Friday, April 24, 2009

Blog #12 - Pick one of the 2 questions -

Pick one of the following questions below:

All week we have been talking about comparisons between the Vietnam War and the Iraq War. One of the issues has been about chemical weapons:

1. Agent Orange was used to destroy the foliage of Vietnam - 30% of the country - an area about the size of Massachusetts. Also, napalm was used to destroy and burn down the same jungles made almost 3 million Vietnamese refugees. AO caused cancer in American veterans and Vietnamese civilians as well as birth defects in their children.

- So my question for you (if you choose this one) is: is the use of chemical weapons ever appropriate? Does it depend on what kind and why they're used? Why?



2. The draft was used during the Civil War, WW1, WW2 and all the way through Vietnam. When enough volunteers weren't found, the government had to come through with a draft. Since the Iraq War began in 2003, a couple of Congressmen wrote a bill calling for an equitable draft that would eliminate many of the Vietnam-era inequalities (college, medical, deferments, Canada, National Guard, etc.) and included men and women.

- Question - Would you fight in the Iraq War if you were drafted? Why or why not? Are there any conditions under which you would / wouldn't fight if drafted? Explain .


200 words minimum. Due Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

44 comments:

Chris Webberly said...

2. The Draft

If I was drafted to fight in the war, I would go considering the following conditions; 1. How dangerous my job as a soldier would be. 2. What I was originally expecting in my near future when it comes to my career before I was drafted. And 3. How much I would be getting paid.

Overall, I would most likely not go to war because I am too young of a kid and have too much of a future to waste it at war in Iraq.

Lisa Surnow fifth said...

Chemical:
When fighting in a war, countries always seem to bring chemical and sometimes nuclear weapons into the picture. I think that the uses of these types of things are completely unnecessary. One reason why they are the wrong approach when it comes to war, is the time and money that are put into making these types of weapons. When it finally comes down it, it seems that a country never really does use them. Weapons like Agent Orange were used when things got really bad and the United States wasn’t able to tell which person was for them or against them. Also, when using this type of defense, it doesn’t just kill off the bad guys but also people that are innocent bystanders waiting for the war to be over. In Vietnam, millions of people suffered from Agent Orange when they weren’t even involved in Viet Cong to begin with. If violence is needed to solve a problem, I think that a gun should be used because the soldier knows what the specific target is that they’re shooting at and are able to preserve the environment unlike a chemical weapon that can effect peoples homes and their entire living environment even when they did nothing wrong.

Anonymous said...

If I was drafted into the Iraq war I wouldn’t fight. I wouldn’t fight because I believe that I can contribute to society. Being drafted into the Iraq war would limit my abilities to achieve my goals that I want to accomplish. What I would like to contribute to the world is my music. If I am drafted I would not be able to write as many songs as I possibly could. Even though Elvis was drafted he put out many hits, although if he wasn’t drafted I am positive he could have made two whole records that could have been amazing. The only way that I would fight is if the entire world was in jeopardy. Then I would feel like myself fighting in the situation that involved the worlds existence would overcome my accomplishments that I could achieve with my music career. I would also fight if we had found alien life and found out that they were in fact evil. I would fight that because that would be super cool, kinda like that movie Independence Day.
Ryan St. John

Jake Prosyniuk 2nd Hour said...

At this point in the Iraq War, I would not fight. I would not see the point in fighting, and I am already against what we are doing over there. I think the whole war was a bad idea, since we did not plan past dethroning Saddam, and were not prepared to handle the after-effects of our destruction. I think we were out of place to go into another country and take their leader out of power and put any organization in the country to ruin. The only way I would fight if I was drafted would be if there was an imminent attack on our nation on the horizon, I would fight to defend the freedom I have to choose whether I want to fight or not. The other way I would fight if I was drafted is if the risk of nuclear war was high, I would want to do all I could do stop it. I don’t think either of these risks were present with Saddam in power in Iraq, so I don’t see a point in joining the fight. I’m sick of the war, and I think we should have left long ago, or not have gone into Iraq at all.

Anonymous said...

If I was drafted in the Iraq War I do no think that I would go to fight. I think that the Iraq war has been going on way to long. I think that the drafting idea is not right and unfair. I would not go one because the war is very dangerous and you can get drafted at any age. Two because you could die at any time and not even expect it. And three I have much bigger and better dreams then going to fight in a war where I could be killed at any time. I understand that I would be fighting for my country but I would not sacrifice my life to do this. This war has been going on for almost 10 years and I think that is ridicules. I do not think that for an circumstance I would even consider going to fight in the war because of all the damage it does to your body or the fact of thinking that I could possibly get killed. The people that go to fight in the war are very brave and have a lot of support for their country and I do also but I don’t think that I am willing to sacrifice my lie for it.

