Are they preparing us for the draft?

[demgurl]

Well, we have all known it is coming no matter what the thugs say. Yesterday I was listening to NPR news and there was a segment on how the military is not meeting their needs. They said that the military is getting very frustrated because schools and parents are shielding the youth in our society. Gee, imagine that, we Dems value human life!

They had a comment by a military officer who said (paraphrasing here) that if we keep keeping the recruiters from getting into schools or talking to our youth then we can not be surprised when they institute the selective service!

Can I rant a little and then make my point? So you, Mr. Officer, are saying we can either give our kids up willingly or you will take them by force? You are pointing the fingers at people who would protect their young from a fraudulent war and you say it is basically our fault if the country has to institute the selective service? How dare you! Maybe you should be pointing your finger at Mr. Coocoobananas and ask him why you need so many recruits for a war that was based on false pretenses.

OK, rant off but I am still mad! Anyway, this is the first time I have ever heard the selective service even mentioned on the public airwaves and I thought it was important since we are now getting an insight to the talking points and how they will frame it.

Please note that the draft (let's call it what it is and not frame it with the words 'selective service') will be all our fault. We did not agree with the war. We have protested and in effect caused their numbers to drop. We will not let them speak to our precious young. It is all our fault because they said they never wanted to institute a draft but now we are essentially forcing them to do this. They have tried to stick by their word as long as possible (being the good upstanding honest citizens that they are) but we have now put them in a position where they are unable to keep that word any more.

This is the start of their story getting out in public. This is going to be a full blown draft before you know it and we all are to blame!

[MADem]

1. In a word, YES

It's why they are trying to push women out of combat jobs totally, so that there won't be any arguments from pesky liberals about burden sharing, and preferential treatment. If there's a law against it, they can work around it.

It is also why they are talking about a targeted draft, of specific skillsets. It is also why they are talking about requiring everyone who registers for the draft to fill out a form that lists their specific talents, such as languages, weapon skills, engineering and civil affairs talents. They are going to cherrypick this next draft--gun toters, medics and other health care personnel, people skilled at civic matters and public affairs (read: propaganda) will be highest on the list.

[neohippie]

2. I don't think people will stand for a draft

I would imagine the support behind the war and the current policies of the mis-administration will quickly erode, as people begin to realize that the chimp is willing to sacrifice anything in order to keep his friends rich and out of jail.

[Pobeka]

3. No crystal balls but I don't think so.

Wes Clark said they'd pull troops out of Iraq first. I agree with him.

Starting a draft will sink the GOP. Absolutely, completely sink them politically. This war is just fine for the moderate republicans if it doesn't directly affect *their* children. A draft would push too many of them to the left.

They will pull every trick short of a draft. Which is why we are getting all the recruiting abuse. They will keep the economy in the tank, keeping the pressure on the poor to enlist just to survive. They will recruit more and more non-us citizens to fight in our military.

[demgurl]

14. They believe they own the country......

I think they are so conceited that it is not above them to do this and spin it as the Dems fault.

[tabasco]

4. Shhhh!!! Hush up! You might frighten the lurking freepers!

They are in extreme denial about the recruiting numbers.

Of course they are preparing us for the draft.

Massive propaganda + Trumped up "terrorist" attack + More propaganda = Here comes the draft !

The neocons feel invincible because they control all three branches and the media. They know how many easily-manipulated people there are in this Nation. IMO, they will not scale back military operations and will institute a draft.

I hope they start with college republicans and right-wing message board frequenters.

[kster]

13. Right-wing message boards and

college Republicans is where their going to start, because they already know, those people support the war by their own words on them boards.

If I was a recruiter thats where I would be looking for people.

[Deja Q]

5. When it happens, we must remind * supporters of his many debate rants:

(paraphrased as, for some reason, many transcripts of the debate lack *'s famous outburst)
"THERE WILL BE NO DRAFT SO LONG AS I AM PRESIDENT"

I had watched that debate and was astounded by how vocal he was for something that's an utter lie.

And if people voted * for it, make them go first.

[salin]

6. A higher up in recruitment was quoted with that same sentiment

in the NYT. Guess it is becoming a new talking point - but it is a really, really stupid one. My reaction to reading it was the same as yours when hearing it...

WTF? Give up my kid or its my fault theres a draft and he/she will have to go anyway. Or conversely... give up my kid to prevent the possibility of some sons and daughters of privilege from being drafted? WTF

Losing message.

[iconoclastic cat]

7. The Neoconmen only have 3.5 more years for all the wars they want.

It's coming.

[Jack Rabbit]

Almost certainly. We should be prepared for a draft, too

Bush cannot maintain his colonial occupation of Iraq and plan more wars at the same time that military recruiters are failing to meet their quotas month after month. The fact is that while polls show that Americans are only now questioning whether the invasion of Iraq was "worth it", we long ago determined that it was not worth our lives.

