Would you support the idea of a draft?

[Cascadian]

It appears that the Bush administration is about to bring the draft back. Would you support this? Even though Donald Rumsfeld has gone on record that we didn't need one but with all of the casualties and injuries in Iraq and the depletion of military manpower, the idea is being considered.

[La_Serpiente]

1. If there is a draft

I am heading to Argentina.

[JohnKleeb]

3. Why Argentina?

[La_Serpiente]

14. I speak Spanish

and I heard it was a pretty good country according to my professors.

[JohnKleeb]

16. Oh I thought you were Argentianan

I wanna go to Ireland or something, but theres a place I really wanna go but I need to learn the language, a bunch really.

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. You will not like Argentina

They close themselves off to outsiders. It's a very European based culture.

[ChoralScholar]

19. If we were fighting for something that made sense

I would definitely support a draft, and I'd be the first to go defend my country.
But for THIS fiasco? THIS stupid Bush-family vendetta? No one should be over there fighting. Especially not people who are involuntary drafted. We've sacrificed enough people (far too many).

[KissMyAsscroft]

2. A draft is a great idea.

Let these freepers put their guns where their mouths are.

Im sensing that it wouldn't go over too well.

[Cascadian]

6. Let the freepers go over!

Give the rednecks the guns. Let the oafs go over there! But not through the draft!


John

[sventvkg]

27. yea, that's all we need..FAT Rednecks on the front lines!! LOLOL

I was a US Army Ranger in the early 90's and i'm here to tell you the esprit decor and dedication required for a unit of that nature can not be aquired from draftees that do not want to be there...A draft would NEVER work in todays military. The jobs are far too technical in nature and you have to want to be there and do them for the infrastructure to work. Plus, i dont' think anyone would go..

[Systematic Chaos]

9. The problem with that thinking

is that the sons of the wealthy (read: repukes) can almost always get out of the draft legally, leaving the poor and uneducated little choice other than either breaking the law or simply going.

I agree that the chickenhawks should all be shipped over there yesterday, but I don't think sending thousands of poor and misguided kids to that hell hole is a good idea. No more a good idea than it was in 'Nam.

[WoodrowFan]

31. then close the loopholes

I'd like to see a draft IF 1) it closes the loopholes that allowed the non-poor and non-working class to escape and 2) allows alternate peaceful service for those who object to serving in the military.

[Muddleoftheroad]

35. Amen

Either everybody serves or not and, yes, that includes women.

[bowens43]

29. How dare you

volunteer MY children or anyone else's children for bushes wars?

[Cascadian]

4. Absolutely not!

It will result in more casualties and further divide the country. I would strongly advise any young male to go to college or get the hell out of the country while you still can.

John

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. The way the bill is written

College has NO DEFERMENTS but that may be changed to fit, ahem
Republican Political needs

[Feanorcurufinwe]

5. "It appears that the Bush administration is about to bring the draft back"

Where'd you get this info from?

[Cascadian]

8. Mike Webb and Bernie Ward are talking about it right now!

On their radio shows.

John

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. And the reoorganization

of the draft boards is on the DoD site

[ComerPerro]

7. I would only support the draft under one condition

Draft the College Republicans and FReepers who are in the age group.

They believe in this, so they go before I do.

[TXDemGal]

11. Only if Jenna's and Bab's numbers are

1 & 2

[Dr Satan]

13. yes

more girls for me.

[onebigbadwulf]

15. Flat feet

Do you guys know if flat feet still count as a way to get out of the draft?

[ComerPerro]

17. That depends on one factor

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


Flat feet, arched feet, no feet...

Who cares. We are an equal-opportunity slaugherthouse.

We do, however, make exceptions for anyone willing to donate $2,000 to the Bush campaign.

[RuB]

18. No. And the incentive for college being paid should be taken away

Enticing these kids with free college is disgusting! College should be free. Period.

[JackSwift]

20. Nope, I'll vote against a draft

but I'll leave the heavy lifting to the young 'uns as far as pounding the pavement goes.

[onebigbadwulf]

22. um

I don't think it's something you get to vote on, is it?

[depakid]

21. Yep- as long as most Dems lead the opposition against it.

I can't think of a better way to get young APATHETIC people interested in paying attention to politics than to have the threat of their personal liberty taken away from them. Personally, I find the idea of a draft offensive and absolutely unnecessary (given a responsible foreign policy).