Amanda S.

gauri gupta said...

According to me the use of chemical in wars in not justified. No matter what kind of warfare it is chemical weapons should not be used. Also there should not be any kind of chemicals used, severe or mild. The use of tear gas is also not acceptable. The use of Agent Orange was just terrible. It left the people of Vietnam having cancer and many other diseases. Also our own veterans suffer from diseases like cancer. It has had nothing but devastating effects. The use had not only the short term effects but also the long term effects. People in Vietnam are still born with defects. These defects are hereditary and cannot be cured. The chemical use has caused widespread destruction to land and human. I would say that this kind of warfare is just inhuman and unnecessary. No justification can prove the use right.
gauri gupta
3rd hour

Allison woodberg (5th hour) said...

If I was drafted to fight in the Iraq war I would fight only under certain conditions. If there was an easy way to get out of it that would be my first choice, because I have many other things that I want to accomplish in my life. Being drafted would throw all of my plans completely off course, so I would prefer not to be in the war. If I had to, I would consider being in the army only if I didn’t have to fight, if I was cooking or maybe nursing I would be more likely to agree to go, but I would still need to be in a place with better conditions. If I was in a place without clean running water, or living in other tough conditions I for sure would not be okay with being in the war. Aside from the fact that I do not want to fight or be in those living conditions, I do not agree with many aspects of this war, so it would be suffering for something I do not believe is right. I feel that the draft is unfair to people, when many don’t want to fight, and others may not agree with the war.

Anonymous said...

CHANEL JOHNSON

Would you fight in the Iraq War if you were drafted? Why or why not? Are there any conditions under which you would / wouldn't fight if drafted? Explain .

If i was to be drafted in the war I would not fight. I would not fight because it would be very dangerous and i feel that i wouldnt survive. There are alternatives to helping in the war but being drafted to fight would not be one that i would consider for myself. Not having an option to be drafted into the war is unconstitutional because people should have has their right back then to do whatever they pleased to do with their life. I like my country and all but i do not think that i am as brave as others to put my life in jepardy for it when i could be doing things to beneifit myself or doing other things to just HELP those who decided to fight.

Sam s 5th hour said...

I probly wouldn’t fight in the Iraq war if I was drafted because I feel that men should have to go to war but women should have the option to go. I feel that women should not have to fight I don’t think that they aren’t capable of fighting I just think that they have other things to do like tending the house and taking care of their children. If I had to go to war and it was not an option for me I probly would work behind the scenes as a cook or some other job rather then fight because I don’t think that it would be safe for me to fight. I believe that there are other and better ways I can contribute to society rather then fight and possibly die.

Tim T. said...

There is a right why and time to use chemical weapons. In the Vietnam War it was the right time to use chemical weapons. North Vietnam was not a big industrial country. They used chemical weapons because the South Vietnam and Vietcong would go hide in the forest. The only way to flush them out is to burn them out or destroy the forest. They used the napalm to set fire to the forest and would use Agent Orange. This was a smart idea because if they sent troops into the forest we would have more soldiers died and more people would hate the war. You must remember that the rebels used a tactic that the U.S has never seen before, and it was gorilla style war fair. The rebels knew the country so well that they used that to there advantage. They would hide in bunkers and in hole just waiting for the U.S to come. None of the soldiers liked going into the forest because that is were the rebels were the best. The Chemical weapons were justified. Why would we care that we destroyed the forest and crops? We shouldn’t care they killed, scared, and tortured the soldier in the most brutal way. The military should use chemical weapons more because even though we lost that war it was not the chemical weapons fault, the weapons helped. You can say we could use them now in the Iraq War and in wars to come.

Allison Smart said...

I don’t believe that the use of chemical Weapons was appropriate in the Vietnam War. The chemicals destroyed many people’s lives and their land. We had no right to destroy their health and country if in the end we were trying to save it. The chemicals not only caused health problems in the Vietnamese people but in out own US soldiers. Another thing is that we were trying to stop communism from spreading. Not all of the Vietnamese people were communist. Since we didn’t know who were with us or who was against us we were killing innocent people by spraying Chemical Weapons. If we were to use a chemical that was useful to us but not deadly then I think it would be ok to use them. If we were to use them in a major war like WWII it would be ok. We were trying to overthrow a dictator not save an entire country from communism. There is a big difference if you want to establish order or if you just want someone out of power. In the case of Vietnam I don’t think that we should have used the weapons since we were trying to protect the people.

