I'm not going to argue all the negative fallouts like being subject to military law

But we must; anything short is liberty suicide.  Someone living under a Monarchy may not understand that.

Clearly overabusing the reserve forces is not a good answer (and the situation we have currently), and the draft has loopholes, so certain sectors of the population get to "serve" more readily (a great skew towards the poorer socioeconomic groups).

Agreed, & perhaps if the rest of the fackin so called conscientious world would offer a percentage of their troops to this quagmire, instead of pussying out [opting to sit on their hands], and ease the burden on the US, & even maybe help provide a barrier of human energy & interest around a land that will likely NEVER stop hating & battling over pieces of a very small pie…with the strength of the afterlife as their code, then perhaps we could all get back to creating economic viability in our chosen countries and get back to creating instead of destroying, learning instead of burning books, making headway …instead of cutting heads.  Yes, I’m vastly oversimplifying but I’m no social scientist, not a scientist at all, Gene, …merely one citizen with a diligent family and a memory.

It's easy for people to drive along the highway with "I support our troops" stickers on their cars when they, their kid, husband, wife,  aren't serving.

What if one has served and doesn’t post jingoist stickers on one’s car…yet does support the troops for their personal sacrifice…but does not support the reasons for their being there?  & all this said, powerless to effect recourse. 

If everyone were involved, it would strengthen the population's response to wars in which they don't want to be involved, and if anything raise the national consciousness in issues regarding war, and territorial expansion.

Yes, EVERYONE.  I agree.  The entire effected world.  Not just the cowboys & their captains of war & industry & their fodder to the cause.  EVERYONE who has a life & an opinion & progeny they live for.

Don't you think there would be a lot more pressure on Bush to end the fiasco in Iraq if everybody's ass was on the line?

Do you think everybody’s ass would be on the line……..if everyone, I mean everyone internationally was putting on the pressure…or shouldering a portion of the burden…rather than watching from afar while suckling the teet of neutrality & hush-hush political manipulation?? 

Keep sending in the reserves for their 2nd and 3rd tours…  You think anybody agrees with this?  You think their sons & daughters do?  What about those getting discharged missing limbs…who didn’t finish their tours and found themselves being visited by debt collectors for bonuses received out of bootcamp…or those honored vets who get overlooked for excellent VA medical…& end-up broke and broken??  There’s a whole heck of a lot of mistreatment of these young people…so your resolve is to put every boy & girl from now until the end of time in the same basket and shake it? 

You, sir, may be brushing with the truth, …but only that at best.  

Peace pipe………………sheez.