The draft returning?

[Styles 0]

My friends at college all seem to be talking about rumors of the draft returning sometime in the next year or 2, citing the recent filling of draft boards and the need for more soldiers not just in Iraq but for the future of the War on Terror. The interesting thing is they insist that it doesn't matter if Bush or Kerry is president, and that it's a bi-partisan plan being kept quiet until after the election, so it doesn't sound like just liberal Bush bashing. They further say that women would also be drafted and that college would no longer be an exception, and you'd only be able to delay service until the end of the current semester, or year if you are a senior. I really can't find much except message board chatter online and a few articles here and there reporting on the filling of the draft boards in possible preparation for a draft. Needless to say, it's somewhat worrying, and although overall I don't buy it, others think differently. So, is this just an erroneous rumor, or is there a very real possibility?

 

EDIT: Again, since it's just a rumor it's not like I could post a "legitimate" article, so keep in mind this is from an indymedia sight, and obviously biased, but sums up most of the chatter I've seen:

 

US Preparing for Military Draft in Spring 2005

by Adam Stutz • Wednesday January 28, 2004 at 09:50 AM

 

 

The current agenda of the US federal government is to reinstate the draft in order to staff up for a protracted war on "terrorism." Pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills S 89 and HR 163) would time the program so the draft could begin at early as Spring 2005 -- conveniently just after the 2004 presidential election!

 

Reinstatement of the draft

 

Dear Friends and Family,

 

I urge you to read the article below on the current agenda of the federal government to reinstate the draft in order to staff up for a protracted war on "terrorism."

 

Pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills S 89 and HR 163) would time the program so the draft could begin at early as Spring 2005 -- conveniently just after the 2004 presidential election! But the administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed NOW, so our action is needed immediately. Details and links follow.

 

If voters who currently support U.S. aggression abroad were confronted with the possibility that their own children or grandchildren might not have a say about whether to fight, many of these same voters might have a change of mind. (Not that it should make a difference, but this plan would among other things eliminate higher education as a shelter and would not exclude women -- and Canada is no longer an option.)

 

Please send this on to all the parents and teachers you know, and all the aunts and uncles, grandparents, godparents.... And let your children know -- it's their future, and they can be a powerful voice for change! Please also write to your representatives to ask them why they aren't telling their constituents about these bills -- and write to newspapers and other media outlets to ask them why they're not covering this important story.

 

The Draft*

 

$28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005. SSS must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation. Please see website: http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html to view the SSS Annual Performance Plan - Fiscal Year 2004.

 

The Pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide.. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of Congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to draft.

 

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5146.htm

 

Congress brought twin bills, S. 89 and H.R. 163 forward this year, entitled the Universal National Service Act of 2003, "To provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons [age 18--26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes." These active bills currently sit in the Committee on Armed Services.

 

Dodging the draft will be more difficult than those from the Vietnam era remember. College and Canada will not be options. In December 2001, Canada and the US signed a "Smart Border Declaration," which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed by Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Manley, and US Homeland Security Director, Gov. Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30-point plan which implements, among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people entering and departing each country. Reforms aimed at making the draft more equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates higher education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to postpone service until the end of their cur-rent semester. Seniors would have until the end of the academic year.

[Guest Banders Kennany]

I hope there's not a draft. I've done well for myself in the fights I've had, But I would get my ass kicked in a war.

[Guest Cerebus]

So, is this just an erroneous rumor, or is there a very real possibility?

 

Erroneous rumor.

[Dr. Tyler; Captain America 0]

Rumor.

[snuffbox 0]

O Canada

[NYU 0]

I just can't imagine the draft being reinstated. Imagine the absolute BACKLASH that the President, and those prominent politicans responsible for this act, were to face for bringing back the draft. Their political careers would be immediately over, and it's very reasonable to think that such an issue could, in a way, somewhat shut down the country - the amount of protests that would occur around the country would be huge. The memories of Vietnam have not been forgotten, and the current parents/grandparents that had to deal with the television coverage or the actual wartime service at that time will be INSANELY protective of their children going through the same thing. Reinstating the draft would be worth WAY, WAY more trouble than it's worth.

 

Chalk me up for erroneous rumor.

[Guest hunger4unger]

Not a chance in hell. Perhaps Bush could have made it work shortly after 9/11 but right now too many people can see that the Iraq invasion was unjusitified and quite frankly, a mess. Couple that with the fact that young people in this day and age simply wouldn't stand for it. Bang chicks, take drugs, get drunk, get an education or go get killed in Iraq?! Not a tough descision.

[Highland 0]

I don't think it would matter what people thought of the war in Iraq or on terrorism; they're not going to support the draft. Naturally, the pro-drafters will question the patriotism of those opposed to conscription. I think I first heard this about a year ago, and I thought it was a rumour then, I still think so now.

[Styles 0]

Bang chicks, take drugs, get drunk, get an education or go get killed in Iraq?! Not a tough descision.

Um, it wouldn't be a decision, that's how a draft works...

[syxx2001 0]

Just rumors. Like that one person said, if it does comeback, people would protest and backlash like crazy. And no one would go, and I still havent figured out how you can MAKE somebody go fight in a war.

[Guest MikeSC]

Just rumors. Like that one person said, if it does comeback, people would protest and backlash like crazy. And no one would go, and I still havent figured out how you can MAKE somebody go fight in a war.