Allison Smart
5th hour

Evan Fried said...

2. The Draft

If I were drafted to the Army then of course I would fight. If there was a legal way out sitting right in my lap then I wouldn’t go. I would fight because obviously it’s my duty to go fight for my country. Do I believe in war? No. But I’m still supposed to go out there and support the troops and help fight. There aren’t really any conditions that I would go fight under. I could probably have a hole in my heart and the army would still take me, but the only realistic conditions of me not going are not being physically able to go or if I was emotionally unstable. I would not ask for these conditions but I’d love to go fight under the conditions I don’t see battle, or I just stay at some base in the U.S doing nothing. But in reality if for some reason we get in a war that’s big enough to require a draft and I get drafted I’m going to fight, I have no good reason not to. On the topic of inequalities I think that being rich and being in college shouldn’t make a difference in whether you go or not. But if your in the national guard you should not have to go to war, you already have a big responsibility with being in the national guard.
-Evan Fried

Anonymous said...

when in vietnam we used the chemcial weapon, Agent orange was unessicary. Agent orange killed the vegition and caused a lot of birth defects and cancer in humans. Chemical weapons cause so many problems for the land and the people who come in contact with it.
It doesnt matter what kind of chemcial weapons you use cause all of them causes problems who ever comes in contact with it. Using chemical weapons will kill not only the person we are fighting against but civilians that did nothing wrong and there getting killed.
Kyle DeWald

Danielle Madgy said...

Being drafted into the war doesn't seem like the right way to get people to fight. For all that training you have to do, it doesn't seem worth it. If you don't want to fight for your country I don't think the governemtn should make you. If I was drafted to fight in the war I wouldn't do it. I give thanks to the people that are brave enough to go fight, but I am not one of those people. If I had to go fight, the only condition would be if the war was brought over here. Since I am so terrified of that; I would go fight to keep everything safe here in the U.S. There are people who do not support the war I also don't think the governemnt should make them fight. Since Another reason I wouldn't fight is because I do not support the war. There is not much anyone can do, unless you want to start the same thing that happened at the convention we just learned about(Vietnam).

Donavin Camarata 5th hour said...

The use of chemical weapons is NEVER appropriate. Chemical weapons are never appropriate because their initial purpose is to harm the enemy, but because these chemicals are not controllable(once released) they harm more than just the targeted enemy, which now includes the environment and innocent civilians. It generally doesn’t matter what kind of chemical weapons, cause most chemical weapons just do the same thing which kill or harm anything in the area in which they are deployed in. I just don’t see the use of using chemical weapons to win territory when there just wont be any territory left to take. An example would be Saddam Hussein using nerve gas to kill the Kurds which did their job (in his eyes) but greatly affected any survivors and people in the area. When Agent Orange was used in the Vietnam war it was mainly used to remove the enemies cover and harm them as well (cover being trees). But the outcome of the deployment of Agent Orange was a damaged environment, killed many, and has added many different birth defects. I can’t think of any time chemical weapons would be rightfully justified unless they were actually used for the disposal of terrorists with the 100% guarantee that there will not be any civilian casualties or harm to the civilians themselves.

Joe Wallace said...

2.) Well if I was drafted then of course I would fight in the war because I would be forced to. That’s not the only reason though; if the country actually had to resort to a draft to find soldiers to fight then I would feel like it’s my duty to fight. The only way that I would not fight if I was drafted would be if I really did not believe in what we were fighting for. I would not be motivated at all to fight for a cause that I did not believe in and I think that was one of the problems in the Vietnam War. The soldiers did not believe in what they were fighting for and they were getting no support from the US citizens, so they really had nothing to fight for. If I did not have any strong belief against the cause of the war then I would fight for my country. Although I do not think that the US will have to go back to the draft and I really don’t think it is a good idea. It would be a bad idea because sending a bunch of soldiers that don’t even want to fight to protect the country would not work very well.

Luke Szczurek said...

