same as we desire - peace. Instead of putting your resources and energy in to opposing our way of life - defend it. If that is in a non-violent way so be it but defend this country. Greenpeace and the War Resistors League are not productive ways of defending our way of life. You can work to advance environmentally safe products, alternate forms of energy, better quality of life, etc… Do this by forming your own company or becoming educated in a scientific manner advancing our next splintering. Help crumble those boundaries. Pursue your heart but give back to this country in a positive way and defend our way of life with all your heart. The Unites Of America is making changes that are for the better in this world and you should be a positive contribution our efforts.

I am a Naval Officer and work in a Joint Crisis Action Center that responds to military and humanitarian threats. We fight a multi-dimensional war meaning we fight not only using conventional warfighting tactics but also on economical, psychological, and humanitarian levels as well. I am educated on our doctrine. It is the best in the world.

Thank you for your regard to keep me alive but my job is not to die for my country. It is to get the other bastard to die for his country or cause.

Sincerely,

Jim Bogden