It’s striking to see how the entire media establishment gravitated to the comfortable description of the conflict in Afghanistan as “Obama’s war” — it became de rigeur for a whole range of pundits and analysts to use this description, from TIME to every major newspaper… but only Bob Herbert picked up on the shameful fact that the president is sharing this war with such a miniscule percentage of the U.S. population.  To call this “Obama’s War” is not just to lapse into a clumsy and feeble trope for a war that has been “owned” by the entire country since September 11, 2001; it also tucks away the ugly reality that a few hundred thousand Americans are fighting, and dying, and returning maimed to their homes while the rest of us debate the finer points of a “long-term commitment” in Afghanistan.

The answer?  Not necessarily a full military draft, which would mean sending unprepared youngsters over to fight in wars where even the pros are often stymied.  The answer is military or national service for all able-bodied Americans in the year following high school graduation, with the option of serving in the military as professional soldiers or support servicemembers (for higher pay and prestige).

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