posted May 16, 2004 11:00 PM              

Published on Friday, April 23, 2004 by the Chicago Sun Times
Is Military Draft in the Works?
by Andrew Greeley
 
There's a sign on the horizon, no bigger than a man's hand, that there's a military draft in the works. The Defense Department has announced that Selective Service is making preparations for another draft, "in case one is needed." The New York Times in an inane editorial pleads with the president to articulate a goal for the war that if it "was clear and comprehensive and people understood how to reach it, then Mr. Bush could . . . even bolster the desperately straitened military with a draft if Americans understood the need to sacrifice."

If the editorial writers of the New York Times are talking about a new draft that would send young men and women to die in the deserts of Iraq fighting crazy religious fanatics, then the idea is certainly being whispered about in the upper echelons of American society. A draft would not be proposed before the election -- if it were, Bush would be wiped out in a landslide. But a wise person would not bet against the draft being proposed next January.

What in the world is the Times talking about? Why should Americans sacrifice for the Iraq War? Not by the wildest stretch of the imagination can one seriously argue that the war in Iraq is to defend vital American interests. We found that there were no weapons of mass destruction there and no connection with al-Qaida or the Sept. 11 attack. The only issue seems to be whether we can impose democracy on Iraqis who don't seem seriously to want it or to prevent a civil war that will happen anyway as soon as our army leaves. Americans are supposed to accept the need to sacrifice their unwilling sons and daughters to fight for such absurd goals?

There are many authoritarian liberals who have a kind of illicit romance with the draft. Young people owe their a country a part of their lives, even their lives itself (not their own sons and daughters' lives, of course). Military service is good for you, some veterans insist. It will make a man out of a drifting late adolescent. What it will do for a young woman remains to be seen -- probably teach her how to live in a world where rape is commonplace.

Building up the army with a draft will serve only the needs of the Bush administration to "win" a war. Gen. Eric Shinseki, then-chief of staff of the Army, said that 200,000 would be needed to pacify Iraq. Donald Rumsfeld made fun of him in public. Now the Defense Department seems to be engaged in remote planning for a draft army that will be much larger.

How many men and women, it must be asked, will be required to pacify Iraq and to turn it into a freedom-loving democracy? How long will it take, how many lives must be sacrificed to protect the honor and the legacy of Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and Rumsfeld and their crowd of imperialists?

Doubtless it will be argued in favor of a draft that we all must make sacrifices for a war on terrorism. It might be better if one sent men and women in their 40s to fight in a foolish, unjust, immoral, criminal war. It would be good for them. They'd have to lose weight and get back in physical condition.

Bush has made "the war on terrorism" a mantra to cover everything his administration has done. But the Iraq war has nothing to do with the war on terrorism, as we now know. It was a plan of Cheney and Rumsfeld and their coterie of "neo-conservative" intellectuals (like Paul Wolfowitz) long before they came to power. It was supposed to make the United States a major power in the Middle East; to provide a democratic alternative to the typical Arab autocracy; to give the United States control of major oil fields; to take pressure off Israel, and to establish that the United States was a superpower that could go anywhere in the world and do anything it wanted. The "war on terror" was only a pretext to implement this plan, as accounts of the early White House reaction to the Sept. 11 attack seem to indicate.

Does one have to say that none of these goals have been achieved or can be achieved?

I wonder why Sen. John Kerry sounds so much like Hubert Humphrey in his support of the continuation of the war. I hope at least he makes opposition to a new draft a major issue in the election.

Copyright 2004, Digital Chicago Inc.

posted May 16, 2004 11:22 PM            

You will be in my thoughts and prayers. If at any time there`s anything we can do to support you thru this time of turmoil, please let us be aware of it.

We all disagree on much of the current events, but I believe we all agree that each soul is of the highest value and in that, I know we all send you love and lite to
support you.

juniperb

posted May 17, 2004 07:52 AM              

may i add my concern and caring too?

