Would you go to War if the draft was brought back?

[GingerSnaps]

The students at my College are discussing the issue of the Draft and most of the people that I have spoken to are going to either refuse to go or leave the country.

What our Professors are telling us is that the age group will be a wider range with older people being drafted. The rumor that is going around is that the cut off age will be 42.

Would you go or let your child go if the draft was brought back?

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. No, but I'd go to draft ( beer) if the war is brought back.

[livinginphotographs]

2. Hell fucking no.

I'd go to jail or Canada. I will NOT go kill innocent Iraqi civilians for Bush's oil wars.

As a straight male, get ready to see Corporal Flaming if I ever get drafted.

[TheDebbieDee]

5. LOL ! That's the spirit !

[GingerSnaps]

8. How much time do you have to serve?

At least we can go to College while we are in there...:think:

I would never go!

[prodigal_green]

26. You're going to see an amazing awakening to

civil rights for gays by the right wing if the draft is reinstated. They'll draft homosexuals too. I don't see anybody getting out of it.

[GingerSnaps]

31. You took the words right out of my mouth LOL

They will accept and welcome anyone that they consider outside of their realm.

It won't be don't ask don't tell anymore. It will be welcome brother and sister. :hug:

[prodigal_green]

70. on the plus side

it was the participation and gallant, courageous performance of African Americans during World War II that led to civil rights gains in the following years.

[gaia_gardener]

3. Nope

and that reminds me, I need to find a Friends Meeting to establish myself as Quaker and as a CO.

I find war morally objectional on all levels. I do not believe there has ever been a justified war and I do not believe there ever will be.

[demolifer2004]

4. it ain't happening people

No one wants the draft. The Repubs don't want it, the Dems don't want it, and the people definitely don't want it.

[samwisefoxburr]

9. We may not want it, but...

...we are going to need it.

[GingerSnaps]

13. * is back and the majority didn't vote for him

The draft will be reinstated some time early next year. I think that it will be our Easter present.

[demolifer2004]

16. How will...

he convince Congress though? Anyone voting to reinstate the draft will get their @ss kicked at the next election (especially Representatives in 2006). Sorry, i just don't see it happening.

[Brundle_Fly]

33. you could just sit back

and accidently not see another terrorist attack happen in the homeland. After 911 they could have imposed the draft and no one would have said a thing. I think the draft is coming.

I can't imagine it isnt. I don't have any faith left in this admin to do what they say.

[Zhade]

82. He can Executive Order it.

NT!

[Liberal Chad from WI]

14. i wish

there are many repubs. out there who maybe dont want it but beleive we are going to have to have it. i dont beleive we need it at all. but if u look wahts goin on now, we have a back door draft(doin double time). we cant keep this going on, but trust me there are many repubs who want a bigger military and wouldnt mind fightin for this country. ITS SAD!!

[LynnTheDem]

20. Then WHY is recruitment DOWN by 50%?

WHY aren't all these repubs standing in line to join up & die for bush-god's lies?

[Liberal Chad from WI]

28. wo wo

i never said they were standing in line for the draft it hasnt been re-enstated yet and they arent necesarily joining the national guard or anythign. BUT waht i am saying is that if the draft was re-enstated repubs. woudl be much more apt to joining than a democrat.

[LynnTheDem]

32. Ya think so?

I don't think so.

If they're so eager to join, and after all, THEY are the ones saying bush's illegal immoral unjust war of aggression SUPREME CRIME is the right thing to do, then WHY aren't they standing in line RIGHT NOW to join VOLUNTARILY and die for their bush-god's lies?

The military is short of recruitment goals by 50%, SURELY the rightwingnuts want to VOLUNTEER and help out their bush-god! WHY are they waiting to be drafted?

[Liberal Chad from WI]

35. the same reason as anyone else

granted they are dumb for being repubs. haha....they dont want to die any more than anyone else does. i belive its the fear factor that keeps many of them home right now. hopefully there is no draft and if there is its going to get really ugly and i think that is something that we can all agree upon. i believe that w/in the next year it wont be the next vietnam, but instead, Iraq. In other words itll be much worse than the protests of vietnam and hopefully so as long as our govt. dont open fire again like they did at kent st.

