For the second time in the last couple of months, the NYT ran an article on rising army desertion rates in which it compared the current rate to the Vietnam era desertion rate. Neither article pointed out that in the Vietnam era, the country had a military draft while the current army is comprised of people who have volunatrily enlisted. (Yes, I know many of these people enlist because they lack good prospects in the job market.) This is an important difference. It is ridiculous to make the comparison with Vietnam without mentioning the draft.
--Dean Baker
