Government looking at military draft lists

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=62232_0_10_0_C

McALLEN, November 15, 2004 — It’s taken one year, seven months and 19 days of combat in Iraq for the Lone Star State to lose 100 of its own.

Texas is the second state, after California, to lose 100 service members, according to The Associated Press.

With continuing war in Iraq and U.S. armed forces dispersed to so many other locations around the globe, Americans may be wondering if compulsory military service could begin again for the first time since the Vietnam War era.

The Selective Service System (SSS) and the U.S. Department of Education now are gearing up to compare their computer records, to make sure all men between the ages of 18 and 25 who are required to register for a military draft have done so.

The SSS and the education department will begin comparing their lists on Jan. 1, 2005, according to a memo authored by Jack Martin, acting Selective Service director.

While similar record checks have been done periodically for the past 10 years, Martin’s memo is dated Oct. 28, just a few days before the Nov. 2 presidential election, a hard-fought campaign in which the question of whether the nation might need to reinstate a military draft was raised in debates and on the stump.

more

[trotsky]

1. But Bush said there wouldn't be a draft!

And he never lies, because he has Moral Values©!

[CO Liberal]

3. Do You Believe Anything That Liar Says???

Unfortunately, millions of gullible American voters did...

[CHICKEN CAPITOL USA]

37. technically-if you rename the DRAFT- it's not the Draft--- clever yeah?

pretty damn good for a president with an 85 IQ--
And sometimes his fingers are crossed behind his back and it then whatever he says doesn't "count".

[Brundle_Fly]

75. maybe they'll call it

The patroitic support innitiative.

[Chicago Democrat]

90. National Service!

Just another step in the "command economy"


SEIG HEIL!!!! MEIN FUHRER! I mean Mr. President....!!!

[KansDem]

92. "Democratic and Republican Americans Fighting Terrorism"

or D.R.A.F.T. for short!

[rainbow4321]

121. There is another name...HCPDS

http://www.sss.gov/FactSheets/FSmedical.pdf

Yeah, this is the "other name": HCPDS, or Health Care Personnel Delivery System". All docs, nurses, techs, and other medical persons get to go and "register" at the post office and then our collective asses get sent over to Fallujah General Hospital. Age cut off is 44 yrs old.

The other part of it is the Special Skills...the feds would get to pick and choose what "skills" they need to carry out other invasions that shrub has lined up. And it is pretty safe to say that those "special skills" are NOT done by shrub's elite base and their kids...so he can start this draft-by-any-other-name shit < as ALL of this can be implemented withOUT the regular, old fashioned draft being begun, you see> and still keep his elite from worrying if THEIR kids get to go overseas and get killed.

[Javaman]

27. It will be called somethng else. A rose by anyother name...

But it won't be a draft.

[BuelahWitch]

31. Yeah, Operation National Service

Or some other dumbass name...

[AllegroRondo]

41. And you sign up for it

when you forget to check the box marked "I do not wish to volunteer for military service" when you renew your driver's license.

[Ima]

132. Thats a good one

I'm not one bit surprised.

[Huckebein the Raven]

80. you gotta to spice it up. It has to have an Orwellian touch

to it.

[rainbow4321]

123. "Special skills" draft

http://tinyurl.com/2lo9z


Washington -- The government is taking the first steps toward a targeted military draft of Americans with special skills in computers and foreign languages.
The Selective Service System has begun the process of creating the procedures and policies to conduct such a targeted draft in case military officials ask Congress to authorize it and the lawmakers agree to such a request.
Richard Flahavan, a spokesman for the Selective Service System, said planning for a possible draft of linguists and computer experts had begun last fall after Pentagon personnel officials said the military needed more people with skills in those areas.
"Talking to the manpower folks at the Department of Defense and others, what came up was that nobody foresees a need for a large conventional draft such as we had in Vietnam," Flahavan said. "But they thought that if we have any kind of a draft, it will probably be a special skills draft."

[jwirr]

98. Knowing how Orwellian bushie is

he will call it the "Peace Corp".

[Barrett808]

29. Rule of thumb: Whatever Bu$hCo claims, assume the opposite

Assume the opposite is closer to the truth. This has proven to be a surprisingly accurate quideline. It also applies to Allawi.

[ilovenicepeople]

101. So true! ALWAYS!!

[mhr]

2. Boys, You Had Better Buff Those Butts, You Arse Is Headed For Iraq!

eom

[librechik]

10. and girls n/t

[radwriter0555]

4. but but but the republicans say there won't BE a draft??????

I'm so confused.

[cubsfan forever]

6. Bush I said "read my lips, no new taxes"

lying must be genetically linked in that family.

Professor 2

[auburngrad82]

8. FYI, the last step taken in October's vote on the draft bill in congress

was to table it for future discussion.

From the Library of Congress:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:HR00163:@@@L&summ2=m&

Now that the election is over and they increased their hold on our government, they can do whatever they damn-well please.

One, two, three, what are we fightin' for?
Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,
Next stop is Old Baghdad.

I've got an 18 year-old nephew who dropped out of high school. I'm sure he hasn't even considered the possibility of a draft.

[Boosterman]

49. Who laid the motion to reconsider?

I couldnt find that in all that mess.

[TankLV]

77. Exact same situation.

He is now complete his GED or whatever it is called now.

I fear for him greatly.

[Strawman]

78. They'll make sure to call it the RANGEL Draft Bill

They get their wars, Democrats get the blame for the draft.

I respect the principle behind Rangel's argument, but it's naive to think that the bill would ever pass unless a Republican war was heading south fast. All it will do is give the Republicans a way to be less accountable for what they have wrought. This bill should be withdrawn and every Democrat who sponsored it should withdraw their signature. Make the Republicans inititate and offer their own draft bill or withdraw from Iraq.

[Fleshdancer]

21. It's not a draft, it's an invitation to patriotism!!!

No RSVP required. *sigh*

[liberal N proud]

5. Oh Canada!, Oh Canada

[Brundle_Fly]

74. I am thankful

I live in Canada....more and more everyday.

[BJ]

7. How do I sign up to get on my county draft board?

'Cause I'd love to send some of those young big-talking, white suburban just-out-of-high school Republican punks off to an extended, all expenses-paid vacation in Iraq.

[HeeBGBz]

14. The draft peep ad was removed when people started noticing

This is a cached page of before they removed it.

http://www.thememoryhole.org/mil/defendamerica-draftboards.htm

[BJ]

22. I doubt if I'd qualify.

I'm too minority and working class friendly.

