You're essentially asking would there be more push back if we currently had a draft?

Yes, No, Maybe

Most of us here, I think, would characterize the draft as evil, and are glad we don't currently have one.

BUT the question poses whether that evil would forestall a possibly greater evil that we are now living through.

"Lesser of the evils", indeed.

Unless one doesn't think the draft is evil ... or doesn't think what is currently happening is evil ... or disagrees that a draft would lessen the capacity of actors like orange shitstain to impose more evil at mass rates.

That would be thorny!

But, I see the point you're making

With a mandatory draft. Israel has one, and it seems it’s only made society more militaristic there. I think if we had a mandatory draft, all it would do is increase public support for more money being sent to the Pentagon. I think a better option is to shift public thinking away from war as a tool that can be used so easily, not to militarize us even more.

Israel is a different situation because they've been basically surrounded by countries that have detested them for decades, well before the last few years. They probably need mandatory service.


Other than perhaps WWII (and to a lesser extent WWI), drafts have tended to make wars we've fought in less popular with the overall population. Especially if there are all sorts of deferments.

I wonder if mandatory draft over time could dull people’s emotions about it. I doubt we will ever find out, because I don’t see any party enacting this.

That's why it hasn't been.

if it were, Dems would get supermajorities in both the house and senate.

But, it took a very long time for them to respond in Vietnam.
I also support national service. Giving all young adults the opportunity to serve others, while learning new skills, opportunity to travel the nation. But, I think you are correct, not with a nut in the white house.
My guess is, if we survive dump as a nation, we will make some great changes. In about 80 to 100 years people will forget everything we learned.
If in those 100 years we don't get our act together on the environment, then, there may be no order left at all.

The military doesn’t want unmotivated conscripts, voters don’t want their kids forced into service, and politicians don’t want to touch something that politically toxic.

So the premise itself is entirely far-fetched.

Religious Freedom. Imagine how many religious people would sue or refuse to serve.