Kerry's NO DRAFT PLAN vs. Bush readying SSS for June 15, 2005

[Dems Will Win]

Please don't bring up Rangel and Hollings bills in this thread. These are irrelevant bills that will never be passed. What is real is that this summer Bush is reducing DRAFT ACTIVATION time by having the SSS conduct NATIONWIDE EXERCISES to test the whole system, even to the point of filling all DRAFT BOARD vacancies and gearing up the Alternative Service for COs for the first time in three decades.
http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html

Kerry's NO-DRAFT plan to raise 40,000 additional troops and avoid reinstatement of the draft is added up this way:

1. Move some paper-pushers to combat (lots of potential there)
2. Increase enlistment with real scholarships and pay raises
3. Let troops know Special Ops will hunt al-Queda, no more invasions needed, so re-up rate goes up. "Primarily a law enforcement effort, not a full military effort", say JK.
4. Start a "Civilian Stability Corps" that would help in reconstructing Afghanistan and Iraq and relieve military pressure.
5. GET FOREIGN TROOPS TO COME INTO INSTEAD OF LEAVE IRAQ!!

http://www.candidatemap.com

"...I propose that we enlist thousands of them in a Civilian Stability Corps, a reserve organization of volunteers ready to help win the peace in troubled places. Like military reservists, they will have peacetime jobs; but in times of national need, they will be called into service to restore roads, renovate schools, open hospitals, repair power systems, draft a constitution, or build a police force. A Civilian Stability Corps can bring the best of America to the worst of the world—and reduce pressure on the military."
< Source: Kerry, John. "Protecting Our Military Families in Times of War: A Military Family Bill of Rights." March 17, 2004. http://johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0317.html >

With this NO-DRAFT PLAN, Kerry will not have to resort to conscription, even after Bush screwed the whole thing up.


From STOPTHEDRAFT.COM

http://technologyreports.net/stopthedraft/?articleID=2550

What do a former fighter pilot in the National Guard and a former officer in the Navy have in common? Both have promised not to reinstate the military draft if elected president.

Senator John Kerry has promised that if elected president he will not reinstate the military draft, but will increase troop numbers by 40,000.

President Bush and his staff have also promised the American public that there are no plans to reinstate the military draft.

-snip-

John Kerry wants to deploy 40,000 more troops to Iraq and finish the job quickly. Yet when asked how he would do it, he said that a draft is not needed and people will enlist. To his advantage, however, Senator Kerry was an anti-war activist after serving his duties as a Navy officer in the Vietnam War and knows first-hand the pitfalls of the military draft.

-snip-

BUSH '04 = DRAFT '05
KERRY '04 = PNAC OUT THE DOOR!

[Brotherjohn]

1. Kerry has specifically addressed the issue. Bush has said...

... "there are no plans to re-instate the draft" (quoting the above, not Bush).

Well, there were no war plans on his desk either, so I guess that settles it! (NOT!) All "no plans" means is that you haven't formally decided to do it... yet.

I really like what Kerry had to say in the above about Special Ops and hunting Al Qaeda being "Primarily a law enforcement effort, not a full military effort". It's so obvious it hardly merits mention, but terrorists are criminals, not nations. If Bush had understood that in the first place, we wouldn't be in this mess. Plus, we'd probably have Bin Laden, and we'd be much more successful at stopping terrorist acts.

[Dems Will Win]

3. Here is Bush reactivating Alternative Service for the first time

This is the last piece Bush needs to reactivate the DRAFT for next year...

Strategic Objective 4.2: Develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Alternative Service Employer Network to specifically identify organizations and associations who can, by law, participate in the Alternative Service Program. This network will provide jobs for ASWs at the local level. Prior to activation, SSS will develop a draft MOU for use when obtaining agreements with qualified employers at the local and national level.

How success will be measured:

An SOP will be completed, coordinated, and approved for use in an authorized return to conscription.

The draft MOU will be completed, coordinated, and approved for use in an authorized return to conscription.

