Comments on: The IDF: All Conscripts, All Volunteers, Or Something In Between? http://southjerusalem.com/2008/06/the-idf-all-conscripts-all-volunteers-or-something-in-between/ A Progressive, Skeptical Blog on Israel, Judaism, Culture, Politics, and Literature Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:35:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Nostalgia Makes Bad Military Policy « South Jerusalem: Gershom Gorenberg and Haim Watzman http://southjerusalem.com/2008/06/the-idf-all-conscripts-all-volunteers-or-something-in-between/comment-page-1/#comment-571 Nostalgia Makes Bad Military Policy « South Jerusalem: Gershom Gorenberg and Haim Watzman Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:39:23 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=200#comment-571 [...] At this week’s conference on The Decline of Citizen Armies in Democratic States (see my post on Wednesday), he offered a list of reasons why an all-volunteer army would be the end of the IDF. [...] [...] At this week’s conference on The Decline of Citizen Armies in Democratic States (see my post on Wednesday), he offered a list of reasons why an all-volunteer army would be the end of the IDF. [...]

]]> By: Barbara http://southjerusalem.com/2008/06/the-idf-all-conscripts-all-volunteers-or-something-in-between/comment-page-1/#comment-570 Barbara Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:16:14 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=200#comment-570 "Many Israelis, and admirers of Israel, decry this state of affairs and see it as a threat to Israeli society. Without military service to unite it, and without the kind of collective spirit that universal military service creates, the country cannot survive, they worry." This is quite terrible--the idea that a society has to unite through military experience to survive. Why not unite through something else? I don't know... Great successes in sports, for instance? Common language and culture? Why arms of all things? If Israeli society could not survive without a military base unity (which I don't believe is true) then there would be something very wrong about this society. “Many Israelis, and admirers of Israel, decry this state of affairs and see it as a threat to Israeli society. Without military service to unite it, and without the kind of collective spirit that universal military service creates, the country cannot survive, they worry.”

This is quite terrible–the idea that a society has to unite through military experience to survive. Why not unite through something else? I don’t know… Great successes in sports, for instance? Common language and culture? Why arms of all things? If Israeli society could not survive without a military base unity (which I don’t believe is true) then there would be something very wrong about this society.

]]> By: Lloyd Tuchman http://southjerusalem.com/2008/06/the-idf-all-conscripts-all-volunteers-or-something-in-between/comment-page-1/#comment-569 Lloyd Tuchman Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:17:09 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=200#comment-569 Haim: Your post reminded me of the contrast between 300 professional Spartans holding off thousands of Persians and 400 New Hampshirites touching off the American Revolution by overwhelming six (6) British soldiers at Fort William and Mary. I Agree . . . the unorganized militia of the U.S. is the supposed cushion until the professionals show up . . . supposing Canada ever invaded. In Israel, geography doesn't allow for much of a cushion. Keep your draft, put weapons in the hands of every non-felon adult, and put the ultra-orthodox on the front lines with a prayer book and a pistol. My two cents. Haim:

Your post reminded me of the contrast between 300 professional Spartans holding off thousands of Persians and 400 New Hampshirites touching off the American Revolution by overwhelming six (6) British soldiers at Fort William and Mary.

I Agree . . . the unorganized militia of the U.S. is the supposed cushion until the professionals show up . . . supposing Canada ever invaded. In Israel, geography doesn’t allow for much of a cushion. Keep your draft, put weapons in the hands of every non-felon adult, and put the ultra-orthodox on the front lines with a prayer book and a pistol. My two cents.

]]> By: george a. hilborn http://southjerusalem.com/2008/06/the-idf-all-conscripts-all-volunteers-or-something-in-between/comment-page-1/#comment-568 george a. hilborn Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:59:15 +0000 http://southjerusalem.com/?p=200#comment-568 Haim: As a former conscript, who later got dragged back into Viet Nam out of the reserves I don't understand why Israel exempts Moslems,Christians and ultra-orthodox members of the society,especially ultra-orthodox.Aren't they getting a "free ride" from the sacrifices of the rest of the society including death and severe injury?I don't see where scripture gives the most devout believers the option not to protect his fellow Jews from the forces of the enemy or enemies. The all volunteer army here in the U.S.is a disaster.Yes ,the equipment is better but the quality of the fighting man is mediocre in many instances The academic basic requirements have been eroded to the point that they are hardly utilized in accepting or rejecting applicants and in fact ex-felons can now apply.The "weekend warriors" from the individual states'National Guard are making up a big portion of the fighting force in Iraq; so much for the professional army. Israel should stick to the conscript program but tighten up on the exemptions,make it everybody's army. Haim: As a former conscript, who later got dragged back into Viet Nam out of the reserves I don’t understand why Israel exempts Moslems,Christians and ultra-orthodox members of the society,especially ultra-orthodox.Aren’t they getting a “free ride” from the sacrifices of the rest of the society including death and severe injury?I don’t see where scripture gives the most devout believers the option not to protect his fellow Jews from the forces of the enemy or enemies.
The all volunteer army here in the U.S.is a disaster.Yes ,the equipment is better but the quality of the fighting man is mediocre in many instances The academic basic requirements have been eroded to the point that they are hardly utilized in accepting or rejecting applicants and in fact ex-felons can now apply.The “weekend warriors” from the individual states’National Guard are making up a big portion of the fighting force in Iraq; so much for the professional army. Israel should stick to the conscript program but tighten up on the exemptions,make it everybody’s army.

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