Simple Semantics

Originally Published in the Omaha World-Herald
By Chuck Hagel

The writer, a republican, is Nebraska’s senior U.S. senator and a Vietnam combat veteran.

In a speech to the nation on Sept, 7, 2003, President Bush said: “(W)e’ve been tested… and the dangers have not passed. Yet Americans are responding with courage and confidence. We accept the duties of our generation… we will do what is necessary, we will spend what is necessary, to achieve this essential victory in the war on terror, to promote freedom and to make our nation more secure.”

The president is right. The war against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is the first great challenge of the 21st century. It is a generational challenge. Our success in this war will be measured not in days or months but in years.

Every American should be proud of how we have responded to the challenge of terrorism following Sept. 11, 2001. The men and women of our armed forces have fought with bravery and professionalism in Afghanistan and Iraq. At home, we have mobilized our police, firefighters and emergency personnel to fight the war on terror.

While we have succeeded in meeting the threat since Sept. 11, our ultimate success in the war on terror will be measured by our success in meeting the challenge over many years. We cannot know what the world will look like in two decades, but we know that the challenges we face will not recede.

Our global obligations and commitments are the greatest since World War II, even though we have a smaller Army than we did during the Cold War. Currently, we have 135,000 troops in Iraq, 14,000 in Afghanistan, 37,000 in Korea and 250,000 stationed in other countries around the globe. American intelligence and diplomatic capabilities will be further tasked with more responsibilities and difficult assignments. It is irresponsible to believe that the burden we carry around the globe will become lighter in the future.

Nearly 40 percent of our current force structure in Iraq is comprised of National Guard and Reserve components. These troops are performing with extraordinary courage and sacrifice. The reality is that retentions and recruitment in the Guard and Reserve will become more and more problematic because of active-duty pressures and extensions. Active-duty troops will face many of the same pressures when they sit down with their families to discuss re-enlistment. As a nation, we need to be prepared to face serious recruitment and retention challenges at the same time we are faced with more and more force commitments around the world.

The responsible action for policy-makers charged with decision-making for America’s future is to explore serious options for meeting our national security obligations. It is irresponsible to wait until we may be facing a manpower crisis in our armed forces and foreign policy. This issue is about matching the mission with the resources. We will not succeed if we do not ask the tough questions about how we meet these challenges.

The thought of bringing back some form of mandatory national service is understandably troubling. If the All Volunteer Force, which I strongly support, finds itself unable to meet the current and future manpower demands required to maintain American security, the nation must be prepared to act to correct that dangerous possibility.

The 21st-century challenges of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction touch every American. No American is spared from these challenges, regardless of station in life. Yet middle- and lower-middle-class Americans primarily are carrying the burden and making the sacrifices.

The world has changed dramatically since the last time Americans were subjected to a draft. Our needs extend beyond the infantryman carrying a rifle. The current struggle has made clear the value of our first responders, our intelligence community and our diplomatic corps. Our ultimate victory over terrorism will not come at the end of a gun barrel.

For generations, Americans have done what it takes to meet the challenges of their time. The next generation of Americans will face challenges that are more diverse, complicated and dangerous than any we knew before. All Americans must be part of meeting these challenges. I believe that young Americans want to make contributions to their county. It is their future, and they know it.

My daughter and son are 13 and 11. Like all young Americans, they will have a responsibility to their generation and to the generations that follow them. This responsibility to something greater than one’s self-interest has enhanced our nation for more than 200 years. It will sustain us for generations to come. America should not be intimidated by this debate. We should have confidence in our people and our society.