[atldem]

9. It's like Deja Vu All Over Again

John Fogerty


Listen to "Deja Vu (All Over Again)": Real WindowsMedia


Visit the John Fogerty Store for details.
DEJA VU (ALL OVER AGAIN)

Did you hear 'em talkin' 'bout it on the radio
Did you try to read the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I've heard it all before
It's like Deja Vu all over again

Day by day I hear the voices rising
Started with a whisper like it did before
Day by day we count the dead and dying
Ship the bodies home while the networks all keep score

Did you hear 'em talkin' 'bout it on the radio
Could your eyes believe the writing on the wall
Did that voice inside you say I've heard it all before
It's like Deja Vu all over again

One by one I see the old ghosts rising
Stumblin' 'cross Big Muddy
Where the light gets dim
Day after day another Momma's crying
She's lost her precious child
To a war that has no end

Did you hear 'em talkin' 'bout it on the radio
Did you stop to read the writing at The Wall
Did that voice inside you say
I've seen this all before
It's like Deja Vu all over again
It's like Deja Vu all over again

John Fogerty
©2004 Cody River Music / ASCAP

[bluetrain]

11. Historians, has it ever happened that an entire military force has

refused to fight?

[BeHereNow]

15. That is my dream...

I live for the day when they follow Nancy Reagan's
advice and "Just say no."
BHN

[TahitiNut]

20. British Navy, The Spithead Mutiny

I believe this is the most widespread mutiny in history, one whic occurred during Britain's war with France. It lead to generally improved pay and living conditions for sailors, the majority of whom were impressed ("press gangs") into service. I believe this is one of the reasons that the "rum ration" in the British Navy was so long held sacrosanct, while other naval services banned alcohol.

[Charon]

36. Spit Head Mutiny

I believe that the French Army Mutiny during the First World War was the largest mutiny of an armed force. The French soldiers, refused to attack the Germans, but would defend their positions if attacked.
Marshal Petain (sic) restored order and like the Spithead mutineers,
some French army soldiers were executed for their participation.
OBTW, based on my experience, The U.S. Navy is one of the few "Dry" Navys in the world.

[amber dog democrat]

88. The Kaiser's High Seas Fleet refused duty in 1918

and for a really grand mutiney, The Krondstadt of 1921 gets the grand prize. Battleships were using their main batteries against the Red Army forces on the ice.

But not for Thomas Payne's " Common Sense " Parker's mutiney at the Spithead and Nore might have never gotten so wide spread acceptance in the fleet. It was pay, and decent food - much less being pressed by gangs going further inshore to build up the Navy to oppose Napoleon that fanned the flames.

Might want to get out a copy of Common Sense and see what it says.

[LibLabUK]

39. Hmm

" I believe this is one of the reasons that the "rum ration" in the British Navy was so long held sacrosanct, while other naval services banned alcohol."

RN Sailors still get an alcohol ration, even today.

[northzax]

71. actually, the Royal Navy Rum Ration

was discontinued in 1970.

[LibLabUK]

Yes, the Rum Ration was...

but they get beer.

I've seen them loading it.

[Zero Gravitas]

63. Press Gangs

I'm all for bringing back press gangs, anyone driving an SUV with no passengers or anyone with a Bush-Cheney or upside down "M" for moron sticker on their car is eleigble to drafted on the spot.

[happyslug]

129. The Pennsylvania Line in 1780..

This is why the US Marine can say "Always Faithful", the Marines have NEVER revolted against the US, the Army first revolted when the Country was barely four years old (and the reason was food and Pay).

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~bitting/PARevolt.htm
http://www.doublegv.com/ggv/battles/Mutiny.html

Alexander's the Great Army also revolted (they wanted to go home after 12 years of Fighting):
http://www.thehistorynet.com/mh/bl_alexander_the_great/

As to more modern Revolts, the last years of WWI are the best example. Resistence to fighting not only affected the German Fleet, The Russian and French Army but even the British (and to a lesser extent) the American Army. American resistence increased when it came to the Intervention into Russian in 1919-1920.

The last two years of WWI was a terrible Strain on every nation involved. Churchill (Then Lord of the Admiralty, he would be Prime Minister during WWII) would comment later that had Wilson kept the US out of WWI in 1917, the Allies and Germany would have reached a settlement by the Middle of 1917. Both sides were that exhausted that what had been unacceptable terms in 1916 (The last attempt at a Peach treaty) would have been accepted in 1917. The entrance of the US ended that for the Allies knew they would win unless Germany won its offensive in the Spring 1918. With that fact Germany through everything it had in the Spring 1918 offensive and it was only stopped by the entrance of US Troops. Basically Churchill commented that Wilson's declaration of War relieved the Allies of having to face the reality of the situation in the Trenches, while Germany had to win or die. Churchill' observation that had Wilson NOT declared war, the Allies and Germany would have signed a treaty by Summer 1917 and Both Fascism and Communism would not have come to power.

http://www.regiments.org/wars/ww1/russia.htm
http://www.militaria.com/8th/WW1/siberia.html
http://www.nestormakhno.info/english/ukraine_uk.htm
http://www.ex.ac.uk/Projects/meia/Trotsky/Archive/1918-Mil/ch38.htm

Here is a article on the Revolt of the German Fleet in 1918:
http://kurasje.tripod.com/arkiv/3100t.htm

[gordianot]

131. In modern times Italy came close in WWII.

They just quit. Remember what happened to Mussolini?

[arwalden]

12. It Won't Be Called A Draft... It's "Targeted Skills Recruitment"

[DBoon]

30. Then vs. Now

Then:

You served in the military. Under the GI bill, the government paid for your education as a reward for your service.

Now:
You pay for your own education. If the goverment thinks they need someone with your skills, they draft you.

[KeireG]

13. This is insane!

This is incredible, they are gearing it up. They're probably going to stage an act of aggression from the enemy to instigate war and reinstate the draft.

[maddezmom]

17. or perhaps just more false claims of an imminent threat of nuclear weapon

and WMD's? :shrug:

[classof56]

18. Welcome to DU--a little pocket of sanity in this insane world!

And if I understand it correctly, the act of aggression won't be necessary for the Bush crowd to reinstate the draft. They now have that mandate plus the political capital to do anything they danged well please. It's the will of the people, don't ya know?

[Just Me]

95. PNAC pursuits will require conscription.

We all know there will be another act of "terrorism",...we just don't know when. But,...once that day arrives,...it will be akin to a "Pearl Harbor II" for the PNACers giving them additional rationale/propaganda to do their war-march right through the Middle East,...and allowing them to gracefully reinstate the draft.

[MARALE]

16. If there is a draft,

There is a repub, fundie, that has been sending me pro*Bush emails and I have been trying to set him straight. He has a 16 year old son and I hope he gets drafted. I don't want to see the kid hurt, but this guy was so much for the war and is so gung-ho about *, that I would like to see this happen. I feel guilty about feeling this way, but I can not help it. I have a 16 year old as well and hope that he can get out on medical(asthmatic).