PLEASE keep in touch! let us know what you really find over there, good and bad. tell the soldiers over there that we have not abandoned them, but wish for them a speedy return home

please know that you are indeed in our thoughts and prayers, as you face this unfamiliar horizon beating with drums in the distance

and i agree that your position is most honorable. did you check out my post about the refusniks, under pretend you are reading this? it might help to know that there are others of conscience who find the road rocky, too, but they inspire hope

may love and light go with you!

posted May 17, 2004 03:50 PM            

Love always,

posted May 17, 2004 03:51 PM            

Good Luck Soldier!

posted May 17, 2004 08:29 PM              

raine........i read your post to lioneyes topic on "what would you do if you were in charge on 9/11"
you rock! thank you for your support. if i have internet access in iraq ill keep you all posted on whats going on. i sincerely doubt ill have a computer handy. lol

ozone............you were a soldier before so you know what my situation is. your words are true to the core. anytime someone here in global unity tries to debate with you about the war, just give em the finger. you served your time. besides, ive read your posts and you come off more intelligent than your opponents!
thanks for your words of encouragement ozone!

posted May 17, 2004 08:43 PM              

whatever the case may be. everything ive ever posted is true. you must have a grudge against me since you have an issue with believing anything i type.
thats cool.
just dont enter into topics i initiate.

posted May 17, 2004 08:48 PM            

PEACE IN YOUR HEART TO YOU BROTHER!

posted May 18, 2004 03:42 PM              

118,000 IRR soldiers screened for deployment

By Jane McHugh
Times staff writer

The Army is screening 118,000 former soldiers who completed their enlistments and turned civilian for possible orders to return to duty.
The soldiers compose the Army’s current Individual Ready Reserve force, former active-duty or reserve soldiers who have time left on their eight-year total obligation to serve. A soldier who enlisted for three years, then was discharged, for example, has a legal obligation to military duty for another five years.

Members of the IRR are not formally attached to any specific Reserve unit but could be assigned to an active or Reserve unit if needed.

None of the more than 118,000 IRR soldiers has been called up involuntarily, so far, said Lt. Col. Burt Masters, a spokesman for the Army Reserve Human Resources Command in St. Louis.

Whether they could be at some future date has not been determined, he said.

The Army has sought IRR volunteers since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and, to date, about 1,000 soldiers have volunteered.

The screening is being done so the Army will have up-to-date records in the event IRR call-ups are necessary, Masters said.

“With the world situation, we’re taking prudent measures to make sure we have a current status on people. We want to know where they live and have a current phone number on them in case we need to contact them,” he said.

Part of the review will match soldiers’ military occupational specialties to job needs of Reserve units near their homes, he said.

Masters said he wants to underscore that the Army currently is not calling up IRR members. Some retention NCOs mistakenly have sent out messages telling IRR soldiers that they were going to be put into a unit, Masters said.

“No determination has been made to cut orders or assign people to anything,” he said.

----

posted May 18, 2004 05:17 PM            

You may not like Bush or Iraq, but you did sign up to be in the military and choosing where you go is not an option. It is no different that a police officer or fireman. Part of the job is danger. I don't think there is a cop around that ever said "Hey I really wanted to get killed in that gang shoot out"

There are fatal implications in ever job. When I worked with monkeys I took a chance of getting bit and contracting a 99% fatal virus. I was lucky I never got hurt, but still I can't complain and say "This is your virus I did not choose to get it" It comes with the job. You are just using it as your own little pi$$ and moan session against the current administration.

Get a life!

posted May 18, 2004 10:14 PM            

As for your call up, exactly what is your MOS that's so important they would call you up and no one else?

posted May 18, 2004 10:46 PM              

Personally, I wouldn't want to go and fight in a war I didn't support on principal. My heart wouldn't be in it, and I'd suck as a result, which could get me killed. Not to mention the fact that I'd be pi$$ing vinegar about it all the whole time, and that certainly wouldn't be good for anyone's moral.

