Poll Finds Most Oppose Return to Draft

[wookie294]

WASHINGTON - Americans overwhelmingly oppose reinstatement of the military draft and most say they wouldn't encourage their children to enlist in the service either, an AP-Ipsos poll found.

That resistance underscores the dilemma facing the Bush administration as it struggles to recruit a volunteer military in war time.

(snip)

Despite the recruiting problems, seven in 10 Americans say they oppose reinstatement of the draft, and almost half of those polled strongly oppose that step, the AP-Ipsos poll found. About a quarter of the people in this country say they favor reinstating the draft.

(snip)

"There isn't a chance in the world that the draft will be brought back," Rumsfeld told a House hearing Thursday.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=5&u=/ap/20050624/ap_on_re_us/draft_ap_ipsos_poll

[silverweb]

1. Let me guess...

Those who favor the draft are ineligible and have no one they care about who would be eligible, and are most likely reTHUGs.

Those who oppose the draft are either eligible or care about someone who would be eligible, and could belong to any party.

Now is the time to start worrying. If Rummy says "there isn't a chance in the world," you can pretty much bet they'll figure a way to reinstate a draft and call it something else. I'm betting it'll be fairly soon, too.

[FlemingsGhost]

3. Wrong on all accounts.

The sooner the better, in my opinion. Americans need a large dose of reality, and quick. I assert that sentiment with full knowledge of what that could potentially mean for my loved ones.

Alas, a traditional military draft is political suicide for the GOP. That is such a "known-known," even Rummy is "on message" this time.

[FlemingsGhost]

2. Just as I thought: Americans like to puff up their chests and talk big.

When it comes to walking the walk, however ...

[llmart]

6. Exactly! That's it in a nutshell.

All those "macho" men in their huge, gas guzzling Dodge Ram pickups with their NRA stickers on the back window and support the troops magnets are really, really tough guys (in image only), but god forbid they're called to serve their country. Just like Bush, Cheney, Limpballs, etc. They're nothing but a bunch of blowhards who don't put their money where their mouths are.

[MercutioATC]

4. I've only seen two groups that support a draft.

1) Those with kids already in the military.

2) Extremists who don't have eligible kids who think that a draft will "wake people up".

In the first case, I think it's sour grapes. Their child is in danger so they think everybody's child should share the burden (even though THEIR child voluntarily registered for service).

In the second, we have people betting that the entire system will change if more people feel its effects. Believe me, you look at things differently when YOUR kid is the potential cannon fodder. That;s one bet I'm not willing to wager on.

[atreides1]

9. Well That's Not Totally True

I don't have any children in the miltary, and I do have a son who is eligible for the draft.

Would it be a "wake up call"? You bet it would, because now there are very few ways to get exempted, even claiming CO status isn't that easy anymore, because the registrant has to convince a 5 person board of how sincere they are.

Exemtions for school, you get to finish out the year of college that you're in, not like in Bush's day when all you had to do was to maintain a certain GPA.

And the boards are no longer made up of the "Pillars" of the community, they are constituted based on the demographics of the area. So while you won't see too many people of color on a local board in Beverly Hills, no offense intended, you're not going to see a lot of white faces on a local board in South Central LA.

And if a local board does allow an exemption, then someone else within the that boards AO will have to replace the exempted registrant. SO if the board in Beverly Hills exempts someone, then
someone from that area will have to fill the billet.

This isn't like your father's Draft Board.

[ReadTomPaine]

5. Bush would rather privatize the military than reinstate a draft.

I see him taking up the slack that way as long as possible. Works better for the GOP. Mercenaries generally are less squeamish about war crimes and shooting civilians (including US ones, if need be) than real military would be, and the big bucks go to his buddies "security firms". For the GOP, it's win/win.

[Justice]

7. ProBush ProWar Supporters Won't Go to War Themselves

That is what is so incredible.

[mom cat]

8. It will start with a partial draft: only certain specialties. Then it wil

creep up until it includes all of the young people who are being put on lists as we speak.

[Deja Q]

10. Who cares what they think?

*co will need to. And the debates were such a joke that nobody believes what's said in them anymore. * of all people having enough clout to win damningly proves that.