[Chimpanzee]

56. The republicans think it's OK, they call it 'tough love'

[BeHereNow]

19. They are already making phone calls-

I was sounding the alarm on this two years ago.
In particular I was telling the moms of my teen aged
daughter's friends. I explained how the "No Child Left Behind"
act required schools to turn over the record of all high school
student to the military recruiters. I asked them to consider
what that meant and to start planning for the scenario
of a draft. Many of them laughed at me. Not any more.
One of the moms called me about a month ago, in a total
panic because they had called her house to inquire as
to why her recently graduated son had not registered
yet.
Anyone who thinks there will not be a draft is in TOTAL
denial.
BHN

[KingChicken]

28. I know, I was in HS two years ago, they got on my back about registering

Iraq was just starting to be talked about in my senior year, I didn’t register right away and started getting politely treating letters. Then the school got on my back about it, they also made polite threats of penalties. You really can't avoid registering, everyone of age is going to have to sooner or latter. Just had my 20th birthday, looking forward to armed conflict in the middle east, how fun.

[ekelly]

97. I have been contacting

every parent I can get ahold of at my son's high school.

All the parents have to do is sign a privacy form, (some shcools provide this with enrollment packages each year) which prevents the school from releasing their childrens' information to recruiters.

The No Child Left Behind Act provides for keeping your kid's info private.
It's too bad the schools don't tell us about this.

[Corgigal]

136. Yeah that worked SOOOO well for me

I filled out that damn form. Last week my son got a letter from the Army Reserves of all places. He has NO DL's or a permit. Nothing from this state at all. So I called the recruiter on the letterhead and I asked him how he got my child's name. He said the school.
I told him to take my child off his mailing list (HA) and then I told him that I have NO idea how you're doing your job right now.
I guess anything to keep their precious ass out of Iraq works.

Yeah,yeah I'm writing a letter to the school but the cat is out of the bag now. Isn't it?

[TahitiNut]

23. Interesting approach to avoiding the activation of the draft.

If they can find enough guys who've failed to register and 'press them into service, they might find enough conscripts to avoid activating the draft for "real."

[halobeam]

24. If they failed to register, IMO... they will be the ones

who will not show up when it's time. Look at the numbers of soldiers who aren't going back, and going to court. This is going to get ugly.

Damn, what stupid ppl in this world..they voted their young and freakin' seniors into this.

[ece_democrat]

81. totally agree...it isn't a draft, it's your sentance

Yep, totally agree.  A friend of mine was a civilian working
for the military and said to make sure to register, implying
that if you don't, you're higher on the draft list.  I don't
know the exact penalties for failure to register on time (I
think it's 30 days after your 18th birthday), but I am sure
Uncle Sam will allow you to work off the penalty with time in
a sandy foxhole.  In addition, my 19 year old son went to a
conscientious objecter lecture and the attorney also mentioned
that they won't even consider CO status unless you registered
on time as the law says.

And now with all the folks leaving the ship, the hawks will be
filling the vacuum.  

ece_democrat

[mpanno]

25. This is scary.... someone wake me up.... PLEASE!!!!

I have a 19 year old daughter - voted for the first time (for Kerry) - she is disappointed and outraged by all of the shrubco regime tactics. She argues constantly with her father (a moderate Repuplican) and says that if they draft her, she will refuse to fight. She says she'll just sit on the floor and "They can't MAKE ME fight." I applaud her.

[kimchi]

26. Welcome to DU, wake up america!

I applaud your daughter, too. Sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders!

[Heidelbaug]

35. Drafting Girls

Are they really going to draft girls. When I was in fifth grade I fought for the equal rights amendment in Illinois. The whole argument against it was that if it passes women will be drafted. Well, it never passed, so how will they draft women? Anyone know the answer.

[TahitiNut]

70. "girls"? You mean "women" don't you? Yes. I knew you did.

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[TankLV]

79. Actually, if they draft "boys" - and they do, they certainly draft "girls"

These are our young children - not quite adults yet, no matter what their age says.

A teenager is still a teenager, regardless if their cannon fodder or not.

[The Flaming Red Head]

40. My son

never got to know his father and now he wants to be a real man.

Even though he doesn't believe in war ( and ends fights by walking away and saying I'm a lover not a fighter) and who would've voted for Kerry, but he was too young. Told me the other day that if they call him, he's going.

[fasttense]

138. If Your Son Insists on Going If They Call Him

Talk him into joining the Navy (not Marines). He is less likely to get killed in the Navy. But he will have to volunteer in the Navy right before they draft him. They never drafted for the Navy. Men joined to avoid the Army.

[Barkley]

50. I hope your daughter inspires other young people!

That's where she can make the biggest impact (not arguing with her father).

When she writes essays for school and is free to choose topics,
anti-war essays would be preferable: her essays could be used as evidence presented to a draft board of your daughters anti-war position.

If she's that adamant they won't draft her; she can think for herself.

[jwirr]

103. I have two of - age grandsons and 2 granddaughters.

I am scared to death. The girls have babies but I don't think even that will make a difference this time around. I would like to see interested groups on this and other Democrat sites start a section that can do two things: educate us about conscientious objection laws and possibilities and help us lobby regarding deferment regulations in the new draft laws: i.e.. those damn repugs kids are going to!!!!

[LibertyLover]

32. Military Forces refusing to fight

If I am recalling my World War I history correctly, there were two occasions where troops refused to fight. There was a general refusal among French troops in 1916 and among the German navy in October/November 1918 which paved the way for the surrender negotiations.

[ThePlumber]

33. Maybe it is just me

Let us be serious here, according to the end of the quoted portion: "similar record checks have been done periodically for the past 10 years". So similar checks have been done since long before GW became president--in fact even when Clinton was president-- but there was no hue and cry about an impending draft.

"Martin’s memo is dated Oct. 28, just a few days before the Nov. 2 presidential election" If Bush wanted to enforce a draft after the election why would he let a bombshell memo like this be drafted and distributed before the election?

Men between 18 and 25 are required by law to register. When I was in college in the late 80's and early 90's every time I accepted financial aid I had to sign a form affirming that I knew registering with the selective service was a required to get certain types of aid (usually loans and Pell grants if I recall correctly).

This is nothing new or unusual. People are becoming concerned only because of the current war. But the same main argument applies: the military brass in no way shape or form desires draftees for the military. They are unmotivated, they desert, they commit more crimes.

[NNN0LHI]

38. Yea. Its only because of the current war. Nothing to worry about

The US has only taken 4 or 5 thousand casualties so far. A mere drop in the bucket. Thats why they are recalling guys who are almost 50 years old now. Excuse me while I go whistle past the cemetery.

Don

[AllegroRondo]

45. I heard it was much higher

according to an NPR story i heard a couple weeks ago, according to the Pentagon over 20,000 soldiers had been injured or ill enough to require airlift out of the country. The 5-6000 number only refers to direct combat casualties.