I counseled my two twenty-something sons some time ago to avoid military service until something resembling sanity returns to American foreign policy. It won't return as long as that foreign policy is run by neoconservatives.

The fact that few want to volunteer to die in order to maintain the position of transnational corporations in Iraq against the will of the Iraqi people is not stopping Bush for planning more resource wars using the September 11 attacks as a smokescreen. However, since no one wants to volunteer, he will be forced to use the police power of the state to coerce young Americans to fight and die in his colonial misadventures.

The selective service was a target of anti-war protests in the sixties; it could just as easily become a target of anti-war protests in the age of Bush. We need to start preparing for this eventuality now.

[Doctor_J]

12. Same here

I have made arrangements for them to sit in Canada until Rove is in prison, or Barb & Jenna are camping in Mosul.

[Jack Rabbit]

18. I would just do it until Rove is in prison

We don't know the details of any draft that will emerge out of this situation. It may turn out to be a fair draft, quite unlike the one that allowed self-important young men like Bush and Cheney to save their skins in the sixties so that they could plan and execute unjust wars in the 201st decade.

It shouldn't matter that a fair draft will put Barbara and Jenna on the front lines. This war is still unfair to the Iraqi people and to most of the American people. It is not about national security; as the Downing Stream document confirms, Bush and his inner circle of neoconservatives knew that there was never enough solid evidence against Saddam to go to war. This is about putting Iraq's natural resources and other national assets under foreign control by force. It is colonial piracy, pure and simple. Mr. Bush would be just as much a war criminal if were to sacrifice his own children to that end as he is to sacrifice any other human life in that cause.

The war needs to be stopped, the regime needs to be ousted from power and Bush and his inner circle need to be brought to justice. Resisting any draft is but a means to those ends.

[Doctor_J]

8. The draft MAY just get people out from in front of the Jacko trial

might be just what we need to fill the streets. I have two "Draft College Republicans" signs ready to go.

[Just Me]

9. They'll just call it "The Freedom Pool" or something like that.

BushCo & the neoCONs can't execute their PNAC agenda without the draft.

I'm sure they have a multi-layered plan to successfully pluck people to serve in their world war including fear-generation, manipulation of consent, bearing down on political opposition, etc.

[Fleshdancer]

10. The signs are all there....

When it comes to the possibility of reinstating the draft, my "paranoia" about the subject began last year when draft rules were quietly changed and draft boards were starting to fill up again. At the time, I (and many others here) took bets on when it would happen and I thought around May/June 2005 would be the time but so far I've been wrong. I thought the drums of war would be much louder at this time for a war with Iran but as of right now, the rumbling is still somewhat light.

You're right though. The news stories in the past 4 months about the reduction in recruiting goals and the hard time recruiters are having because parents and schools won't *gasp!* cooperate certainly makes me nervous. So far it seems like the best thing going for us is the fact that Bush's approval rating is very low right now. The GOP is enjoying the huge amount of power they have and a President with a low approval rating and a Congress with a low approval rating doesn't help them for 2006. Reinstating a draft at this time would be political suicide...unless, of course, we get attacked again.

[FightingIrish]

11. This is the most chilling statement I have heard so far:

"The issue isn't one of whether or not we will be forced into a draft," said Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle, commander of Army Recruiting Command. "The issue is whether people will...stand behind the all-volunteer force concept that has served us quite well for 32 years."

In short: send us your kids or we will come get them

[demgurl]

17. I wish I remembered the name of the guy on NPR

It may be the same guy. But you are right, they are basically saying that if we don't give up our kids they will come and get them! This is very frightening.

[wakeme2008]

15. Georgie has a major problem.... Start the Draft and kill the GOP in 2006/8

OR

Tell his Neocon friends like Cheney, no more WARS..... No IRAN, No Venezuela and No Syria.....

[unhappycamper]

16. The official NCLB poster

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. It's inevitable. We are stuck in the Middle East with no exit.

Bush and the neocons vision of joyful people throughout the Middle East throwing flowers at our glorious military and welcoming American style "democracy" has blown up in their faces. In their iron fisted attempt to "stabilize" Iraq, they have de-stabilized several other countries lap-dog pro-American governments. Saudi-Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, are all powder kegs.

Iraq is now in the beginning stages of a civil war. Afghanistan is returning to it's warlord/druglord past. Pakistan is under a military dictatorship that relies on American support to keep it in power.

In the eyes of the neocons we can't simply get out of Iraq without the whole house of cards crumbling. And, with it, would go the American economy.

So, the geniuses who engineered the whole thing will continue to resort to the solution always favored by imperialists - brute force.

I've heard, and agree with, political "experts" who predict the draft will start right after the 2006 elections.

