Top Democrat: Bring back the draft (from CNN web site)

[Yrys]

November 19, 2006
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 if the incoming chairman
of the House Ways and Means Committee has his way.

New York Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.
He believes a draft would bolster U.S. troop levels that are currently insufficient to cover potential future action in Iran,
North Korea and Iraq.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially
on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft, and members of Congress and
the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, said
he will propose a measure early next year.

In 2003, he proposed a draft covering people age 18 to 26. This year, he offered a plan to mandate military service
for men and women between age 18 and 42. It went nowhere in the Republican-led Congress.

Democrats will control the House and Senate come January because of their victories in the November 7 mid-term
election.

At a time when some lawmakers are urging the military to send more troops to Iraq, "I don't see how anyone
can support the war and not support the draft," said Rangel.

He also proposed a draft in January 2003, before the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Standby Reserve, said
he agreed that the U.S. does not have enough people in the military.

"I think we can do this with an all-voluntary service, all-voluntary Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. And
if we can't, then we'll look for some other option," said Graham, who is assigned as a reserve judge to the Air
Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

Rangel and Graham appeared on "Face the Nation" on CBS.
Polls show most Americans oppose a draft

Rangel, the next chairman of the House tax-writing committee, said he worried the military is strained by its
overseas commitments.

"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send
more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft," Rangel said.

He said having a draft would not necessarily mean everyone called to duty would have to serve. Instead,
"young people (would) commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether
it's our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals," with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Graham said he believes the all-voluntary military "represents the country pretty well in terms of ethnic makeup,
economic background."

Repeated polls have shown that about seven in 10 Americans oppose reinstatement of the draft and officials say
they do not expect to restart conscription.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Congress in June 2005 that "there isn't a chance in the world
that the draft will be brought back."

Yet the prospect of the long global fight against terrorism and the continuing U.S. commitment to stabilizing Iraq
have kept the idea in the public's mind.

The military drafted conscripts during the Civil War, both world wars and between 1948 and 1973.

The Selective Service System, an agency independent of the Defense Department, keeps an updated registry of
men age 18-25 -- now about 16 million -- from which to supply untrained draftees that would supplement the
professional all-volunteer armed forces.

 

[midget-boyd91]

Going back to a full fledged draft is a bit harsh considering lacking support on the home front. I could understand a type of draft that puts the would be "draftees" on a type of standby where they could be pulled into reserve forces in the case of a major war breaking out  (ie. worst case scenario with N Korea or Iran involving ground combat however farfetched it is)
But thats only a quick personal opinion/idea on my part :blotto:

 

[tomahawk6]

He tried this in the 04 election and got two votes. No one in Congress wants a draft except the left wing dem's.

 

[Yrys]

Hum, with 2 votes, I'm not sure even the left is with him on that one...

 

[a_majoor]

The Dems accused the Republicans were the ones who wanted to bring back the draft. With the truth laid bare like this, do you imagine that the MSM and the rest of their fellow travellers will raise a howl of outrage?

Of course not; the draft is the perfect exercise of collectivism and raw government power; the most potent and powerful symbol of all that they want to achieve. Look for a President Clinton introducing the draft after her inauguration should that day ever arrive.

 

[tomahawk6]

Here's the article about Rangel's bill.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15413

 

[Zell_Dietrich]

:-S Is he talking about the Draft or compulsory military service?  Lots of countries have required military service,  Germany, Syria, Switzerland ... and yes it has been found to be very effective at getting the population much more involved in what the government is doing to the armed forces. For Americans this idea of required military service might fly nowadays because of their culture. I'm just curious,  what happens to those who are compelled into service but who are REALLY not cut out for it.  (You know the types, lazy sloths, whiny babies and of course the super trooper you think enjoys the idea of killing a little to much.)

 

[couchcommander]

The Dems accused the Republicans were the ones who wanted to bring back the draft. With the truth laid bare like this, do you imagine that the MSM and the rest of their fellow travellers will raise a howl of outrage?

Of course not; the draft is the perfect exercise of collectivism and raw government power; the most potent and powerful symbol of all that they want to achieve. Look for a President Clinton introducing the draft after her inauguration should that day ever arrive.

Mr.Majoor, I shouldn't need to point out the fact that this is one senator, who has been pushing this agenda for years and years, and as has been already said, got 2 votes last time he tried. Its hardly fair to paint "the democrats" with that brush.

Let us look at this in a different way:

The Republicans accused the Dems were the ones who wanted to "have relations" with teenagers. With the truth laid bare like this, do you imagine that the MSM and the rest of their fellow travellers will raise a howl of outrage?

Of course not; having relations with teenagers is the perfect exercise of repressed desires and raw individual power; the most potent and powerful symbol of all that they want to achieve. Look for a President McCain introducing the "12 year age of consent" after his inauguration should that day ever arrive.

 

[tomahawk6]

:-S Is he talking about the Draft or compulsory military service?  Lots of countries have required military service,  Germany, Syria, Switzerland ... and yes it has been found to be very effective at getting the population much more involved in what the government is doing to the armed forces. For Americans this idea of required military service might fly nowadays because of their culture. I'm just curious,  what happens to those who are compelled into service but who are REALLY not cut out for it.  (You know the types, lazy sloths, whiny babies and of course the super trooper you think enjoys the idea of killing a little to much.)

Yes compulsory military service. It worked from WW2 through Vietnam.If you could fog a mirror [almost] you were drafted. There were a few permanent medical problems that would disqualify someone.Otherwise being fat or lazy just meant you had a harder time in basic.The smart guys once they saw what their draft number was enlisted so they could they could chose their branch.My cousin did that and selected military police.He was sent to Korea where we were and my dad pulled strings to get him assigned to the 8th Army Provost Marshall's office where he served out his enlistment -13 months.

The good thing about the draft was that we got alot of very bright people into the army that wouldnt have gone into military service. Bad thing is we had people who didnt want to be there and were morale and discipline problems. The draft was not very fair. You could avoid it or defer it by going to college. You could avoid the draft by joining a Guard or Reserve unit -if a unit had a space. These units during Vietnam were the haven for well connected kids and most units were at authorized manning levels.Everyone else was drafted.

All five services, 4 armed services and the coast guard, drafted. At the military entrance station they lined the draftee's up and had them count off and off you went to that service's basic training.Another reason to enlist so you could select your service.

 

[youravatar]

N. Chomsky. Psy-Ops... On the home front  >