[LynnTheDem]

38. We can but hope.

I sure wouldn't bet on it though. :(

[SammyWinstonJack]

60. Since when?

"BUT waht i am saying is that if the draft was re-enstated repubs. woudl be much more apt to joining than a democrat." :eyes:

[LynnTheDem]

19. rightwing talking points

But fact is, recruitment is down by FIFTY PERCENT.

It's DRAFT...or stop the bullshit wars of aggression. And bush LOVES his bullshit wars of aggression.

That leaves the DRAFT.

[radar]

34. They're short of doctors now...

...With just 120 general surgeons on active duty in the Army and a similar number in the reserves, Gawande argued the teams are overextended and operating in far more dangerous circumstances.

"Many surgeons have been on a second deployment or an extended deployment, and even this has not been sufficient," he wrote. "Planners are having to contemplate pressing surgeons into yet a third deployment."

The American Medical Association and the state surgeon of the Wisconsin Army National Guard have expressed concerns that the Selective Service System may revive procedures for drafting medical personnel. Such a plan, "was not undertaken at the request of anyone" at the Pentagon, said a Defense Department statement Wednesday. "Furthermore, there is no need for such a plan."

John Holcomb, commander of the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and a trauma consultant to the Army's Surgeon General, agreed that Iraq can no longer be viewed as a minor conflict. But he said the casualty rate and severity of injuries is not inconsistent with other wars....

War surgery saving lives -- at a high cost
By The Washington Post
Thursday, December 9, 2004

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/terrorism/s_281397.html

* But go ahead - believe the Pentagon - they've done a wonderful job so far, waging this "war on terror" and getting troops in the field all they need to survive & win...sarcasm alert

[wantedtohelp]

57. So?

Never stopped them before.

[tedzbear]

91. Oh yes it is.

Our voracious military-industrial complex and ExxonMobil want it.

The war drums are already beating over the threat of Iran's nukes. In order to prevent Iran from acquiring them, we will be "forced" to engage in another preemptive strike. But this time we will need sufficient troops to tame a nation that will be much less ambivalent about our invasion than Iraq was.

But they won't call it the draft. Instead it will be called "patriot enlistment."

[samwisefoxburr]

6. Can one be drafted if they have Asperger's Syndrome, ADD, and...

...Heart Murmur? In either case if I was drafted I would help people to Canada as I made my way there, and if I couldn't because of my conditions, I would help people to Canada, and probably stay here.

[tedzbear]

92. You better say you are queer just to be on the safe side.

Or show up in drag for your physical.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

7. no.

[TheDebbieDee]

10. I wouldn't let this president have my kids for this damn war......

My kids are going to have other priorities, like Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh had!

[LynnTheDem]

11. For Iraq? NO.

For more bush wars of aggression, invading & occupying other nations that hadn't done a damn thing to anyone & were no threat to us?

NO.

And the cut-off age is 45, according to a leaked Selective Service memo.

[GingerSnaps]

15. It's 45 now?

Why don't they raise the age limit up to 70?

[robre]

18. If there's going to be a draft we know who will be fighting.

They won't be 45.

[LynnTheDem]

21. Well they DID order a Vietnam vet aged 58 back to duty & on to Iraq.

And there are a couple 60 year olds in Iraq now...

[robre]

27. Medics and lawyers most likely, or other support positions.

[LynnTheDem]

37. By the Thousands, Soldiers 50 and Older are Being Deployed

They're not lawyers or medics in support positions. They're driving around Iraq as targets. As actually EVERYONE in Iraq is a target.

I won't post on who & what they are unless the media has already done so; I'll see if that's the case and if so will post links.

Edit to add public info links:

Of the 160,000 men and women deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, 4,119 are 50 or older.