Strategic Performance Goals:

Develop the SOP, coordinate with the National Headquarters and obtain approval from the Director of Selective Service.

Complete a draft MOU to be used as an agreement between the SSS and other Federal and private agencies for the placing of ASWs at the local level.

[stellanoir]

6. "Well, there were no war plans on his desk either. . . "

LOL. . .He doesn't read therefore, it's unlikely that there are ever any papers on his desk whatsoever.

[Brotherjohn]

7. Woodward said the other night on Charlie Rose (I think)...

..."Well, no, there were no war plans on his desk. Bush keeps a very neat, clean desk" (I'm paraphrasing)

Woodward is so deadpan that I don't know if he was joking or just relating what he had seen. I wouldn't doubt that there is absolutely nothing on Bush's desk at any given time, except perhaps a nice pen set he got from Prince Bandar, and a plexiglass-encased baseball signed by the 69 Mets.

[ugarte]

2. Kerry should really hammer the draft issue

It's a great wedge issue for Democrats.

[bryant69]

4. Particularly with the young

And those who have children.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[HFishbine]

5. "Kerry has promised... he will not reinstate the military draft"

I've yet to see this "promise" sourced. I'd like to, but it seems as if people are trying to read something into Kerry's position (or lack thereof) that doesn't exist in reality.

[Dems Will Win]

8. He supposedly said it on C-SPAN during the primaries

He said on MTP that we don't need to invade whole nations beyond Afghanistan. He has a plan to increase 40,000 troops without a draft, a plan to bring in foreign troops to Iraq.

There's this: http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2004_0330b.html

“When I returned from service in the military, I testified to the Congress about the racism in the military, about the lopsided application of the draft, the impact that it had on minority communities, the lopsided number of casualties, both African-American and Hispanic, predominantly.

“And I testified to the Congress about the inequality of the application of the draft and the way in which they were treated when they came home, left in communities that were neglected and lacked health care and education and other issues.”


Also this: http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/clips/news_2003_1203a.html

Kerry sees youth activism as key


December 03, 2003

Associated Press

Boston, MA -

Drawing comparisons to the campus activism of the 1960s, Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry sought yesterday to recruit local students to mobilize during their winter break and work for his campaign.

In a speech at Boston University, the former war hero turned critic of the Vietnam War said students of his generation became involved in politics to “end a war gone wrong” and “bring our troops home.”

Kerry urged students to travel to New Hampshire and Iowa over their winter breaks, emulating students in the 1960s who survived on sandwiches while stumping for candidates.

“It was students who became known as the ‘peanut butter and jelly brigade,’ who went up to New Hampshire and knocked on doors and handed out leaflets and talked to people in houses and told them what was wrong with the war in Vietnam,” Kerry told the auditorium filled with students.

Kerry stopped short of drawing comparisons between the current U.S. involvement in Iraq and the war in Vietnam, saying the conflicts are different.

“They are not the same in terms of goals and purpose. The war on terror is very different,” he said. “Iraq is a place where we need to have a success in the end.”

Kerry also said he doesn’t believe there is a need to reinstate the draft, a source of conflict during the Vietnam War.

The Massachusetts senator is struggling to narrow the gap with Dean, who holds a hefty lead in recent polls of likely Democratic voters in the crucial New Hampshire primary.

Kerry used the speech to amp up his rhetoric against President Bush, saying Bush will use “every tool in his right-wing arsenal” and “attack ads that question our patriotism” to stifle the campaign.

“The war on terrorism is primarily an intelligence-gathering and law enforcement operation and we need a president who understands that,” he said. “This President doesn’t have the experience to be commander in chief.”

[Brotherjohn]

9. He is quoted on his web site as saying the draft isn't right for Iraq.

Any Kerry folks have the link?
(ON EDIT: It's the quote above about no need to reinstate the draft)

I don't think it's an iron-clad "promise", as characterized above. But I don't think a responsible leader-to-be should make a promise like that.