[Chimpanzee]

72. The recalled a 58yr old on IRR

[Skittles]

87. YES WE HAVE SOMETHING NEW

INCOMPENTENT, WARMONGERING CHICKENHAWK NEOCONS ARE RUNNING OUR GOVERNMENT; HAVE YOU NOT NOTICED THIS?

[tabasco]

110. Hahahahaha!! Military commanders might not "prefer" draftees ...

... but they also prefer having three rifle platoons in their rifle companies. The personnel situation in combat units is BAD and unless they double the pay for soldiers, or thousands of freepers decide to walk the walk, it's not going to get better. The ONLY viable option is a draft. Don't worry, bosco, there will be an "emergency" to allow the glorious leader to backtrack on his promises.

[ThePlumber]

137. It is hard to have a real discussion here

One of the things I don't like about posting on this site is that anyone who does not toe the progressive line on a particular subject is immediately ridiculed. Valid points and real discussion are thrown out the window for snide comments.

Such an attitude leads to intellectual stagnation. This is a site of Yes men. Any real discussion of ideas or principles is dead. The level of conversation here is on the level of 1st graders calling each other stupid head just dressed up with a mildly fancier vocabulary.

Bush is engaged in manuvers to put more troops in harm's way. He will be taking forces out of S Korea and bases in W Europe in the next few years. Those forces will be brought to bear. Now will they stem the tide? Will the January elections be held and what effect will they have? Will the new ING be effective in helping to keep the country under control? What about the new policemen? Some good strong arguments can be made for and against each one of these. Some of them have an effect on the possibility of a draft. A routine check as noted in the article above really has no bearing on whether a draft will occur, it will just make the actual draft that much more effective. Just like all the previous checks have done.

[fasttense]

139. They Need Bodies

You said: "But the same main argument applies: the military brass in no way shape or form desires draftees for the military. They are unmotivated, they desert, they commit more crimes."

True, if the military had its way they would stick with volunteers. But despite the Repub spin the military is not making its numbers in recruiting. In order to spin, the military was given recruiting goals equal to or just a slight bit higher than before the Iraq war. The goals are not realistic and recruiters are routinely pushed to exceed their goals. Now the Repubs can say that recruiting is fine and we don't need a draft.

The truth of this argument can be seen in the current back door draft of reserve and guard and recall of retires. The services are not getting the numbers they need to keep up and solve the Iraq war. If they were getting their numbers, why involuntary extensions?

So the only remaining solution is the draft. Not that the big brass wants a draft but they need it and are out of options. All B**H has to do is sign an executive order and surprise you've got a draft.

[Nestea]

34. I'm not fighting

I'm opposed to the war. Isn't it bad enough that I have to pay taxes to support this war?

I'd rather go to jail than go to Iraq. At least I won't lose limbs in jail. What are the ages that can be drafted anyway? I'm 27.

[leftchick]

42. I believe they have upped the age limit...

to 34. They will be drafting women this time as well.

[TankLV]

82. Actually, they just had a spot on local TV here in Nevada about a week ago

calling up people in their 50's already - even if they were discharged.

This man had been out for almost 20 years.

IT
IS
HAPPENING
NOW

They are already quietly re-classifying those that have already served their term.

They also mentioned, if you are in a "desireable" profession - computers, engineering, building trades - that even people in their 60's aren't safe.

60's.

Let that sink in.

[amber dog democrat]

89. Hey let's have Volkstrumm while we are at it.

Always can find a use for old people in the Home Guard. Leave no person behind.
With us or against us.

[tuckessee]

43. It takes more guts to go to jail

and face social ostracization than to go along with the crowd & join the mob engaging in mass murder under the guise of "duty".

Future "refuseniks" will need the support all good Americans. We need to be prepared to help all resistors with legal bills, hiding places, protests, moral support and so on.

I'm not sure about the draft ages but I believe the preliminary plans call for drafting males 18 to 26 or 28.

Of course, those with certain desirable skills will be taken even if much older.

If they need lots of bodies, expect a general draft of 18 to the early 40's.

[Nestea]

53. like, computer skills?

:scared:

[rockedthevoteinMA]

55. if you guys are worried about it

get in touch with your local branch of veterans for peace. They should be able to help you/ lead you in the right direction for info on how to avoid it. One of my professors last semester told me about the fact a draft was most likely coming - she is really involved with VFP - they are really active, and trying to prevent war, etc. I know up here in the NE at least.

[Nestea]

57. I thought the only way is jail.

Last I checked, Canada has a deal with the U.S. to send us back.

So isn't the only other way jail? I mean even if I say I'm a CO(which I am, I oppose war on moral grounds), won't they just stick me in a non-combat role?

[rockedthevoteinMA]

59. I don't know -

there was this women i met at the peace college, she was from VFP, and she had this list for those of us to sign who wanted to to become CO's and she said it would go on record in Washington that I was. I signed in April, so they have it. I don't really know much about it. The main thing I do know is that I WILL NEVER go fight in a war. If that means jail, so be it. http://www.nisbco.org/What_Do_I.htm Here's a website with some Q & A on it.

[TankLV]

83. They usually DO stick CO's in non-combat roles - like medics or support

staff - cooks, etc. - some even at desk jobs.

[MADem]

116. Yea, you get to be a medic all right

...and you end up in the WORST wards, doing the most soul wrenching work--if you're lucky enough to avoid a combat assignment. Or, you could end up providing medical support on the front lines--if those guys get shot, and the battle is ongoing, you just patch them up, and if they can keep going, they do. That kid who shot the man in the mosque had been shot in the face the day before the incident.

Another favorite job for COs is MORTUARY SERVICES. These duties are horrific. On the sending end, you have to pack the bags, seal the transfer tubes, ensure that required items, if available (uniforms, STOs, ribbons, etc) are packed in a sack and included in the shipment, etc. On the receiving end, you do mortuary services just like Six Feet Under, only all of the bodies have severe trauma--not many die in their sleep. You have to clean them, arrange the parts, do the embalming, determine if the body can be viewed or not, dress the corpse, do the paperwork, and ship the body to the loved ones' choice of funeral director. Of course, unless you already have experience in this area, you are at the lowest end of the totem pole with regard to your specific duties, and you can just imagine how mind searing they might be.

The desk jobs and cooking chores are few and far between--hell half or more of them have been civilianized. Halliburton's KBR subsidiary contracts most of the mess management services, and the guys in the field eat their chow in snazzy little pouches. In the Marines, for example, the paper pusher also has to be able to shoot. In the Navy, the personnel types often have a battle station that involves weaponry as well. The old, recalled fatties can do most of the paperwork back in the safety of America, thanks to computers nowadays.

Of course, if we end up fighting World War Three, we'll ALL be in it, and there may be a few openings. The economy always goes haywire in a "big" war, there are more jobs than people to fill them, and it may become cheaper to use draftees to do a lot of the civilian work when you've mobilized massive numbers of people. After the war is over, you just demob them.

