'We Do Not Need a Draft,' Rumsfeld Says (Yeah! That's the Ticket! Yeah!)

[Dems Will Win]

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2004/n07192004_2004071908.html

'We Do Not Need a Draft,' Rumsfeld Says
By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2004 – "We do not need a draft," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in a July 16 interview with National Public Radio. The all- volunteer force "has worked brilliantly for our country."

-snip-

There are one or two areas in the Army where retention "has not been as good as one would have anticipated," he said, and defense officials are carefully watching these areas. If necessary, he added, military officials can "increase incentives and reduce disincentives."

-snip-

Letters went out July 6 to 5,674 members of the IRR, soldiers who have completed an active-duty enlistment but still are within eight years of when they entered the military. All enlistees agree to an eight-year commitment, usually served in a combination of active, reserve-component and IRR service.

Of those who received the letters, Army officials said, roughly 4,000 will be brought to active duty. Most of those will be in the specialties of military intelligence, engineers, truck drivers, and other combat service support forces.

-snip-

Well, that makes me feel better. Secretscary Rumsfailed has never lied to us before--and is an excellent planner as we all know. Now I can stop all my silly worrying about him spending $28 million to reduce DRAFT ACTIVATION TIME from 193 to 75 days by March 31, 2005 (http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html) or the secret 5-year plan revealed to Wes Clark: the invasions of Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Sudan and Somalia.


BUSH '04 = DRAFT '05

[Mr_Spock]

1. "Secretscary Rumsfailed has never lied to us before"

lol - they must've gotten Russia to commit those 40,000 troops.

[PsN2Wind]

9. Bush/Cheney Bumper sticker

Vote for Bush/Cheney in 2004
Win a trip to the Middle-east
For you or a loved one.

[goddess40]

2. "Until after the election" was left off by the "liberal" media

If those jerks get reinstated, the draft will be a mega hurricane, leaving only the wealthy republicans untouched.

[punpirate]

3. 40 years + Joe Isuzu =

Donald Rumsfeld.... :P

[phantom power]

4. I wonder if these guys all drink their own kool-aid?

[MattNC]

5. we are not going to invade 5 more countries n/t

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

14. Not with draftees... that is why we are hiring mercenaries... ahem,

ur. ahem... Private Secuity Contractors at an alarming rate.

[Dems Will Win]

19. Yo Matt!

Wasn't me that said 5 more. It was a senior military officer at the Pentagon talking to Wes Clark!

The secret plan that Wesley Clark revealed in his book "Winning Modern Wars: Iraq, Terrorism, and the American Empire":

“I went back through the Pentagon in November 2001, and one of the senior military staff officers had time for a chat. Yes, we were still on track for going against Iraq, he said. But there was more. This was being discussed as part of a five-year campaign plan, he said, and there were a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia, and Sudan. So, I thought, this is what they mean when they talk about ‘draining the swamp.’"

Why would Bush need a draft, a large draft? Assuming Libya is now off the list, according to Clark Bush and the neo-cons plan to invade 5 more countries. That need does not include trying to defeat the insurgents solely with the U.S. military as a re-elected Bush might attempt. Bush, moreover, is building 14 permanent bases and huge intelligence centers in Iraq and has no intention of ever leaving that oil to the Russians or even worse, the French.

[Ivan Zero]

6. "Reduce disincentives"

That one particularly caught my eye and has me wondering just what disincentives he might be talking about.

Extending tours? Unnecessary wars? The need to apply for food stamps?

[Barkley]

7. We didn't need to invade Iraq either, but we did anyways - n/t.

[SOS]

8. Rumsfailure sez

"There are no plans for a draft on my desk".

[sofa king]

10. Not until November 3rd, that is.

[Tippy]

11. 'We Do Not Need a Draft,' Rumsfeld Says,

until after the election

[amber dog democrat]

12. Well what about press gangs?

They can comb the hardware stores and shopping malls, movie theaters and basketball courts impressing people to serve.

I can see it now, Arrests, knocking about the ones who won't come peacefully, signing the articles , toasting King George the II, and outfitted in a red coat with a brown bess musket its off to Iraq. !! To the King, God Save the King !!

We need to have press gangs, why bother with the formality of a draft?

"King George commands and I obey, over the hills and far away... "

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. Yeah, he is a regular genius... any other old farts remember who

made the brilliant decision to go ahead with the Swine Flu Vaccine in 1975 even though NIH, DOD, CDC, WHO, and several drug companies said it was not ready yet.
Yep.
Donny Boy, as Ford's Chief of Staff.

[James T. Kirk]

15. Prediction: NO drraft

I predict that there will not be a draft reinstatement any time in the next presidential term, regardless of who wins. Neither major politcal party wants it.

I think some people just want there to be a draft so they can be against it.

[WillyT]

16. "Dammit Jim, Look At The Computer's History Models !!!"

And have another drink of Grog!

:wtf:

[Ganja Ninja]

17. If Bush gets back in in 2005 he'll start up the draft so fast ...

it'll make your head spin. Once he gets another term what does he care? He doesn't give a crap about the GOP. He and his cronies are in this for the money and the GOP is a means to an end. After 2005 he won't need them or anybody else. He'll do just as he pleases, public opinion and party be damned.

[Dems Will Win]

18. Exactly right!

200,000 drafted the first year at least.

[Moondog]

20. But they just recalled a 67 (!!!) year old guy to active duty

My local paper had an AP story today about a 67 year old psychiatrist, with 41 years of service, and who has been off active duty for 7 years, who has just been notified that he is being recalled to active duty, and being sent to Iraq.

Seems they think that there an increased need for psychiatrists among the troops that are over in the sand box. Without getting into why they would think that would be so, if recalling 67 year olds isn't scraping the bottom of the barrel, I don't know what is.

So my question is, after they use these guys up, how are they going to get more troops if they don't have a draft? Do they really think that all of those Guard and Reserve guys they've screwed are going to stick around after they finally get to leave Iraq? Fat freakin' chance!

So what is Bush's shill saying here, anyway? "Read my lips, no new drafts?" Or something like that?

Bullshit.