What if we ARE attacked again, on a much greater magnitude, or get drawn into a JUST war (a la WWII). You cannot make blanket promises like that.

Of course, Bush would be more likely to make such a promise... but he would also be less likely to mean it.

It's a matter of whose words, actions, and history match up and have any credibility. Bush's don't. Kerry's do. I firmly believe if Kerry EVER instituted a draft, or went to war, it would be as an absolute last resort. With Bush, it's the FIRST resort on both counts. That is a massive difference.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. Damn. Kerry has really got it together here.

Excellent!

[Brotherjohn]

11. Kerry is saying exactly the right things on the "War on Terror".

He KNOWS how to fight this kind of "war". Bush has no clue.

From Sunday's MTP Interview:
MR. RUSSERT: "The war on terror is a law enforcement, not military..."

SEN. KERRY: "No. I said "primarily." And here's why. If you don't know--if you're going to fight an intelligent war on terror, you don't want to fight it here in America. You do want to fight it abroad. You want to fight it where the cells are originating. And in order to know who they are, where they are, what they're planning and be able to go get them before they get us, you need the best intelligence, best law enforcement cooperation in the world. Now, I've always said once you know where they are, will you use the Delta Force or SEALs or Rangers or Special Forces of some kind? Absolutely. And I will not hesitate to use those forces effectively."

"I think that I can fight a far more effective war on terror. I will build alliances and cooperation. I will make America safer. But I will use our military when necessary, but it is not primarily a military operation. It's an intelligence gathering, law enforcement, public diplomacy effort, and we're putting far more money into the war on the battlefield than we are into the war of ideas. We need to get it straight."

[Dems Will Win]

12. Don't Worry - Be Happy

That's what the SSS site says:

-snip-

Notwithstanding recent stories in the news media and on the Internet, Selective Service is not getting ready to conduct a draft for the U.S. Armed Forces -- either with a special skills or regular draft. Rather, the Agency remains prepared to manage a draft if and when the President and the Congress so direct. This responsibility has been ongoing since 1980 and is nothing new. Further, both the President and the Secretary of Defense have stated on more than one occasion that there is no need for a draft for the War on Terrorism or any likely contingency, such as Iraq. Additionally, the Congress has not acted on any proposed legislation to reinstate a draft. Therefore, Selective Service continues to refine its plans to be prepared as is required by law, and to register young men who are ages 18 through 25.

-snip-

[wabeewoman]

13. Me thinks

they doth protest to much....

[Dems Will Win]

14. I forgot to say they have moved the Special Skills DRAFT

from "planning" to "groundwork" and will no doubt have COngress approve that directly after the election, if Bush wins. That could draft anyone that the Pentagon has an official shortage of, up to age 44. Computer experts, linguists and engineers have ALREADY been identified by DoD as being in shortage.

[Dems Will Win]

15. This thread is now on BUZZFLASH.COM!

[Dems Will Win]

16. this thread now on Buzzflash.com!

[Dems Will Win]

17. Kick

[Media_Lies_Daily]

18. Sorry to interject a note of reality, but....

...the draft will become reality even if Kerry becomes the first elected president since Clinton.

I say that because I just don't see us winning back complete control of Congress...or even a single house of Congress...in 2004.

Anyone that tries to tell you that the draft will never be enacted is waiting to also be sold one or more bridges.

JMHO.

[Dems Will Win]

19. The President has to request reauthorization

Congress can't pass it without him, especially the draft.

Plus Kerry gets foreign troops into Iraq and turns the War on Terror into "primarily a law enforcement effort", backed up by Special Ops.

Plus Kerry has a plan that avoids the draft that has 5 main points. I can explain that to you.

I agree Iraq and Afghanistan alone will require more troops. Kerry has said publicly "NO DRAFT" and will keep working to make sure there isn't one.

BUSH on the other hand, is already reactivating the draft for June 2005 and is salivating over the military might that will then be behind the PNAC PLAN for domination of the oil supply.