I think any draft will be very targeted, at least initially, and if we don't end up fighting the damn Chinese in Iran. Medical personnel, people with law enforcement, prison guard, and related skills, civil engineers, journalists and city managers (for public works, combat construction, and public and civil affairs), anyone who knows anything about oil pipelines and rigs, and of course, they'll need the Young NRA Members mailing list, just in case they run a little short in the infantry department.

[Lizzie Borden]

93. Join the Quaker churh

and declare yourself to be a conscientious objector. Do NOT wait to do this. The sooner you do it, the more believable you will be.

[Nestea]

94. I'll just go to jail

I don't want to be a CO either. They'd just stick me in a non-combat role and I'd still contribute to the badness in Iraq.

[DrWeird]

128. They don't need computer skills. "skills draft" is bullshit.

They need people who can drive trucks and pull triggers. Because that's the people they're losing.

They also don't need people old enough to question orders. So they'll stick with the same age group they did with Vietnam.

[Boosterman]

54. Agreed about the jail part

At least you get a weapon and a chance to fight back in a war. Our jails are really scary. Not sure about whether Bush will start a draft or not. It would seem like a horrible political move for his party.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

47. they changed all the rules

the ages are now 18-34, and they are looking into women and men. Bush and the leader in Canada signed some agreement back in 2001 - stating that people who tried to escape to Canada in case of a draft will be returned to US. I found all this out at the Peace College they held this past spring at my school. So it looks like heading south for me and my boyfriend? What about the whole conciencious objector thing? I signed one of them. There's info on the http://www.objector.org/ . also veterans for peace has some good info on their website for people who are stuck in the stop loss, etc. http://www.veteransforpeace.org/ and some good links about how to avoid being drafted mixed in there.

[jwirr]

106. "I'd rather go to jail than go to Iraq"

You have hit the nail on the head. That was the force behind the protests in the 60s & 70s. If that is understood then the power is in your court. If you are afraid to take the consequences then the drafters hold the power. That has been the basis of the Quaker stance on CO since the beginning of this country. I want to thank them for laying the foundations for us.

[Spangle]

44. Single Parenting and the draft ???

What about single parents and getting drafted?

Since someone has to stay and take care of the kids, both parents can not be drafted. Knowing how liberal the kids are now days, I see alot more un-wed single parents in the next several years.

Can Ya say BABY BOOM!

Double it, a 2nd one that the father has custdy of. One for Mommy and one for Daddy.

How ya feel about raising grand babys while your college age kidos tries to finish college and avoid the draft...

I see it all coming.

Damn-it! And I was looking forward to haveing a house with NO KIDS!

[noamnety]

48. I doubt single parenting would get you out

I was a single parent in the reserves during desert storm, the stock answer is you need to make arrangements for someone to watch your kid while you're gone, maybe a grandparent or someone.

[Spangle]

52. You joined the reserves. Not the same issue

In the reserves you have to be able to meet your "required duty" if called. Which means having back up for your kids in the event that your called. It's the same with active personal. With the active, it use to be that if you became a single parent, then you would have to sign your kid over to someone in order to stay in. Just to prove 100% that you were ready at a momments notice. A friend was kicked out for this. She didn't get preo on purpose and they knew that. She was older and didn't think she could have kids. When I wanted to sign up and was a single parent, I was told that I had to sign my kid over to someone else in order to join. Nada! So I didn't join.

With the reserves, you are not active. Different story. If you can't find placement for your children, it's as if you were never "ready". If you don't go, then you got all that back pay and training expenses. Pretty much making not going a choice that can't reasonably be made.

Draft, it's going into active duty. They will let some things slide. But some things they will not. Children.. who will watch them. Some people do not have anyone who can take their kids. The rule will have to be across the board.

One thing for sure.. Some people who were not elgible to join the military before, will still be eldgible to be drafted. Not as picky as before....

[noamnety]

100. I didn't join the reserves

I joined active duty, got pregnant after a few years, got out, and then was called back into the reserves a couple years later.

[lefthandedskyhook]

46. A draft is doubtful, but it might help to have it

From yesterday's Democracy Now!:

AMY GOODMAN: Noam Chomsky, speaking on Sunday in Princeton, New Jersey. Afterwards, he was asked a series of question, one of them was, would the draft be reinstated.

NOAM CHOMSKY: I think it's extremely unlikely. I should tell you this as a word of personal background. I was very much involved in the resistance movement in the 1960's. In fact, I was just barely -- the only reason I missed a long jail sentence is because the Tet Offensive came along and the trials were called off. So I was very much involved in the resistance, but I was never against the draft. I disagreed with a lot of my friends and associates on that, for a very good reason, I think at least as nobody seems to agree. In my view, if there's going to be an army, I think it ought to be a citizen's army. Now, here I do agree with some people, the top brass, they don't want a citizen's army. They want a mercenary army, what we call a volunteer army. A mercenary army of the disadvantaged. And in fact, in the Vietnam war, the U.S. military realized, they had made a very bad mistake. I mean, for the first time I think ever in the history of European imperialism, including us, they had used a citizen's army to fight a vicious, brutal, colonial war, and civilians just cannot do that kind of a thing. For that, you need the French foreign legion, the Gurkhas or something like that. Every predecessor has used mercenaries, often drawn from the country that they're attacking like England ran India with Indian mercenaries. You take them from one place and send them to kill people in the other place. That's the standard way to run imperial wars. They're just too brutal and violent and murderous. Civilians are not going to be able to do it for very long. What happened was, the army started falling apart. One of the reasons that the army was withdrawn was because the top military wanted it out of there. They were afraid they were not going to have an army anymore. Soldiers were fragging officer. The whole thing was falling apart. They were on drugs. And that’s why I think that they're not going to have a draft. That's why I’m in favor of it. If there's going to be an army that will fight brutal, colonial wars, and that's the only likely kind of war, I’m not talking about the militarization of space and that kind of thing, I mean ground wars, it ought to be a citizen's army so that the attitudes of the society are reflected in the military.

[grumpy old fart]

51. Perfect post

The only way the neo fascists get to wage perpetual war is with a volunteer army. Once young folks used to soft living and privilege find their way of life threatened, Once the "Security moms" see their sons and daughters threatened, there will be a groundswell against the never ending carnage. There will not be a draft, because the SUV class won't stand for it.
Then again, if the propaganda machine really cranks things up....I mean, they did convince a good portion of America that Viet Nam was somehow a threat.....

[theHandpuppet]

60. A agree with your post

The poor and disadvantaged in this country are being used for cannon fodder. Only when the children of the SUV middle class and the wealthy are threatened will this change. It's just another reason this administration doesn't want its citizenry to have reproductive rights. Must keep up a steady supply of slave labor and future soldiers to support the elite class.