[kster]

21. I predict

before end of summer.Because people know how long we had the same guys on the ground in Iraq, with out new recruits either pullout or start the draft.

The media machine is working against the Bushies by trying to make the war look better than what it is, So more people are going to start questioning why our guys are not coming home.

The problem for the bushies is they know the truth, how will they explain the draft, after the media is telling people the war is going so good?

Soon we will expose the media and the bushies. Because I doubt the bushies want to pull out. Keep pushing.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

22. Flagwaving and "Support Our Troops" trumps common sense.

Expect a lot of "Finish the Job" rhetoric combined with "Unexpected circumstances require us to..". Throw in a dollop of fear, "Because of the current situation in Iraq we must maintain our forces there because of the emerging threat from..(fill in the blank)". And, a resurrection of the domino theory, "We have a favorable postion in Iraq, but because of the turmoil in...(fill in the blank) we must further expand our forces to cope the threat of instability in the region".

Or, "Because of our commitments to ensure democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan, the forces we now have are not sufficient to deal with the emerging crises in..Venezuala, Bolivia, Columbia, North Korea, Cuba, Iran, Zimbabwe, or Rhode Island (pick one).

Or, "The Joint Chiefs of Staff assure me that the measures taken to ensure the viability of military capabilities is a temporary necessity that will be alleviated when the recruitment procedures are overhauled and the necessary volunteers are more readily enlisted."

The list of "reasons" is endless. But, I will stand by my prediction that they'll hold off until after the '06 elections. If they hold they're own or gain seats, it will be "The will of the people to sacrifice for the defense of the country." If they lose seats, it will be, "The Democrats have made the necessity of instituting the induction of our heroic young people into the military unavoidable because of their insistance that the policy of spreading democracy is unsustainable and not allowing the military to achieve the victory that all right thinking Americans yearn for."

[BrotherBuzz]

27. I humbly submit....

If Bushco et al does its groundwork and is able to tailor the right degree of fear and nationalism, republican congressmen will be able to use it to their advantage in the '06 midterm elections, just like they did in '02. Who says LIHOP/MIHOP is just a tinfoil conspiracy?

Damn, I dread all those faded and tattered flags again! USA! USA! USA! Cripes, they may just schedule the deed to coincide with the damn fall football schedule.

[BrotherBuzz]

20. The foundation has been laid

We are but one "terrorist" attack away from resurrecting the draft. Take it to the bank.

[uppityperson]

26. Exactly

"There will be no draft so long as I am president" (unless I decide otherwise, shhh)

I thought the Iran war plans would be more obvious by now, am glad that it hasn't happened yet and would be very happy to say "I was wrong". However, I am in total agreement with BrotherBuzz's thought of one "terrorist" attack away.

[tabasco]

23. Brigadier General Grange was on CNN Wednesday evening.

He is the former commander of the Ranger Regiment. He mentioned that a draft might be necessary. That was the first time I have heard the subject broached. Grange is not a neocon, AFAIK, but he knows the military is in a manpower crisis NOW. Front line units are not getting replacements and this makes completing the mission very difficult.

[Postman]

24. "completing the mission"....

means never being able to see your son again,

because he's dead.

I will not give up my children for this war.

I will not allow them to take my flesh and blood for this bullshit.

I will go to jail.

[Eilondecodotcom]

25. I doubt it.

I don't think they will get away with it. But then again Bush got re-elected so who knows. WORRY ;(

[demgurl]

28. Eilondecodotcom...

Welcome to DU.

You are right, you just never know with this admin. I believe they can not keep the occupation going if a draft is not brought about. No matter what we all speculate, we will find out soon enough.

[Sir Jeffrey]

29. I predicted a June draft last November, and I stand by that prediction...

All it takes is another "terra" attack and there's your draft.

I mean, shit, they're kidnapping teenagers to serve as cannon fodder. If that is not the last straw, I don't know what could be considered worse than that.

And obviously we'll be in another war very soon...I say Iran since our troops are already in the region...and they have oil and natural gas reserves...plus access to the Caspian Sea.

BTW, has anyone looked at Bush's poll numbers recently? It's coming, and it's going to have to be bigger than 9/11 to do what these psychos want.

[dogday]

30. Would not have a problem if the Freepers would sign up their

kids to go fight. How about it Freepers? Mine is going in August. Show me your patriotism and send your child to war. Put your money where your mouths are or in this case, put your child where the war is......

[fortyfeetunder]

31. Yes, Cheney said it was going to be a long war

and you need lots of folks to get in the war...

I am fearful for my nephews and cousins and my friends' kids who could be drafted.

[demgurl]

32. I am also fearful.

One of my friends has two boys who are just the right age to be drafted. Her boys may have to visit my cousins in Canada before all is said and done.

I wonder what they would do if there was a revolt and everyone refused to go? They already can not keep up with the number of AWOL soldiers.