But what if it all means something? What if this HAD to happen, in the grand scheme of things? What if it was written in the scriptures of time long before GWB was around, or any of us for that matter? What if all this is a catalist to a much bigger plan? Through strife and struggle and pain and despair...comes a much needed change. What would have happened if the japanese had not bombed pearl harbour? What would have happened if the US hadn't gotten involved in WWII? Might we all be speaking German, with not a single Jew among us? This is a frightening but important time in world history. I believe it may usher in a new era that will make the world a kinder and gentler place, with NO tolerance for groups like al-Qaeda anywhere. With the escalating violence in recent years in the middle east, it was only a matter of time before it spread throughout the world. Hate and ugliness can be very contagious, as we've all witnessed

And please don't be lame and try to draw a paralell between Nazi Germany and the Bush Admin.

My point is...I believe in destiny, and this was destined to happen. What if it all means something much bigger than any of us?

posted May 19, 2004 10:55 AM            

Ahhhh, I do love you Leos ....June sounds great.. so shall we have the ceremony in Florida, Maryland, or my favorite- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho?

TINK,

Hmmm, well - I think your assessment was extremely unfair. You are insinuating that jwhop is malicious enough to want to see people be drafted and possibly killed at war based on that fact that he won't even be called in to serve. That is terrible statement with absolutely no factual basis.

posted May 19, 2004 02:15 PM            

These are all against the basic principals of the left who want everyone to view themselves as victims of America, the society and the corporations. The left is the "victim" class in America. The rest of us are their evil oppressors.

Hehehe, it's been about 90*F here and it's not even June yet. Perhaps someplace cooler like Coeur d'Alene, Idaho is the best bet.

posted May 19, 2004 02:23 PM            

Sounds like a plan, but are you prepared to handle a wild, arrow flinging Saggie?
LOL

I was thinking a wedding on the lake followed by some serious pampering at the resort: http://www.coeurdalene.org/index_content.asp?pageid=344

Then we could play a game of cat and mouse in the mountains..a little skinny dipping in the lake - where we can discuss the draft.

posted May 19, 2004 05:22 PM            

The resort http://www.cdaresort.com/

The room http://www.cdaresort.com/accommodations.asp

Pretty good with warm rocks http://www.cdaresort.com/SpaPackages.asp

The boat to drop us off at Skinny Dip Bay http://www.cdaresort.com/cruisefleet.asp

Hmmm, didn't see "Cat & Mouse listed under activities
Guess we'll have to make that up as we go along. First dibs on being the mouse. I love trying new things http://www.cdaresort.com/entertainment.asp

Nope, no one ever told me that before

posted May 19, 2004 05:45 PM            

I must say, you are very charming.

Now, I do like the CDA resort - lots!! I stayed there a few times for conferences - I prefer (but can't always get) the tower room with the mirrored walls and sunken living room w / fireplace. Nice view, comfortable robes and of course..the mirrors...lol...did I mention the mirrors?

Do you golf? They have a beautiful course with a floating green - maybe a swim to the green can be arranged.

As for the massage..YUMMY!! I love that spa although the big burly lady kind of scared me during my last massage.

Fingerprints eh? Hee hee...just as long as no one has to use ninhydrin on me to bring it up we should be fine.

posted May 19, 2004 06:25 PM              

jwhop ~ actually I'm not against a draft. And I think all your reasons are valid and I would tend to agree with them. At least the idea - I have never seen a draft in practice so I would not be so bold as to call the outcome with absolute certainty. However, I should say that if my government did call for a wartime draft they had better have a damn site better reason for doing so than just to teach me a little responsibility.

Also, I don't think the idea of required military service of a year or two is such a bad thing. I'm not sure if the time and money invested would be worth the return. But I'm open to the idea.

pidaua ~ gosh, thank you so for your insightful comments. Perhaps what you THINK I insinuated is not based on fact but on what you wanted to hear. Infer what you will, dear. I stand by what I said. My morals tell me to hold off calling for a draft when it is not me who will be drafted. Anything else is irresponsible and unfair. Pesky morals.