One of my favorite issues. Steve Walt says of course the draft affects policy, and quotes a study:
“More generally our results show that the way the United States recruits its soldiers substantively influences public support for war in some situations. While it is far from the only factor, it is a significant factor, and one that must be taken into account in explanations of mass support for war. But beyond even the U.S. case, our results establish that how democracies staff their militaries has important implications for how the mass public supports wars.”
Milton Friedman explained all this after Vietnam. End the draft, so that the elites no longer have skin in the game. They’ll sign up for anything. Iraq.
“End the draft, so that the elites no longer have skin in the game.”
And during Vietnam..Those that I knew going to Harvard joined the Peace Corp knowing that this was another way out.
But clearly the only thing that our military learned from Vietnam was eliminate the draft, do not show the public the pictures of what was really going on (embed) reporters and do not count their dead and injured and do not report these facts on the ground. The MSM went along