[NCN007]

133. You cant pay anyone enough

to fight in the conditions that our soldiers and Marines face in Iraq today. The brave young men in the infantry are there because they want to be there. Clearly not too many of you have even been inside a recruiting office, or you would know that you have a choice as to what branch of the service you will be going into. Yes, the poor and disadvantaged are over-represented in the military. But if you are poor and joined the military to try to make a better life for yourself, are you going to go into an MOS where you might learn something useful, say fixing airplanes? Or are you going to go into the branch where the skills learned are killing the enemy and sleeping in the mud? The combat arms are the people who for the most part want to be there because of their sense of duty and patriotism.

[lefthandedskyhook]

61. There will always be kool-aid guzzlers

America is not feeling this war right now. That has to change somehow.

[alfredo]

62. That makes a lot of sense.

A mercenary army is there for money, not for country. That doesn't mean they are not patriotic, but that they had little choice, bush's economy took away options. It came down to flipping burgers part time, or a chance for schooling after a stint in the military.

I don't think the recession, outsourcing and exploding costs for higher education were entirely by accident. They have all played into the hands of the imperialist ambitions of the Junta.

[Demeter]

64. The Bushites Are Stupid Enough to Disregard Chomsky

Instituting a draft in the face of the obvious failures that will follow will be another of those fantastic "faith-based" national policies. IT DOESN'T MATTER what is real, only what Bush wants to be real, and how many idiots are willing to let him get away with it.

[BrotherBuzz]

73. David Hackworth said essentially the same thing...

"Even when they pissed me off, I had to admit there was something I liked about the draftees who didn't want to be there and made no bones about it. I like draftees in general, even with the attendant problems. Historically draftees have kept the military on the straight and narrow. By calling a spade a spade, they keep it clean. Without their "careers" to think about, they can't be easily bullied or intimidated as Regulars; their presence prevents the elitism that otherwise might allow a Regular army to become isolated from the values of the country it serves. Draftees are not concerned for the reputation of their employer, the Army (in Vietnam they happily blew the whistle an everything from phony valor awards to the secret bombings of Laos and Cambodia); a draftee, citizens' army, so much a part of the history of America, is an essential part of a healthy democracy, one in which everyone pays the price of admission." Col. David Hackworth - from his book About Face: Odyssey of an American Warrior.

I read Col. Hackworths words about the same time Rumsfeld made that bonehead statement that draftees added "no value, no advantage, really, to the United States Armed Services over any sustained period of time." I was a dumb draftee and became really enraged at those words! Livid! Hackworth's words brought me back to earth. Noam Chomsky's words have merit, too!

[nolabels]

58. I saw this story a while back or was it just a couple of days ago also....

Anyhue, sure seems that a lot of liars just keep on lying

My bad, just some right wing blogger masquerading as news but of course it is now very easy to assume that things that hang the moniker of 'NEWS' on them self might not be. From the this google news search
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&q=military+draft&btnG=Search+News

The Military Draft Hoax

CommentaryWhat may appear as a Republican conspiracy is a deceitful tactic wrought by Democrats
By Jimmy Van

In the Spring of 2004, there was a paper with a picture of a Nazi holding a noose posted around UCI's campus along with a "New University" newspaper article which was spreading the rumor of the possibility of reinstating the draft. I hope all of you who were fooled by it got a good laugh because it is entirely falsified. Ever since the first Persian Gulf War, persistent critics have spread rumors of a draft myth to scare young university students into thinking it is the Vietnam era all over again. The draft myth this time is no different than the rest since it is being spread during the course of a presidential election.

Vice presidential candidate John Edwards stated that John Kerry's administration would not reinstate the draft if elected into office and that of course hints that Bush would reinstate the draft.

Here are the facts: According to the provisions of the Constitution of the United States, the President does not have the authority to reinstate a draft. In order for the government to reinstate a draft, a specific law must be approved by Congress to authorize it. The two bills that the poster and the article speak of are Senate Bill 89, introduced by Senator Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC), and House Resolution 163, introduced by Representative Charles B. Rangel (D-NY). Keep in mind that both bills were introduced by two Democrats, not Republicans. Both bills would require every male and female between the ages of 18 and 26 to serve two years of military service (or community service for those who are medically unqualified). According to the Selective Service, 22 million would be required to serve. Keep in mind that these bills do not just require a portion of them to be drafted, they require everyone to serve.
(snip)
http://www.irvinereview.org/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=103

[mahina]

65. The r's brought that bill to a vote and it failed.

It was co-sponsored by my Rep who explained it in election debates as:
They were bringing the discussion out of the closet. Everyone is talking about it in secret in congress. They wanted it to be a public discussion.
Of course in the r controlled govt the only dem vote they brought to the floor was used for rhetorical political purposes.
= wrong analysis, dated too, sorry. Oh btw our guy smote the r challenger by like 30 points.

[vinessa4freedom]

67. Doesn't it Depend on the Alert Level?

After all, congress passed the unpatriot act, didn't they? If we're there alone, and our soldiers are getting creamed, won't that back congress into the ultimate rock and hardplace?

Congress just doesn't seem like that much of a challenge. Sorry if that sounds ignorant-I'm new to this stuff. I was a baby during Vietnam.

[nolabels]

99. Bluster gets a rooster no where in fight..........

It's more a sign of fear than anything else. Mostly all the ones I ever raised up had very similar traits no matter the breed. The most feared were always the ones who would sneak up and attack unprovoked. Watching them for a while you realize why they are so wary.

The looking around is an act of offense as much as defense. The stupid ones are the ones who don't look around to watch their back side. They are often noticed for this and used for by other roosters for target practice in perfecting their attack craft.

[fasttense]

140. Can you say National Emergency

All that has to happen is for the pres to declare a national emergency and bingo a draft.

[mahina]

66. I think depleted uranium and the mystery illnesses are partly to blame.

Anyway just pretend to be gay and you're out right?

[MADem]

120. That's just a "force shaping" tool

Like obesity, or failing to score high enough on the physical readiness test, or not getting a high enough score on a required enlisted entrance or advancement exam, or failing to promote fast enough.

If they ever get to the point where they need bodies, they'll take them, gay or straight, fat or fatter, and they won't care.

When they aren't being "picky" it gets harder to avoid. I know a guy who went to WW2 deaf in one ear, another who had the flattest feet I have ever seen. They went in around 43, when they were scraping the bottom of the barrel. That's when the "close enough" rule comes into play.

[Nicholas_J]

68. I am feeling no sympathy

For all of those youn voters who were were relying on to come out in force to beat Bush who simply did not show in numbers greater than they have in past elections. They really had the most to lose, as it has been obvious that a Bush re-election would result in the draft being reinstated.

Hopefully the draft will result in some of what happened in Vietnam where people simply stopped obeying their officers at all.