If i was drafted i wouldnt fight for the United States against Iraq. I dont believe in this war and i dont feel that fighting in this war shows any patriotism. I think we entered this war for wrong reasons and many young americans are paying the price for it with there lives. I wouldnt have a problem joining the army to help support the United States but not for the Iraq war. If i was drafted i would probably move to canada or my parents would force me to move to canada or where ever i could be without going to Iraq. I feel that i would be wasting my future all on Iraq. I think i have more important things to be doing then fighting over in Iraq.

Tyler Porritt (5th) said...

Would you fight in the Iraq War if you were drafted?

Yes, if I were drafted, I would fight in the war. If I supported the war, I would fight in it. I believe that if someone believes in something, they need to show that they support it by doing action, not just verbally supporting it. I would fight in the war if I believed that by me doing this, it would help others. People always should try to do their best to help others. I think that if there is a draft, everyone that is physically fit should be drafted, man or woman. If they are capable of serving the country in an efficient way, then they should, regardless of gender. It is important to me to support your country in any way possible.
I might not completely want to fight in the war for a couple of reasons. First, I would have to not support the war. I would not do something that I do not believe in. I have many other things that I want to accomplish in my life that might be halted if I was drafted.

Mike Mafrice said...

If I were drafted I would only fight under certain conditions. First I would have to make sure that the military would be paying for some of my college. Also I would have to also be getting paid as if it were a regular job. I don't really believe in the Iraq war so I wouldn't be too happy if I was drafted. However I believe that you must serve for your country if you are chosen to so I wouldn't run or hide or make up an excuse. I would join one of the special forces because I see it as if I'm in the military I might as well be important and there would be a less risk of me getting shot by friendly fire. I would probably not volunteer to go to war because I have talked to people such as my dad who had fought in the army and people who had been shot and are now disabled. The Iraq war I think has been going on too long and I don't think they are a true threat to us anymore mainly because we have found no nuclear weapons. WWII is different where the Japanese bombed the U.S. and that's when i think it would be appropriate to step up and defend your country.

Jack DiLaura said...

Question 1. I think that there are some situations where using chemical weapons may be necessary, but I think it depends on the situation and the type of chemicals. I think that they should only be used to protect our greatest interests, and only if those interests are in great enough danger to need the chemical weapons. I think it also should depend on the kind of weapons used. The weapons we use should be somewhat environmentally friendly so we don’t destroy the ecosystem completely. I think that we should also try not to spread them out over large distances. If we really need them, we should pick specific points where they will help our cause the most. I think that the one of the more important things would be to protect the environment. We shouldn’t be completely destroying areas so that we leave a barren wasteland. We should take the responsibility to protect nature. We should also protect the people to some degree. We shouldn’t use chemicals that will cause cancers and birth defects. This will effect many generations to come, and will extend the range of our attack. But, the point of this attack would not be to ruin generations and generations of lives. It would have to be protecting our interests and leave a temporary impact.

Anonymous said...

Melanie Eiten 3rd hour
No I do not think it a good idea to use chemical warfare because it kills mass amounts of soldiers, it kills innocent people living in the area because they have no way of getting away because of the way the fumes travel long distances, and it can causes long term effects to those exposed to the chemical hardware. War, as bad as it is, is able to kill hundreds of people a day through conventional warfare; but with chemical warfare thousands of people can be killed. Innocent people can die because they are trapped in the middle of a war zone, where they can’t get free causing them to get into these deadly situations where chemical weapons are being dropped and they end up dying. Even people miles away can be affected or killed because of gas fume traveling long distances causing them to get extremely sick or even die. Lastly, those soldiers who are exposed, but not killed can have the poisons enter their bodies causing cancer and in the case of Agent Orange, causing birth defects in their innocent children. Chemical warfare is not fair and should not be used because of its effects on all people, causing illness and death.

Matt Trogu said...

I think that in some special circumstances there is a time to use chemical weapons. The army did the wrong thing by using chemical weapons. It was wrong to use chemical weapons because it killed off 30% of their forests and it caused many health problems among the United States and Vietnam. On the other hand they did have reason to use chemical weapons because the Vietnam soldiers would use guerrilla tactics and go hide in the forests. If our soldiers would have gone into the forests the rebels would have killed our soldiers because the rebels know then land so well. Going back to my first point, when we use Agent Orange and other chemicals it doesn’t just kill the Vietnamese people it kill our own soldiers. Most of the sickness that occurred was cancer. Even though the United States was targeting Vietnamese rebels with Agent Orange it did not just affect them it affected the townspeople that were not involved in the war in anyway. If the United States really wanted to flush the rebels out of the forest they could have used other tactics. One of these tactics could have been bombing the forests over and over until the rebels start to run. On one hand the use was not justified but on the other hand it was.

