A National Draft in the Future?

**Piña** · September 22nd, 2004, 07:17 PM

Hidden Agenda: A National Draft in the Future?
by Howard Dean

A key issue for young Americans and their families to consider as they prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming presidential election is the real likelihood of a military draft being reinstated if President Bush is re-elected. President Bush should tell us now whether he supports a military draft.

Here is the evidence that makes a draft likely:

<ul type="square">[*]The U.S. Army has acknowledged that they are stretched thin and that finding new recruits is challenging. They recently placed 300 new recruiters in the field. Bonuses for new recruits to the Army have risen by 67 percent to a maximum of $10,000 and $15,000 for hard-to-fill specialties.[*]The extended tours of duty have made service less attractive for both the regular armed forces, and particularly for the National Guard and Reserves. To meet this year's quota for enlistees, the Army has sped up the induction of "delayed entry" recruits, meaning they are already borrowing from next year's quotas in order to meet this year's numbers.[*]Reservists are now being called away for longer periods. In 2003, President Bush dramatically extended the length of time for the Guard and Reserves deployment in Iraq. Extended tours of up to a year have become common.[*]In a further sign of a lack of adequate staffing, the armed forces are now in the process of calling up members of the Individual Ready Reserves. These are often older reservists usually waiting retirement. They are typically in their mid-to-late forties, and have not been on active duty and have not trained for some time. Traditionally, they are only supposed to be called up during a time of national emergency. In 2001, President Bush authorized their call up but never rescinded this order even after he declared "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq in May of 2003.[*]The Armed Forces are already chronically understaffed. In 2003, General Eric Shinseki testified before Congress that an additional 50,000 troops would be needed beyond what the Bush administration said would be necessary to stabilize Iraq after the invasion. The President ignored him. We do not have enough troops in Afghanistan to be able to stabilize the country, as shown by the continual putting off of elections well past their announced date. In an effort to free up yet more troops in the coming years, we are moving troops away from the Demilitarized Zone in Korea and reducing the number of troops on the Korean Peninsula at a time when North Korea poses more of a danger to the U.S. - not less. Because of the President's military adventurism, our Armed Forces are under enormous pressure. The only place to go for more troops is a draft.[*]Selective service boards have already been notified that 20-year-olds and medical personnel will be called up first.[/list]President Bush will be forced to decide whether we can continue the current course in Iraq, which will clearly require the reinstatement of the draft. The Pentagon has objected to a draft but, the President has ignored other Pentagon recommendations in the past.

American families and young people are owed an explanation about the President's plans. Will the President withdraw from some of our military commitments or will he reinstate the draft? We need to know that before we vote, not afterwards.

Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, is the founder of Democracy for America, a grassroots organization that supports socially progressive and fiscally responsible political candidates.

Source

**Dulcinea** · September 22nd, 2004, 07:22 PM

Ooooh, a "draft" flamewar!

Let me get Pi?a all started up by saying: Hey, it doesn't matter to me. If Bush starts up the draft, he will ensure that there are exemptions for those young men from families with money and/or connections. You know, people LIKE HIM.

**gae** · September 22nd, 2004, 07:28 PM

Just opening this thread gave me a headache.

In true FreeRepubic fashion, I'm going to take a shower.

And have I ever told anyone that a moose bit my sister?

Obsure references to the early days of FreeRepublic. If AL can think her obsure jokes are funny, I can post this.

Take THAT, Pina!!! [img]smile.gif[/img]

**Piña** · September 22nd, 2004, 07:37 PM

Well it's nice to see complacency about young americans being called up to die in Iraq, or Afganistan or Iran with the way things are going.

(gae, a word to the wise. A shower isn't gonna get rid of the bush stink.)

**travelinman** · September 22nd, 2004, 07:38 PM

[ September 22, 2004 04:38 PM: Message edited by: travelinman ]

**Piña** · September 22nd, 2004, 07:49 PM

Wow! I actually thought trav was gonna last longer than cg in keeping his pledge to ignore me.

Shows what his word is worth. Oh wait, we established the worthlessness of that a long time ago.

**reason** · September 23rd, 2004, 11:33 AM

Originally posted by Pi?a:
Wow! I actually thought trav was gonna last longer than cg in keeping his pledge to ignore me.

Shows what his word is worth. Oh wait, we established the worthlessness of that a long time ago.

Oh, c'mon. That Howard Dean pic is really funny!

**jumper69** · September 23rd, 2004, 11:37 AM

I don't have a problem with compulsory service for the 18-20 crowd. Whether there is a war on is irrelevant in my mind. And before you go off on me about that Pina, let me say for the record I really don't give a shit whether you think it would be wasting lives for the liar Bush.... [img]graemlins/whatever.gif[/img]

Cagliostro · September 23rd, 2004, 12:58 PM

Pina I can see where you might be coming from in re our troops in Iraq. But Afghanistan? What should we have done about the attacks of 9/11? Ignore it, turn the other cheak, apologize to the Taliban and Osama for having forced them to attack us? Ask them to please not do it again?

Personally I don't think the draft should have ever been disbanded. I registered for Selective Service on my 18th birthday, but obviously there was never a draft involved. Had there been and I had been called I would have gone. But we were not involved in a major conflict during the whole of the 1980s when I was most eligible.

Switzerland was able to remain neutral through both WWI and WWII in large measure due to their universal conscription. (IMO) Swiss girl I used to argue with on St Pete Times thought it had more to do with Swiss banking being the banker to all the belligerents. I pointed out to her if Hitler had wanted, and didn't have the entire nation armed to contend with, he could have just walked in and taken their banks so it was a flawed theory.

**LAKE** · September 23rd, 2004, 01:25 PM

More propoganda from the left. There is no national draft coming our way and you have shown no proof. An op-ed piece from Howard Dean is not fact.

Try again.

Boy, Kerry sure is desperate! I guess I'd be too if I were in his shoes. He slipping, slipping....... [img]graemlins/cry_smile.gif[/img]

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