I've seen some news reports lately saying that the long, difficult tours of duty in Iraq may make it hard for our armed services to find new recruits.

I am not worried about this. Life in the armed services has always been hard and dangerous, and has there ever been any shortage of young men willing to suit up to fight for god and country?

The pharoah, the emperor of Rome, attila the hun, genghis khan, they all had plenty of volunteers. So did the crusaders and the islamic armies who swept across the Mediterranean ...

There are always young men who are ready for adventure, who can't think of anything better to do with themselves. In modern America we're not likely to run out of those guys anytime soon, not in a time when industrial jobs with decent pay are disappearing and lots of people without the means to get through college are looking at a life of burger flipping or yard work. And in the modern army we can sign up the women as well as the men---all those Lynndie Englands out there looking for a chance to shed those small town blahs and have some excitement...

If only we could find some better outlet for their youthful energy and their undeniable courage.