Yeah, but did you guys read the last paragraph:
I think we have already seen rapid shifts in g. policy and public opinion. IE we don’t “really” have to adhere to the Geneva Conventions (g. policy) and naked chained prisoners are not “really” abused (some us public opinion).
And hello, what difference does it make if the draft starts in 1 day or 193 days or 356 days? Are we so short-sighted that things that happen .5 or 1 year from now have no significance?
And by the way, I hope you realize that the tacit assumption behind this statement is that all presidents want the ability to “engage in miltary adventures.”
Do you believe this?
Well, if we think about this “war on terrorism” that is supposed to go on for many years, one might think that we are going to need more bodies from somewhere to prosecute it effectively, particularly if Bush was reelected and decided to pursue all of his previously named “axis of evil” countries to the full hilt. The body count will go much higher then.
Does anyone know what the state of overall military enlistments are recently? Trending up, down or staying level?
Personally, I think it might be a good idea to require every citizen between 18-26 to perform 2 years of service for the country. Plus, given the probability that more and more young people are going to have difficultly finding work due to accelerating corporate outsourcing/offshoring and productivity increases, this might not be a bad solution to help keep a majority of them off the streets.
iamme, I think enlistments went up for a while after September 11th, but are at normal levels now.
The Iraq prisoner debate was rather premeditated and not a quick policy shift. Anyway, the key point about the Snopes piece to me - although many have made it before - is that it’s not good for the military. A volunteer force is much more efficient, and a large influx of people, especially those who don’t want to be there, would clog things up.
If you read the top of the page, they were specifically addressing the rumor that the draft would begin next Spring.
If I only had 5 cents for everytime a “the draft is coming” thread was openned.
But here’s a thought: If Kerry wins in November, how many of these Democrat sponsored bills to reinstate the draft do you think will be introduced?
And again, while things can change fast, even a serious proposal to restart the draft would need to be passed by both houses (meaning it’s not just a Bush thing). There would certainly be enormous controversy, and I can’t see it passing, particularly given how closely divided Congress is. Democrats are much bolder now than they were two years ago.* I’ll even grant that some Democrats, like Kerry and Hillary, have called for a larger military. But they’ve made the volunteer part of that very clear, and I think the proposal would be political suicide. Enough citizens were around for the last draft for it to be far more trouble than it’s worth.
Even if there’s another attack on America sometime soon, I have trouble figuring out a scenario where this would happen.
*No offense intended to Republicans. I’m assuming it’s a hypothetical Republican-backed draft bill because otherwise the President just would veto it, and Democrats don’t seem likely to support a draft.
Why are we entertaining an urban legend posing as an OP in Great Debates?
Slow day I expect. If you want some excitement, you could always go over to Alericthegoth’s latest, er, thread.
-XT
Because it is political fodder for both sides, and they love rolling around in it?
Yea, I got called on using the term “dozens” referring to replies to it, so now I have to keep bumping it or people are going to be citing that forever.
Go post there!
lol, he’ll get the requisite dozen, never fear. If nothing else, folks will be along to do the rolley eyes thing when he starts REALLY getting wacked. Well, I better stop, as this isn’t the pit. 
I try not to post in his threads though, unless I just can’t help myself…or if I’m really drunk.
Wonder if anyone is taking bets on when the next “Bush is going to re-instate the Draft!! We’re all doomed!!” thread will again grace the board…
-XT
For those who don’t get the import of the reports in Aitara’s links, the bills are sitting in committee, and have been for 15 months. Expect both to end up stamped “Died in committee” quite soon.
After seeing all the things this man has done since stealing the election from Al Gore and using the “Good ol Boy” system to muscle his way into office,
There is nothing left that he can do that would surprise me now. 
:smack: That’s rather different from your earlier statement.
I could hardly think less of Bush, but he has never said or done anything that should leave anyone with the impression he wants to reinstate the draft. In fact, I think I remember Cheney causing a minor flap when he said specifically that he thought a draft would be a bad idea.
Hello? Did you read the REST of the cite that went on and on about how unlikely it was? The last paragraph was the standard caviot (I’ve used it mysel in previous threads) that if something Really Bad happens, all bets might be off. THis wouldn’t be something cooked up by the President AS THE PRESIDENT DOESN’T WANT THE DRAFT! It would be some external thing, like a third world war, or an alien space invasion, or perhaps in the realm of the more likely a more serious attack on the US mainland than 9/11 was, but an identifyable soveriegn nation (or nations).
All in all, its pretty unlikely…certainly not something half a year or a year down the pike as you are saying.
Can we FINALLY put this ridiculous topic to bed until and unless things change and there is an actual possibility that the draft is actually being serious considered?
-XT
That’s absurd. Not to drag this thread down a road-too-well-traveled, but the evidence for what you assert is equivocal. If Bush scheduled a prime-time televised address to the nation and came out on it wearing nothing but a red body stocking, pulled the entrails from a puppy, set them on fire, strangled the little critter with them and then fired his entire cabinet, would you really not be surprised?
It would surprise me greatly. I mean, fire Rumsfeld? are you kidding me?
Forgot the damn smiley. That was tongue-firmly-in-cheek.
I’d be interested to know how enlistments in the National Guard are going, since they have been sent into combat instead of helping with floods and being away from home one weekend a month.
I worked for someone who was a major in the Guard, and I don’t think he ever would have expected to go into combat. I don’t doubt his patriotism one bit, but I wonder how many joined for the college benefits, etc., and would have reconsidered if they really thought they would have a chance to go into a war zone.