Sarra Serhane 5th said...

CHEMICAL:
The use of chemical weapons is not appropriate in all situations. It does not depend on what kind and what they are used. They affects more than just the things we were trying to do. Even if they are meant to help, they destroy the land and affect people around who do not have anything to do with why Agent Orange or a chemical weapon is being used. Agent Orange was used to destroy the foliage of Vietnam. This meant that Agent Orange was going to destroy about 30% of the entire country of Vietnam. Agent Orange did not only destroy the land, but caused long lasting affects on humans and in Vietnam. Many American veterans and Vietnamese civilians suffer from cancer and other long lasting diseases and problems because of Agent Orange. Not only were the people involved in the war affected but many of the Vietnamese civilians’ unborn children suffered from birth defects because of Agent Orange. Furthermore, land becomes completely destroyed and destroying our own land is the last thing that we need on or suffering Earth. In conclusion, Agent Orange and other chemicals like it should never be used because of its affects on the lives of innocent humans and Earth.

Sarra 5th

Jake Chmara 5th hour said...

2) The draft
I would not fight in the Iraq war if I were to be drafted. The reason that I wouldn’t fight is because I don’t necessarily believe in the war. Why would I fight in a war that I don’t believe in? I would hopefully get some other duty that doesn’t involve fighting first of all. If I were to go into the war I would not have the same desire that many other Americans may have. I understand that anyone can be drafted no matter what their belief is but I think that your job in the war should depend on your true beliefs and morals. If you are highly against the war or are very religious, it may be against your morals to fight and perhaps even kill others. The only reason that I would fight is if the reason for the war changed. I do not really see why we are in Iraq in the first place. I would feel as if I am fighting in a pointless war. If the reason we were fighting is something that I agree with than fighting in the war would not be so big of an issue for me. Overall, I personally don’t think that there should be a draft at all because the war is unnecessary.

bobby haag said...

blog drafting question 2
If I were drafted to the Iraq war I would not like it. I don’t have any interest to fight in a war so I wouldn’t like to go. However, if I pretty much had to go, I would prefer a position that was not actually a soldier with a gun. The draft is not necessary in my opinion and isn’t right because I already have the choice to join the army, so why should I become forced into it. When it comes down to women fighting in the war, I think that should be allowed to unless they are pregnant. So I would not want to fight if I were drafted, but I think there isn’t a choice weather to or not. I still think there shouldn’t even be a draft again.

bobby h

Johanna Hilbert said...

I think in any form war is cruel and all nations should try to avoid conflicts involvig weapons and fighting. However, if there is no other option than fighting I personlally believe it should be done without using chemical weapons. I think history has shown us the devestating pictures and the horrible story these weapons do to the country and the people, who live there.
It all started back during World War I when the use of chemicals in fighting became common use. We often tend to forget this, because all our foucus is on WW II.
In Vietnam Agent Orange destroyed too much and maybe was one of the reason why America withdrew,because we destroyed the Southern Vietnamese living space and put them into poverty with no shelter, no food, and often death in their families.
Also, we don't know how chemica weapons, if puut to use, will change our world. Just imagine terrorists getting their hands on chemical weapons! They could destroy just everything – our whole world.
Another point why chemical weapons are so horrible is the effect they have on the human body. Agent Orange was just supposed to destroy the jungle, but it also made people getting cancer and other diseases.
Do we really want this?

Anonymous said...

If I was drafted into the army by the Unites States I would go to war. In a way it defeats the purpose of the land of the free, but if the country I lived for was in a war and needed my help and I was drafted I would go without thinking. If I was old enough to be drafted into the Iraq war I would most likely not want to fight. I oppose and still do oppose bush’s ways and do not support him and by fighting in his war I think would be supporting his ways so I would not want to fight in the Iraq war. If I was a single parent and got drafted I would probably not want to be drafted and if I was almost done with college and was asked to join the army I would not want to join just because I spent so much time learning whatever the degree was I got and wouldn’t want all that to go to waste by enrolling in the army and possibly be killed.

Jacob Silver

Geoff Wickersham said...

I had been thinking about how to respond to this question ever since I wrote it up this past weekend, and I my attitude hasn't changed even since I was young enough to be drafted in 1991 when the first Gulf War occurred. If drafted, I would serve my country and do it proudly in the tradition of those men and women who have gone before me.