That being said, if the draft were reinstituted, it wouldn't be entirely negative. There are countless young people these days just wasting their lives, either at menial jobs or just slumming. I personally know three kids who would greatly benefit from some serious discipline and vocational training. If their parents could get them into the service they'd jump at the chance.

Further, if inductees weren't barred from service by petty misdemeanor (or even certain felony convictions) or by drug screening, I think it would take quite a load off the criminal justice and correctional system- which is EXACTLY where the three kids I mentioned are going to end up unless they receive some sort of compulsory intervention.

[Fitzovich]

23. Hmmm

While military service does have social benefits for the described groups, it's the body bag part of the equation that is a definate down side. I would bet that another method could be instituted to help those in need aside from drafting them into the military.

[Booberdawg]

24. Only under the condition

that no deferments will be made and that the sons of chickenhawks and freepers would have the SAME CHANCES of being drafted as anyone else. Otherwise the burdon would disproportionately fall on the poor and minorities.

A draft would certainly wake up the unaware masses to make it their business to become better informed as to what is REALLY going on in this administration and this war. It's a hell of a way to get people's attention, but it would work.

The downside is that a draft would only allow these monsters in charge to spread themselves wider across the globe, something I am certain they have in their sights.

[ProfessorGAC]

40. That's The Ticket

That would be my condition for support as well. No "better things to do" excuses. No National Guard instead of federal military. Everyone's name in the hat, no matter who they are. Then, we could talk.
The Professor

[Zhade]

26. Yes - because it would be the biggest mistake TraitorCo could make.

I sincerely believe that, in a twist of irony, the threat of the draft during Vietnam was the biggest boost to the antiwar movement.

First, everyday people were suddenly in danger of having to kill and/or die in a foreign land. That tends to make people focus on what's going on more than if they are removed from warfighting.

Second, once people started coming back and being rotated out, they started talking about the war - no worries about a court-martial at that point.

And, lastly, it is an extremely bad idea to arm the very citizens you have betrayed so ruthlessly. That way lies armed revolt.

A draft would DESTROY TraitorCo - and I DARE them to try to bring it back.

[tedoll78]

28. Yes,

if only we can take advantage of it. And then, once we have competent people back it power, it should be nixed immediately.

[izzie]

30. I can not see Bush doing this but I think we need it.

It is a swich in my thinking but founding father's had a good reason for the citizen army.

[WoodrowFan]

32. I agree

I apologize to those military persons here, but I don't fully trust a fully professional military. They are becoming more and more politicized and allying themselves with one party, the repukes.

[MercutioATC]

33. Let the volunteers fight if they wish. We're not fighting to defend

this country. I don't see how anybody could condone conscription to staff a war that has nothing to do with defense and everything to do with the financial enrichment of a certain few.

[IndianaGreen]

34. I am against the draft, and against serving in draft boards!

We should not become part of the war machine, in any capacity! Some of us have compromised ourselves too much and too often. The war machine does not exist to protect our country but to enslave other nations.

[goobergunch]

36. NO.

NO.

[HFishbine]

37. Yes

No defferments for college or family responsibilities, and if you have a medical condition that precludes combat, you serve as a medic or radio operator.

The only reason this war had/has the support it does is because 95% of America is untouched by it. They sit in their La-z-boys, waving their flags, cheering on their team like it's Monday Night football. Let American's fully share the real brurdens of war and we'll have a big fat reality check.

[zeemike]

38. This is not popular but yes

I do support the draft, but I guess I am more conservative than repugs on this. I favor returning the military completely back to the people and the only way to do that is to have it come from the people.
I served in the military before the privatizing of the military and I know that it makes a difference if there is a cross section of the populous represented in the service.
And I want to go even farther than that; to require 2 years of public service for all 18-20 year old. Some would be taken in to the military, but most would work in public service and it would be a wonderful educational experience required to enter college.

[Loonman]

39. If there's a draft, there's a draft

It matters little if you support it or not.


The Prez signs executive order, and there it is.


If drafted, I will serve. If I do not serve, I am no better than Dubya, Cheney, Rumsfeld or Limbaugh, who all weaseled out of serving.