10 of the more than 1,085 soldiers to die in Iraq were 50 or older

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/102104C.shtml

[Spyro]

67. Really?

I'm a 35 year-old form Navy Hospital Corpsman (we're also the medics for the Marines) and I was turned down when I volunteered to return to active duty after 9/11. Haven't heard from them since either.

Yeah, I'll go. I've taken a lot from this country and I think it's only right that I give them something back when they call.

[Zhade]

84. Ghost in the machine...

[GingerSnaps]

36. That age group include *, O'Sanity & all of the right wing-nuts

I have an idea why don't they draft them first since they are promoting the War on Oil. :shrug:

[Dem2theMax]

75. And the cut-off age is 45, according to a leaked Selective Service memo.

Oh, if that is true, I'd love to see the look on my 45 year old repuke brother's face. He also has three teenaged boys.

Poetic justice or what?

[Zhade]

83. I thought it was 35. But I'm not safe either way (29 years old).

NT!

[Liberal Chad from WI]

12. ARE YOU KIDDIN?

There is no way i would go to war if there was a draft. I don't beleive at all in the war, we are there for the wrong reasons so no way would i fight for our SO-CALLED commander-in-chief. I will be in Canada before that ever happens.

[GingerSnaps]

Commander in Thief

How much jail time would we have to do?

[Liberal Chad from WI]

24. they cant put us ALL in jail

that is exactly what the soldier is saying right now who refusses to go overseas adn i'm saying the same thing here. o ya ur totally right......THEIF. good one i like that!!

[robre]

29. Why not? 1/200th of our population is already in prison.

[Liberal Chad from WI]

30. why not?

do you undresatnd how littel room is left b/c so many are alreayd in jail/prison. trust me they cant fit us all in there.

[GingerSnaps]

40. At least it would provide us with construction jobs

Plus jobs in the prison industry :D

[Outrider]

17. Nope

I keep telling my rethuglican side of the family that I cannot now or in the past have joined the military. Only way I ever could have is if I did like my dipshit cousin did and lie my ass off on my enlistment papers.

[GingerSnaps]

25. My cousin is a musician and he didn't go to Viet Nam

My aunt dressed him up in womens clothing all the way down to the underwear and it worked. In the 60's they couldn't handle that but now they will be able to. Anyone can go and they would prefer the people that they speak out against.

[NEOBuckeye]

22. If they bring back the draft, they're asking for MAJOR RIOTS

The Draft will come as a rude awakening for a lot of people who voted for Bush this time around. You know the "War on Terra" was okay, so long as someone else's son or daughter, father or mother, sister or brother was going to fight in it. Once people face the genuine threat of their own sons and daughters, parents, siblings or friends being shipped off to war, or even themselves, there will be a massive awakening, even among the brain-MIA FReepers, and Bush and the Neo-Cons will have major hell to pay.

[robre]

23. I plan on seeking political asylum in Europe.

[pleiku52cab]

39. Not this time

did that once and I pray you won't have to.

[cyr330]

41. HELL NO

[ThorsHammer]

42. No

Yikes, I would have missed the draft with the old cutoff, but am way under the new one. Anyway, there's no way I'd want to go fight in Bush's idiotic Middle East misadventures. If we were attacked at home and under real danger, I'd have no problem serving, but I have no desire to go fight in a pointless quagmire of a war.

[driver8]

43. No fucking way!

There is no way I would ever take part in this crime against humanity...and I'll make sure my children are north of the border if the gestapo comes calling for them.

Fuck the administration, Fuck the war and Fuck the draft.

[njdemocrat106]

44. Nope

I hate war, and I HATE GEORGE W. BUSH!:mad:

[sleipnir]

45. I'd find a special life in the bugaboo next door.

Dance it, dance it, don't fight just dance. Follow our great leader and Dance, not fight. Even Reid agrees, dance don't fight, have the neds of life see the steps and not the movement.

The end is the same, Death will come sooner or later. War or not, Death is still master of all.

[donheld]

46. No i would not

I'd go to jail first.

[Cobalt Violet]

47. Yes, If we were to fight our real enemy.

And most of you can guess who I mean when I say that.

