A Way to Put the U.S. Back Together Again

In South Korea, all qualified young men have to do a term of military service. The same is true in Taiwan and in Israel even women serve. In Germany, military service was mandatory until 2011, and in France until 2001. The U.S. has never made all young people do time in the armed forces, but a few leaders, including Congressman Charles Rangel and Senator Chris Dodd, have supported the idea. This idea deserves serious consideration.

At first glance, national service would seem like a bad fit for the U.S. The country has no nearby enemies that threaten to invade. Also, the U.S. has traditionally had a more-or-less libertarian ethos that views the draft with distaste -- economist and libertarian advocate Milton Friedman called the Vietnam-era military an “army of slaves.”