Even if I disagreed with a conflict, as a soldier, that's not my job to set the nation's foreign policy or determine the terms of peace. I can only hope that fighting honorably and leading my men in battle wisely and with the help of able and brave commanders that I will quickly end a war that I might disagree with.

Because of my college degrees, I would probably be sent to OTS (Officers' Training School) where I would hopefully gain the necessary tools needed to be a great officer. Only in battle would I really know if I could lead men into potentially deadly scenarios (including my own death).

Our country asks for a few things in return for the privilege of living here: voting, jury duty, paying taxes, and answering the call when we're needed.

I think we sometimes forget that we have a few responsibilities as citizens of the U.S.

If such a situation were to arise and I was needed, I would go. The choice would by no means be an easy one. I'd be leaving a family behind. But millions of others have gone before me, and there's little that makes my sacrifice different than anyone else's. It just seems unique b/c it's mine.

Mr. W.

Anonymous said...

I believe that the use of chemical weapons is not appropriate for use in wars because most chemical weapons do not kill people right away but instead they make them suffer as they are dyeing slowly and the point of a war isn’t meant to make people suffer as much as possible but it is to make bad situations better on all. Chemical weapons completely defeats the point of war because of that reason as well as some people that have been subjected to chemical weapons don’t die and are able to fight so the chemical weapons are inefficient in the number of people are killed by the attacks. My last point is that chemical weapons that have been used by united states are also affecting American soldiers because the us has no control over who the weapon harms in an area because it harms everyone and everything. Because of this innocent people that have fought for the united states as well as the civilians in Vietnam who have done nothing but live their lives and mind their own business are being cursed with diseases that cannot be cured and while they await for help they are slowly dying due to the carelessness of the united states government. As well as the people that die from these weapons there are forests and animals in the forests that have parished because of this.

Eric BRuning
Hour 3

elaina gardner said...

I don’t think I would fight in the Iraq war if drafted. The reason is because it’s not only scary and dangerous but I’m not exactly ‘built’ or strong. I feel that I just would not be a very good person to fight in a war because to be honest I will get killed easily. I would fight in a draft in the event that they were absolutely desperate for soldiers and they were fighting in a war that I believed in. With the Iraq war the problem is that I don’t really believe in nor support it so it’s hard to fight for something you don’t believe in. In addition, I also don’t believe that I would have the time or really be willing to give up my life for it. I would help out with the war, cooking for or even possibly helping those who were hurt. I know this is selfish but I don’t want to give up everything I have worked for in my life and risk dying for something I simply don’t support in any way shape or form. I think that people who are able and willing to risk their life for the wars are amazing people and I support them all the way however I can support the people without supporting the war itself.

Anonymous said...

I would say if it were a ;ittle later on in life after i have completed some of the things that i want to accomplish i would fight in the war.i think it would be very patriotic and brave of one to do so because your putting your life and also others at risk. i feel that in order to fight in a war you really have to have a clear understanding of what war really is and you have to be mentally and phisically strong.the reason i would fight in this war is because just like others you love and care for your country as one and that makes you willing to what you have to to keep it standing. i have lots of respect for the troops who are fighting because not only do they have families, but the people they are attacking do also and it must really be hard to take ones life and know that at any time yours could be taken also.
china wells 3rd hour.

Sydney Hirsch said...

If I were drafted in the Iraq War, I wouldn't fight. First of all, I don't really support the idea of this war, and I don't believe it should be the end-all be-all of our problems. Not only that, but I am definitely not strong enough to be fighting in a war. I would probably set the army back, because I'm so unfit and uncoordinated, and I am not exaggerating. If I was really needed, I'd try and do something that would help the army but would not require being on the front-line, like doing paperwork or something like that the army might need. I guess if the U.S. Army really, really, terribly needed someone to fight in the war, I'd feel obligated to and I would, but I would probably have to go undergo a lot of training. I do think it's a really good thing to feel the need to protect your country, but there are people who are better suited to do it than others. That being said, I don't think drafting is necessary – there are plenty of people willing to fight and protect our country. Again, if I was asked to help, I would do all I could.

Brandon Kauth said...