[Pooka Fey]

48. Hell no. Not this one.

[Norwood]

49. Not a chance in hell

I wont kill or be killed for bushs oil war. I'm heading to Canada or jail.

[ever_green]

50. no way in hell

nope.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

51. They Aren't Going To Take People Up To 42

In Nam the highest age was 26...

In WW2 the highest draft age was 31....


Have you seen some forty year old men?

[The Flaming Red Head]

52. Doctors and nurses

[DemocratSinceBirth]

53. Doctors And Nurse Still Have To Go Through Basic Training...

Even for their own protection...


Also, in Nam they went went up to 26...

That's probably the age they would go up to know...


Also, the older one gets the harder it is to control him or her... That's why they draft young people....

[The Flaming Red Head]

56. Curious how old are you? I'm over the hill.

[GingerSnaps]

54. They raised the age limit recently

It's not 31 any longer.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

55. The 31 Was For The Draft...

The voluntary age is always higher than the draft age but not by much because of the inexorable laws of physiology...

[Lost Dutchman]

58. Yes

Already went to war in the first Gulf War. Would do it again because if the country ever got to the point where it needed a draft I would be volunteering again...

The Reps, Dems, Pentagon, and People don't want a draft. We learned that an all volunteer force is the best. This isn't back in the 60's and 70's. The training is too intense and the weapon systems too complex for a draft to work today.

[marc_the_dem]

63. for the right reason

Howdy fellow gulf war vet.... I too am willing to do whatever my country needs me to do. But to go and fight over a pack of lies is out of the question. I'd sooner raise up arms against this administration.

[bush_is_wacko]

59. No, and my kids ain't going either!

42? Do they have a clue how many 42 yr. olds can't make it through boot camp?

[ironcity]

61. draft

yes its stilol my country right or wrong

[Cuban_Liberal]

62. Sorry, already did my bit, with combat included.

I'll go when they come for me, or when someone actually attacks/invades the US, and not until then.

[marc_the_dem]

64. I thought I was the only Cuban/Liberal

nice to know I'm not alone.

[Cuban_Liberal]

66. There are lots of us.

We're just not as vocal as the RW assholes in Miami, so we don't get as much air time!

:evilgrin:

[marc_the_dem]

68. that will have to change

its just a matter of time before we're more vocal than they are...

What branch of service did you serve in?

[Cuban_Liberal]

71. Army.

10th mountain Division out of Ft. Drum, NY.

:)

[ironcity]

65. a draft

in simple terms yes

[DeminGa]

69. Important to note!!!!

To all those who think they can run off to Canada....

THAT BORDER IS CLOSED!!
In 2001/2002 Canada signed a treaty of sorts with the US in the name of border security. It got some coverage at the time, but was sold as a way to secure the borders and identify terrorists

What wasnt talked about is that Canada has agreed to turn off draft dodgers, or refuse them entry. Going over the border now (from what I've heard) is more complex, information is gathered and tracked. You cannot just slip in and you cannot get thru claiming asylum

You can find this on the web, Canadian websites seem to cover it more

As for the draft....my husband and I are 31. We have talked about this at length. We would flee to Europe or go to jail. We would prefer to protest in the street with hundreds of thousands though. Over my dead body would they take my husband!!!!

As for my nephews, my sister has already discussed this with their Godmother. After living in the states for 50 years, she moved back to Germany last week. The two boys would go live with her and stay there as long as they needed to. End of discussion

Please though, take some time to look into the Canada deal. I was 1st turned on to this by my nephews school teacher. Her sister is in the army at an administrative level. She has been personally doing the paperwork that is dealing with the inevitable draft. She called home to warn everyone of this before the election. The process was in the works before the election..but of course was on the hush hush

[cheezus]

72. fuck no, there are more than enough people who SUPPORTED this war

they can go fight in it

[Zhade]

73. No. I have this thing, I don't kill and die for imperialism. Go figure.

NT!

