Draft rumors persist in face of a military stretched thin

[JoFerret]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1317&ncid=742&e=11&u=/ucas/20041003/cm_ucas/draftrumorspersistinfaceofamilitarystretchedthin

[Kolesar]

1. Cynthia Tucker is a good writer

Thanks for posting that

[JoFerret]

3. One of the best

I used to really like her when she was a regular contributor to the MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour.

[Hekate]

2. I think we're stuck with one thanks to the Neocon FUBAR

The Bush junta has well and truly screwed the American people and our military personnel. Our troops are spread so thin and are so exhausted that the Kerry administration will be left with little choice, and it's going to be a damned unpopular one.

My son, age 26, is at risk. My daughter, age 28 and pregnant, may not be subject to a draft next year, but if rumors of a universal registration for ages 18 to 34 are true she will have to register.

Bush junta? I hope they fry in that Hell they believe in, next-door neighbors to the executives from Big Tobacco, because there's not much chance they'll see real justice in this lifetime.

Hekate
not feeling in a charitable mood today, is she?

[MsMagnificent]

6. Sadly I think you may be right

not to mention adjusting taxes to even start to cover the huge deficits he's incurred; along with the thousand other things the REPUKES have crapped on

[sr_pacifica]

7. I thought that too

That Kerry may find himself in a position of having to institute the draft. Then the Republicans in 2008 will win on a platform of stopping the draft. Just a possible scenario...

[USA_1]

8. draft

Actually, Miss Tucker's references are to rumors and not to any actual government source for information regarding a draft. The Pentagon was referenced and its site is:

http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html


and it only refers to drafting men between the ages of 18-25. It does not make any reference to drafting women. Since the government has not made any plan along these lines, it is likely that women will not be included in a draft for at least a year after legislation is enacted to implement a draft because a plan needs to be drawn: exemptions have to be created such as for pregnancy or conscientious objection status, regulations need to be made for those mothers whose children are of what is called in legal parlance "tender years", divorced parents will have to have their parental obligations accounted for, new accomodations will need to be created such as dorms and sanitation, and other considerations. I believe it will take at least two years before women will be drafted, if the new legislation mandating universal service is created.


This means that your daughter will be at minimum 30 years of age before she could possibly get drafted. I say therefore that it is impossible for this to happen.

Knowing the costs that a universal draft will create, I say that the draft will be for men only from ages 18-25 with limited CO or medical disqualification status. The Pentagon will not have sufficient time to plan a scheme to immediately draft women without incurring huge costs for its implementation. But if the legislation calls for a universal draft, it will take those two years and will likely not involve combat or hazardous duty for women, especially mothers of young children.

[qs04]

9. Hekate and USA_1

The origin of the rumors is a Febuary 2003 proposal by the head of the Selective Service which was obtained by via FOIA; they are fact. If USA_1's estimate is correct about a draft including women that would put it in spring 2005, the same time people seem to think conscription will begin if Bush wins.


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/171522_draft01.html

The chief of the Selective Service System has proposed registering women for the military draft and requiring that young Americans regularly inform the government about whether they have training in niche specialties needed in the armed services.

The proposal, which the agency's acting Director Lewis Brodsky presented to senior Pentagon officials just before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, also seeks to extend the age of draft registration to 34 years old, up from 25.

[USA_1]

10. inclusion of women

Note how the article mentions that it was proposed that women be included in the registration process. It does not indicate that research, planning, proposals, or implementation for that possibility have been initiated or are actually contemplated at all.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi qs04!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Pale_Rider]

4. TBRNews.org had an interesting write-up ...

http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a1115.htm

[VegasWolf]

5. Unlimited Imperialistic tendencies - limited troop resources -- hum

how do we slove this problem?

[StupidFOX]

12. Not worried for myself, for others

(Hey everyone! Long time tracker... first time poster. If anyone cares, I'd consider myself ideologically moderate but convinced that all practicality and historical experience deems that Democrats are right. Example, I believe abortions are wrong but more problems are brought up by trying to simply ban it outright. The rich shouldn't pay outrageous taxes, but to indulge in crazy tax cuts, make the huge corps pay nothing, and give the bill to our children is insane. The list goes on, and that doesn't include my amazing disdain for the lack of brains in the Oval Office. So hi, everybody! And KERRY IN 04!! I know he'll win, it's better than it looks.)

Anyway, I had asthma as a child (and thus it's on my medical records, forever keeping me from being drafted), but as McGovern said (I don't remember the exact quote) "I pray for the day that old men stop dreaming up wars for young men to die in." Bush starts a war on faulty intelligence, wastes the money he doesn't have on it, and now there are rumors that he wants to drag people into the war unwillingly? I'm not surprised in the least.

[roseBudd]

13. Print the DRAFT ALERT flyer and distribute

Go to http://somnamblst.tripod.com to download high resolution TIF or PDF file to print.