#2 - Draft

If I was drafted to fight in the Iraq War I would definitely fight. I think if you are of age and you are an American citizen you should always be ready to defend your country in a time of need. I think it would just be very crowdedly and selfish of someone who would refuse to fight for their own country. Sometimes you have to give up certain freedoms to be free. I was actually considering joining the Marines regardless of a draft or not, so my answer is quite obvious. I believe all the soldiers that have died for OUR freedom should be commended for their actions, they gave the ultimate sacrifice.. why can’t we? They were humans just like us, some drafted, some not. In any circumstance I would defend my country, regardless of the conditions. If Uncle Sam comes a callin’ I will definitely answer. Plus you get sweet benefits from serving your country! You can make a difference when you go to war and serve your country, you will also be looked at as a hero in your town. I don’t think in the near future we will need a draft, unless of course there is going to be another World War III.

-Brandon Kauth 3rd Hour.

Ismail K said...

Chemical
I do not thing using chemicals to fight a war is appropriate. Chemicals ruin the land and won’t let people live or farm in that area for a while so it can ruin peoples lives and the economy if they cant farm. Also when you use chemicals it kills the enemy but it can give them a slow painful death and I think that is inhumane to do. It might not even kill the enemy it could put them I pain for the rest of there life and could cause cancer, so instead of dying they live in pain for the rest of there life. It could even affect our own soldiers. When the soldiers are walking thorough a city or forest that had chemicals sprayed on it, there can be some that stays in that area and can affect the soldiers. It can cause illnesses and cancer. Plus we wouldn’t know if civilians are in that area so it can kill or give cancer to civilians and young kids. So we are killing innocent people who are just trying to survive during a war. So if we are going to use a weapon to kill an enemy we shouldn’t use one that will hurt our soldiers and civilians.

Anonymous said...

If I were to be chosen to go out and fight for my country, I would not fight. The main reason I would not fight is because I am not really a supporter of the war, not to mention I do not quite understand the purpose in us fighting in the war. Another reason I would not fight is because I think it should be a choice whether or not you want to go into combat. America is suppoed to be a free country, where you are able to make your own decisions. Therefor you should be able to make the decision as to what you would like to do.Also, another reason I would not go into combat is because I am not a supporter of women being in the army. I believe that it was, and always will be a "man thing". That is why i would not fight in the war, if I were to be drafted.
Allacia Gibson (3rd hour)

Anonymous said...

mary seymour
the draft:
I would definitely fight in the Iraq war if I was unfortunately drafted. I think both genders should be drafted whether or not they are actually fighting. Even if the drafted women and just had them do helpful jobs to help out those who are fighting, it would make a big difference. The only condition I would not fight in is if I was a single mother in school or something, because I would have to give up my child because there would not be any one to watch after him or her. I think that since most women fought for our rights to vote and work, then we should be treated equal to men since that’s what we wanted. Its not fair to get all of the same benefits as men, without getting all of the bad things they have to go through also. I think its hypocritical that we fought so hard to get things we wanted, but since we didn’t ask to be drafted, we don’t have to be. Things should always be equal. Single moms should be able to raise their kid till their kid is around 16 or until they can also fight.

Katie Robinson said...

I don’t think that the use of chemical weapons is ever called for, or ever alright. These kinds of weapons are awful and they sometimes hurt even the people who are controlling them. They were also used in ways that I don’t think were appropriate. They used chemical weapons to ruin the forests in Vietnam, and I don’t think that was smart or suitable. Burning down the forests didn’t help anyway. They just helped to destroy the country that America was trying to help. Also, a lot of people have gotten cancer from using Agent Orange in the Vietnam War. These people who were using Agent Orange against the Vietnamese were hurt by their own weapons. This should be enough to convince people not to use such tactics. I also don’t think that it depends on what kind they are using. I think that these types of weapons are all too destructive to prove affective. We burned down and ruined a lot of Vietnam with the help of chemical weapons, and we still didn’t win the war. If these weapons seem to be hurting both sides more than they are helping, I don’t think that America should be using them.

Anonymous said...

If I was drafted I would not fight because if my husband was drafted and we had kids it wouldn't be fair for the kids to have both parents in the war. Also we don't need anymore troops sent over to Iraq. If I was drafted I would ask if I could be a nurse. I would be more willing to go. I have to much in life to do then too go die in a war that we shouldn't even be fighting in. I think that the draft should excuse people who are in college. If the place I fighting in had running water and pluming I wouldn't care. Also it would be dumb to fight in a war that I don’t support.
Devonny Bell

Anonymous said...