Stick a gun in their hands. Put them in the frontlines.

 

The enemies will fire at them regardless. They can either fight or serve as a shield for other soldiers.

-=Mike

[Ravenbomb 0]

O Canada

 

Right there with ya

[Styles 0]

This is a pretty good article that quells some of my fears: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/wars/a/draft.htm

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

I'm not laughing. But if it were to happen I get an "I told you so".

 

I strongly doubt it will happen unless their's another attack and it won't happen before the election.

 

Make your vote count America.

[Highland 0]

Just rumors. Like that one person said, if it does comeback, people would protest and backlash like crazy. And no one would go, and I still havent figured out how you can MAKE somebody go fight in a war.

Stick a gun in their hands. Put them in the frontlines.

 

The enemies will fire at them regardless. They can either fight or serve as a shield for other soldiers.

-=Mike

I hope you get drafted.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Well that's not a nice thing to say. Think maybe, but not say.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

The only reason the war on terror will continue is because people find it popular. A draft would kill the war, because while there's still a lot of people out there who think we haven't done enough to put 9/11 behind us.

 

Once it's their kids who will have to clean up the problem, though, they suddently become a lot more accepting of the idea that we simply can't rid the world of terrorism and should just protect our own borders.

[Styles 0]

I'm not laughing. But if it were to happen I get an "I told you so".

 

I strongly doubt it will happen unless their's another attack and it won't happen before the election.

 

Make your vote count America.

If that was directed towards not voting for Bush, you obviously missed the part about it not mattering who is president, that's what's so troubling. If anything Kerry as president would make a draft MORE likely since his plan is to increase the number of troops in Iraq (by 40,000 I believe), and the senators who are proposing the current bills to reinstate the draft are both Democrats and in general Democrats are the ones who grumble about bringing back the draft since they see the volunteer service as unfair to the lower class who they believe inproportionatly make up the army. Then again Bush is obviously more of a warhawk and would be the more likely of the 2 to extend the war on more fronts. So, that's the thing, it doesn't seem to matter who's the President if you believe the rumors, since this is in the works on both sides in Congress anyway, but again that article I posted is reassuring in its logic.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

It was more of a point about making yourself heard...

[Justice 0]

Bang chicks, take drugs, get drunk, get an education or go get killed in Iraq?! Not a tough descision.

Um, it wouldn't be a decision, that's how a draft works...

Go easy on him; he still is having a hard time grasping things like facts and the like...

 

Secondly...

 

The only reason the war on terror will continue is because people find it popular. A draft would kill the war, because while there's still a lot of people out there who think we haven't done enough to put 9/11 behind us.

 

Am I the only one who thinks that thought is incomplete?

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

But, I want to use my spying skills for myself, not for anybody else.

 

[Guest BDC]

No one will ever make the draft work. It's suicide to try.

[tommytomlin 0]

Wouldn't it make more sense to use the money they spend on creating, organising and debating the draft on improving pay and benefits for soldiers? That way you'd give young people more of an incentive to serve, and wouldn't be turning half the country against their representatives.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

I'm not laughing. But if it were to happen I get an "I told you so".

 

I strongly doubt it will happen unless their's another attack and it won't happen before the election.

 

Make your vote count America.

If that was directed towards not voting for Bush, you obviously missed the part about it not mattering who is president, that's what's so troubling. If anything Kerry as president would make a draft MORE likely since his plan is to increase the number of troops in Iraq (by 40,000 I believe), and the senators who are proposing the current bills to reinstate the draft are both Democrats and in general Democrats are the ones who grumble about bringing back the draft since they see the volunteer service as unfair to the lower class who they believe inproportionatly make up the army. Then again Bush is obviously more of a warhawk and would be the more likely of the 2 to extend the war on more fronts. So, that's the thing, it doesn't seem to matter who's the President if you believe the rumors, since this is in the works on both sides in Congress anyway, but again that article I posted is reassuring in its logic.

It could become an issue for house elections though, if people decide to run for congress on an anti-draft platform.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Gimmie a R

 

Gimmie a U

 

Gimmie a M

 

Gimmie a O

 

Gimmie a R

 

What's that spell?...

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

runner?

 

edit: sorry. Public schooled.

[therealworldschampion 0]

Rumor. I agree with increasing pay and benefits, since that will probably bring in more recruits.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I'd go if I could use a flamethrower.

[Guest MikeSC]

Just rumors. Like that one person said, if it does comeback, people would protest and backlash like crazy. And no one would go, and I still havent figured out how you can MAKE somebody go fight in a war.

Stick a gun in their hands. Put them in the frontlines.

 

The enemies will fire at them regardless. They can either fight or serve as a shield for other soldiers.

-=Mike

I hope you get drafted.

And I'm SUPPOSED to care, right?

-=Mike

[Highland 0]

Just rumors. Like that one person said, if it does comeback, people would protest and backlash like crazy. And no one would go, and I still havent figured out how you can MAKE somebody go fight in a war.

Stick a gun in their hands. Put them in the frontlines.

 

The enemies will fire at them regardless. They can either fight or serve as a shield for other soldiers.

-=Mike

I hope you get drafted.

And I'm SUPPOSED to care, right?

-=Mike

You replied, so evidently you do.

 

I'm not the one supporting a (albeit rumoured) bill supporting the reinstatement of the draft as is evidenced by your human shields/cannon fodder comment.