I would like to think that as many will refuse to go as polls have indicated, as polls have indicated that 2 out of 3 people of voting age stated they will simply refuse to go. The goverment knows it cant prosecute millions who refuse, but on those cases the government chooses to make an example of a few hundred, proceutes them to scare others. But since the polls were wronfg about how many young people would vote, I doubt therewill be any serious resistence to being dragged off as cannon fodder either. Until perhaps there are just enough deaths for them to revolt and take over the military. That would be an interesting scneario.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

69. but that's wrong

the young people showed an increase of about 10% since 2000 - the media reported we didn't show up, but look at rockthevote.org or michaelmoore.com "the kids are alright" . We showed up -51.6% of us and we gave it to Kerry 55 to 45 - the largest margin of any age group.

[Nicholas_J]

96. As a percentage of the overall vote

This group didnt increase at all. 17 percent of this group voted in 2000, 17 percent voted this year. The percentage in which they came out in comparison to the increase in all voters this election did not increase at all. Now if you look ar the increase in the overall number of people voting in 2000, and the overall people voting in 2004, you do not see an increase in the percentage that this group made up of the entire population voting, though they make up a higher percentage of the overall population than that 17 percent indicates.
Even worse, when you look at the percentage that was anticipated coming out by looking at the number of new voters registered you end up with even more discouraging news. They were expected to make up as much as 25 percent of the vote, when there was not increase at all in the percentage that they came out in.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

102. but that's wrong.

only 42% of those eligible showed up in 2000. 51.6% showed up in 2004. 20 million new young people showed up to vote. CNN was claiming what you say above, but if you look on the internet, and check it out - the young people did show up, and in record numbers and they gave Kerry a 10 pt. margin. larger than any other age group.

[Nicholas_J]

108. 17 percent 17 percent

17 percent of voters younger than 30 showed up 1n 2000
17 percent showed up in 2004.

17 percent=17 percent=no increase.

Although young people came out in greater than usual numbers on Tuesday, so did everyone else. Young people made up the same proportion of those went to the polls as in the past presidential elections -- about 17 percent -- exit polls released by CNN and the Associated Press showed. In Florida, the percentage even dropped a few points, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement at the University of Maryland.

I'm tremendously disappointed. I would expect more from our generation," said Lenny Persighetti, 20, a student at Broward Community College who voted for Sen. John Kerry.

"It's depressing, but I wasn't really surprised," said Negin Kordbacheh, 23, a member of the Young Republicans in Palm Beach County. "I heard that kids either slept in or didn't feel like standing in line."

"They just didn't come out as much as anticipated," agreed Diane Glasser, vice chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, who is based in Broward County. "I don't know what happened."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cyouthvote07nov07,0,747802.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

While you can find pockets where youth voters came out more heavily, overal they completely failed to meet the expectations of them that appeared as a result of polls during the campaign. In the end they came out in no greater numbers than any other group came out in.

Their showing has always been dismal compeared to the overall vote in other years, and since they came out in no greater numbers than the increase of other groups, their turnout simply is as dismal as it has been in the past, relative to the overall turnout. Every other demographic group in the country increased as much as the youth vote. Meaining that they simply were no more engagesd as any other group this campaign cycle.

Fats are that they simply didnt go to the pollin the numbes that they said they were going to go in. Theyt were on the whole, unreliable.


"Every year, Democrats go through this fantasy of the youth group and labor unions," said Garrison Nelson, a political science professor at the University of Vermont. "Yet another election has come and gone, and the youth vote did not increase and the labor unions have not organized their voters."

Nelson, who said the 26th Amendment was passed by a Democratic congress who saw great benefits in allowing draft-age youth to vote, doesn't see things improving anytime soon.

"They don't really establish long-term residences," he said. "They're not contacted as often." In the race between Bush and Kerry, he said, youth "made absolutely no difference."

That could be a tough pill to swallow for youth activists, who, by all election accounts, make up no more than 9 percent of the 18 to 24 population.

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/Stories/0,1413,104~8676~2515005,00.html

Nelson is about as liberal and progresive a political scientist as exists in the U.S. and one of the sharpest NON-MEDIA analysts on the political scene. He's been watching this for a long time. Reliance on the youth vote is precisely what cost Kerry the election, rather than going out for older, more reliable voters. A great many of those who were saying they would be turning out in pre-election polls, simply could not be bothered by long lines. Much of the pre-election exit polls info was largely skewed by evidence picked up from the largely ypith dominated blogs in the early morning By the time early evening came around The bloggers had missed the closing of the polls, and ended up not voting.

[sandnsea]

114. State by state

All states weren't equally targeted for youth turnout. You have to look at the states where youth were targeted and look at the youth vote there. They came out and made the difference in several states. It's just wrong to jump on kids, they worked their hearts out and they DID vote.

[Nicholas_J]

119. If they came out in the percentages that they said they were going to

Kerry would be waiting to be innaugurated. Every estimate that Kerry would win, and could win was based on the youth vote coming out in something like the percentages that they indicated that they would come out in when they were polled as to whether they woiuld vote or not. This is exactly what caused the prediction of Kerry's win in the morning. By evening it was very clear who would win and why. Even with the massive effort of Rove to get out the base for Bush and even with the much larger turnout of evangelicals, Bush could not have won if even half of the projected increase in the youth vote came out to vote. They didnt. By early evening it was clear that they didnt. It was the major factor in Kerry's loss and Bush's win. Work their hearts out or not, the same people who worked their hearts out in 2000 came out, and the same ones who didnt turn out in 2000 didnt turn out this year. And in every year since the voting age was lowered to 18. Relying on the youth vote has been the bane of democratic hopes since 1972. Doing so has failed the Democratic Party for more than 30 years now. Except for Clinton who would have lost if Perot had not been running, and Jimmy Carter, who beat an unelected president, the Democrats have lost every election and in every election the youth vote was the predicted secret weapon of the Democratic Party. The facts are that relative to the entire rest of the population, it is the same small percentage of the youth vote that turns out and the same large percentage of them who do not. Its really time to change strategy and stop relying on a relatively unreliable sector of the voting population for the core of the strategy to win. Try to get them to vote, fine, but rely on it, and you will lose everytime. It seems that the youth vote was largely less worried about getting drafted, than the evangelicals were worried about gays being allowed to get married. They simply failed to turn out in the degree that they had said they were going to turn out. Those are facts. State by state, in states where they were needed, they didnt turn out. In Florida, had they turned out something closer to the percentages they said they would have, Florida would have gone to Kerry. In the most Democratic County in the state of Florida, they turned out in fewer numbers than in 2000. When polled. all of those students in Florida who seemed so committed when called by pollsters, did not get out to the polls. State by state, in the states that were most critical for a win, they did not turn out in the percentages that they stated they would come out in. Those are facts.

