Should the U.S. Reinstate the Draft?

Since 1973, when the United States abandoned military conscription in favor of an all-volunteer force, many people have come to regard military service as more of a job opportunity than a patriotic duty. But the threat of war in the Persian Gulf has changed things dramatically. With lives on the line, critics have charged that the all-volunteer forces put minorities and the poor disproportionately at risk. They say the United States should return to the draft to ensure that the sacrifices of war are more evenly shared.