[Menshevik]

74. No way

I have "other priorities"

[bunny planet]

76. I've heard they'll tie the draft in with federal college loans, if you

want or need a federal loan, you will have to sign up for two years in the service. I've also heard that they will change the immigration laws, let more immigrants in with amnesty programs also tied to signing on in the army. It'll be their version of the same old, same old, poverty draft one way or another. They'll be so many more people unemployed by *'s policies, they will need a job, and look what will be offered to them as one of their only options, the military, starve or fight, those'll be the choices.

I need to get passports for my kids NOW. Don't know where we'll go if it comes to it, so far the only place now without extradition for draft evaders from the US is ......the Seychelle Islands. Where the f**k is that anyway? Do they have drinks with little umbrellas in them?

[fnottr]

89. shit, it'll be like that one scene in Gangs of New York

where the immigrants are getting off the boat, and an army guy is at a table telling one of them, "this paper makes you a US citizen and this paper makes you a private in the Union army"

Also, the Seychelles are off the east coast of Africa, kinda northeast of Madagascar. And I'm pretty sure they do have drinks with the little umbrellas and all the traditional beach resort stuff.

[seito]

77. DU Veterans

Would you go to Iraq if you were recalled?

[Leaning_Right]

81. Yes

I am 44 years old and served in the army for 4 years in my youth. If called I would go the next day. It's not a matter of wanting to; its a matter of duty. I'm too old for regular army but if ordered it would be an honor to once again serve a cause greater than my own.

I am a single father of 2 girls. I have one left at home that graduates next year. I've give a lot of thought to giving up my +$75K/yr office job and joining the reserves for Iraq or Afghanistan.

My neighbor just joined the reserves but he is slightly younger (41) and had served 8 years previously. This is his 4th combat tour, his second in Iraq. When your country needs you, you go. It doesn't matter who may be president.

[Skittles]

88. I am a veteran

and I would be hardpressed to serve this fascist, election stealing misadministration currently occupying the White House. Serving America is one thing - serving Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld is an entirely different matter

[Fawn]

78. It's not my decision

to make for my "children". If they're old enough to be drafted, it means they're young adults and have the right to make their own decisions.

My husband's mother is French and keeps close contact with their French relatives. If my sons wanted to go to France to their relatives to avoid a draft, I would make sure they understood the potential long-term consequences before they did....and then I'd buy them the plane ticket and send financial aid as I was able and until they could support themselves.

Would I go to war? I am not a pacifist. I believe at some point you have to take a stand to defend yourself and if I felt that we were being attacked, then yes I'd be first in line to volunteer...but that's not what this war is about.

[212demop]

79. Hell no I won't go!

I'll get pregnant or something if that's what it takes to stay out. I am not killing or dying for Bush's quagmire. I won't even salute for it.

[bluestateguy]

80. I have other priorities than military service

I'm a very special person and military service is beneath me.

Let some other kid go.

[proud2BlibKansan]

85. No way

no way no way no way

In a word - NO!!

[BlueOhio]

86. If we were defending America against an invader

Yes.

Bushes Oil war? Fuck No.

[Walt Starr]

87. There will be no draft before the 2006 elections

Instead, they will force Air force and Navy personnel into the Army. Bank on it.

[tedzbear]

90. Thank goodness I am 49...

...and better yet, openly queer.

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

93. Mass exodus to European cities

If the draft were to return, I suspect you'd see a mass exodus of Americans-- especially young people-- with greater than or equal to half a brain emigrating in droves to Paris, Rome, Munich, Vienna, and Prague. Risk our lives for a sloppily-planned, poorly supported war for which its planners are still desperately seeking a justification? No way. Even worse, there are now more and more whispers that the war in Iraq is little more than a set-up for a massive, nasty Middle Eastern war fought to fulfill the religious fantasies of the Religious Right. (Israel's borders to the Nile and Euphrates and all that-- painful how much the Scripture is regularly misinterpreted.) Could there be a less appealing basis for a war than that? I suspect that in the wake of a draft, we'd suddenly see big American expat colonies emerging on the banks of the Seine and the Rhine.