[sandnsea]

122. Everybody needs a scapegoat I guess

Yours seems to be the kids. Others blame Kerry. Others blame Mary Beth. It's not healthy.

There's no simple answer to this election. It's a combination of alot of things. Logic defies Florida. How in the world could we have lost with both Democrats and Nader voters? We didn't in Oregon. How could all the stories that needed to be told all summer are suddenly being told now. We're living in a near dictatorship and the right wing doesn't even recognize it. People are afraid to speak politically anywhere except in their homes. It's insane. Blaming it all on the youth vote doesn't confront the true problems we're faced with. And they are frightening and growing by the day.

[Nicholas_J]

124. All you need to do is look at the close states

What kind of a percentage did we win Oregon by. How much did the youth vote come out in Oregon. And did it make a difference. WOUld Kerry have won without the youth vote in those states. Ceratinly he would have won Pennsylvania if the youth vote had not come out. He would have won Iowa, Florida and Ohio if they had come out. All that matters is that overall, over the entire nation they did not come out in the numbers that they had comitted to coming out in. And that is crucial. As a group they did not kep the comitments they had made to come out on one day in early November of 2004 and vote. No matter what they did every day for the previous two years, if they didnt wake up on November 2, they might as well not have done anything for the prior days from the time the nomination was sure. Or from the times the candidates threw their hats in the ring. Largely, they were not there on the only day that counted. A lot of young people who said they would be there were not.

Dont need a scapegoat for what has been proven to be a historical truth since the day the 26 amendment was passed. For every year since 1972, the youth vote has failed to meet its promise, and it made many more promises this year than in any other year. And failed again to increase the percentage of its vote as compared to every other demographic sector of the electorate. The attempt to rely on the youth vote has had 30 years of proven failure, It is simply time to stop putting the effort into a failed strategy.

[sandnsea]

76. You're just wrong

They did come out. Turn off the teevee. The youth vote made the difference in Wisconsin and a few other swing states. I'm surprised you, of all people, would make such a statement.

[Carolab]

107. Yes THE KIDS DID COME OUT

and I am proud of them and really sick of hearing they did not.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

109. thank you both

at school we worked our butts off for a year registering people, and helping them find out where to vote etc. When I heard them spouting off on the news that young people didn't show up, I wanted to cry. My mom said to me "well they're saying it's you young kids who didn't show up." I looked into it though, and www.rockthevote.org has all the stats up on their page. We did show up. We just can't change the way everyone else votes.

[TankLV]

84. Everyone, don't worry - you can all join a political campaign for a

DEMOCRAT - after all, that's what all the repukes claim bunkerboy did and they are PROUD of it - it IS an alternative to service for EVERYBODY, is it not?

They wouldn't mind someone volunteering for a Democratic Candidate somewhere?

Or if that's not allowed, I'm SURE they'll allow everyone who aaks to be able to volunteer for the repuke candidate of their choice!

[franmarz]

85. Military Draft-or Call Up?

In the Tampa Tribune this morning, I read that a 47 year old -previous helicopter pilot-was called to active duty. He said that he had not flown for 7 years, and had a family now. What the hell is going on in that pit up in DC? I am sure that we can count on the draft in the near future, no matter how they deny it.

[Emillereid]

86. I think they're planning a targeted draft -- one that only

targets people with certain skills/aptitudes (medical, computer skills, etc.). Recruiters talked my daughter's boyfriend at Berkeley into coming into their office and taking a special test -- and lathered on the praise about how well he did of course. He's in a pre-med field.

I can't imagine the army wanting a wholesale draft of all young men -- they prefer a mercenary army, not a citizen's 'drafted' army. One (not the only) reason for America's failure in Vietnam was that the draftees became increasingly uncooperative, had a tendency to think for themselves and fragging was not uncommon.

I also can't imagine them drafting women -- the fundies would go crazy.

Of course, this administration is stupid as well as evil -- so who knows, maybe they will have a wholesale draft -- and that I believe will be a colossal blunder.

[Zerex71]

91. Nothing to worry about here, folks.

Remember, if Unka Dick and Chimpy said no draft, they mean no draft. After all, only Big Meanie Bill Clinton would LIE about something.

[slowroll]

104. I hope they do start a draft.

It'll lame Bush for the rest of his term and insure the election of a Dem in '08. It'll get the country really focused on the issue of this war and make people have to come to grips with what it's about. And it could help bridge the divide in this country if young people from the widely divergent socio-economic and geographic stratas we have were forced to go through an experience like this together. That shared experience and sacrifice is what made the WWII vets such a great generation.

I know many here who are of draft age or have children of draft age recoil at the prospect. But things are getting desperate in this country, and I don't see any easy paths out from where I stand.

[Mountainman]

105. Well people will get what they voted for. Not us mind you but the other

51%.

Somehow they will sell this in such a way that freepers will gladly fight and die for Bush.

[Earth_First]

112. Not that I wish ANYONE to be drafted...

but I hope you are correct. See how blindly people support King * then...

[Chovexani]

111. I've got a 16 year old cousin

And I am scared shitless for him. :(

[Khephra]

113. I think a draft would be a WONDERFUL idea

as long as they only take Bush voters.

[VegasWolf]

115. It's not a draft, it's Leave No Teenager Behind Program, an

involuntary opportunity to serve your country by replacing
the dead american soldiers with live ones.

[Cronus Protagonist]

117. How does one give onesself a boil on the butt like Rush, my hero?

/sarcasm

Show your support for the president, wear a FUCK BUSH button!

http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13
(We usually ship same or next business day by first class mail)

[alfredo]

118. They will find the ones who didn't sign up and give them a

choice, enlist or go to jail.

[distantearlywarning]

125. Perhaps just another conspiracy theory...

...but scary as hell nevertheless. I'm sure some of you have seen this one before, but just for the benefit of people who haven't:

http://tbrnews.org/Archives/a1103.htm

[GoddessOfGuinness]

126. I wonder how many rethuglicans

are shitting their pants to read about this.

[saigon68]

127. Ya those crackers Might have to sleep in a bed next to "negro"

Or sit on the same toilet

Yikes

[restorefreedom]

130. what a shock

But not to worry. Of those 50 million who voted for *, a significant number of them have to be between the ages of 18-35.

I say they go first.

"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever." -- George Orwell

[mitchum]

134. GOOD! Apparently, this will be the only thing that wakes Americans...

up so that they may overthrow this corrupt despot and his gang of henchmen.

[blackhorse]

135. Kind of ...

... makes one wonder what the effect on the army will be. An all-volunteer force can be made to do a lot that might be a wee bit riskier (politically, in terms of force discipline, etc.) with a drafted army. There might be more refusals by entire units to go into combat.

Cheers

[Riceman1974]

141. I read

That this is something SSS has to do (check lists, etc.) every few years because of a law passed years ago.