Paige Peak...hour-4

Because of the circumstances we are under right now with the economy and the war if i were drafted to go fight in the war i woulndt go because there is no telling when you will come back home home the date for that just seems to at a a point of no return. This war has been going on for too long and with all the costs it has racked up thats probably the reasonjobs are being lost and companies are going bankrupt they spend so much money on war and not on what is desperately needed. I dont belive in war there has to be some other way to go about .And if war has to happen it really shouldnt be this long. For the people who are ok with the draft let them go to war. There should be a right or law saying if you dont want to fight in the war you dont have to.I know its good to fight for your country but for years and years ,no telling when your coming home and if you will make it back imjust not ok with that.

Dallas Paritee said...

If I was drafted into the Iraq war I think I would do it. I feel like I should fight for my country after all the things it does for me. But there are a few conditions under which I wouldn’t go. If I was an only child in my family I wouldn’t because I have to carry on my family name. It would be a great amount of stress on my mom wondering will I ever come home and if I’m safe. Another circumstance in which I would not fight for our country is if I was currently in college. This would be a problem because most likely I would have to pay for college and I don’t think that it would be in my best interest to drop out to fight in Iraq. The last reason why I would go to war is if I was against the reasons why we are there in the first place. If I had certain religious views that did not allow me to do so I would rather be sent to jail than fight.

Katie Nicholls, 5th Hour said...

I think that the use of chemical weapons is never appropriate. It doesn’t matter what kind of chemical weapon at all; chemical weapons are never appropriate. The reason I think this is because, like stated in the description, AO caused cancer in American veterans and Vietnamese civilians as well as birth defects in their children. I don’t think that there should be any exception for causing harm to anyone, war or not, chemical weapons should not be used. If it were me, and I or some of my loved ones were harmed by AO or any kind of chemical weapon, I would be furious at the American government. For one, because I knew that I had no chance of stopping them or telling them not to use the weapons, and two because they put the life of my loved one, or me, in danger. I mean, obviously they put their own life in danger by going into the war in the first place but, to make it even worse by putting unsafe chemicals in their body, that would just make me so upset. This is why I think the use of chemical weapons is never appropriate.

Anonymous said...

Tyler DeWald:
Chemical Weapons
The uses of chemical weapons are appropriate, with strict international laws. Some basic laws would be like, it been tested for 2+ years for any harmful or fatal contact it would do to humans. I personally like this one because I wouldn’t want to be the one who was forced to use this chemical weapon, and millions died from it. Another law would be how much chemical weapons a country can have. In reality, any extremely high amount of anything can be harmful to humans. Chemical weapons should only be used against terrain not against humans; innocent people could die or could be harmed. Agent Orange would have been a great example of a chemical weapon that I want to see in war. Other then the fact it caused cancer and in the end killing thousands of people during the Vietnam war. If we had some laws on chemical weapons during the Vietnam War, thousands and thousands of people will be still alive today. Chemical weapons should be allowed in combat under strict international laws.

Anonymous said...

Draft.
If I was drafted to the war in Iraq I would go. I am a man who loves his country so I would go and fight for it. I would go pretty much under any conditions. I have a feeling that I would have some good experience behind a gun. And I would make a good asset to the American army. If there were nukes being launched I might think about it for awhile but I would still probably go. I don’t fear the kamikaze people who run around over there. Also if I did get drafted I would try and get some of my other friends who I know wanted to be in the army to come with me and we could be in the same squadron. All in all the American army is strong but at times it might need some extra help. I would be there if I got drafted and I would go to Iraq or our next irresolvable conflict. The United States of America is a country worth fighting for even if it isn’t our battle we still are a good country and we have a good government that made the right decision to go to war.
Ben Doozan

Alana Walker (5th hour) said...

No, I would not FIGHT in the Iraq war if drafted, but I would try to do something easy to do like cooking. (my uncle was a chef in the army). The only condition i would go to the war is if i KNOW i would not get hurt or killed. Although I would try to find a way around it. I think you can get out of the draft for Education purposes, or Religious purposes. I plan on going to college when I turn 18, and I am a Christian, so I do not believe in war, so I am pretty sure I could get out of it. I do not think they ever drafted women, and even if they did, they would not put them in the line of fire (I just learned this) so I probably would not get hurt or killed. I do not think we will have a draft in this war because it will be extremely unpopular, and that will cause problems. The point I am trying to make is, I would not fight in the war, but do something easier, if I cannot get out of it by means of religion or education.