A revolution without reinstatement of the draft?

[ripple]

As a preface, please bear in mind that I do not want to see us have another draft in any way, shape, or form. I just happened to be thinking about what it would take to get rid of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and a draft is the only thing that came to mind- at least in the near future. Here are a couple of other positives I can envision from a draft:

** It would force the youth in our society into political awareness and action, possibly creating a revolution similar to one this nation hasn’t experienced since the sixties and early seventies.

** It would help to close the class gap in our society, as theoretically, no one would be exempted due to wealth, class, or status. I say theoretically, because there would still be some who are able to circumvent the system, due to political influence. Still, a draft would force people from different walks of life together, even if under the worst of circumstances.

And as I mentioned, I think it would finally put an end to Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

The last draft triggered much-needed political involvement from our nation’s youth, which directly impacted executive and legislative policy. The draft tore a terrible hole in our nation, but it was also something that affected everyone personally, whether they were rich, poor, black, white, conservative, liberal, etc. The draft was a cruel awakening and it left us with scars that will never completely heal, but it also forced our nation redefine itself, both collectively and individually as citizens.

Again, I don’t want the draft reinstated, especially for a war that I consider both immoral and illegal. I guess I’m just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on what else could possibly inspire the sort of revolution we saw as a result of the last draft.

Any thoughts? :shrug:

[MadMaddie]

1. I have been saying this for a long time...

Especially if the * cabal decided to go to war with Iran....they don't have enough bodies...

also women would be drafted also......(this is the kicker) this is where the backlash will really be heard around the world....

[atreides1]

6. Expect no backlash

The kool-aid drinkers will go to their deaths with a smile on their face and a song of praise for
BushCo. As for those who don't buy into the lies, they will have to make the hardest decision of their lives, either find a cave to hide in or to fight against an evil tyrant and his boot licking
followers.

As for the rest of the world, when has this administration given a rats ass about what the world thinks? The world already knows that Bush will start another war, and they'll all sit on the sidelines and watch the bullets bursting in air and the rockets red glare, because they know that
it won't be much longer before the US will not be able to defend itself against Brazil, much less a country with a powerful military.

The time is coming when every American will have to decide what is best for them!!!!!

[Der Blaue Engel]

2. I've come to the conclusion that even that wouldn't do it

I think the sheeple would line up for the slaughter and protesters would not (be allowed to) be seen and heard in numbers for anyone to care.

[teriyaki jones]

8. I respectfully disagree . . .

A draft would make a big difference. Not just to the youth who would be "called to serve" but to their parents and families as well. I think anyone with children would be forced to reconsider their support of endless war. And it would force the slumbering sheeple to pay attention, once their own children were potentially in the line of fire. And I don't think Canada would be able to absorb all the defectors.

[RufusEarl]

3. And the above statements,

are the reasons this admin do not want to reinstate the draft. I've giving this some thought myself and came to the same conclusions you did, i would rather see and end to the war.

[Sammy Pepys]

4. A draft for political purposes...

...is asking for trouble, IMHO. To take it to the extreme, while there can certainly be in honor in one laying down their life for a cause, it must be a cause they ultimately choose.

[Burning Water]

5. Yeah.

I don't think we need to create problems to rebel against.

If the current problems are not enough to wake AmeriKKKa up, then we still aren't justified in making them worse, just for political advantage.

How does that make us any better than the 'pukes?

[TomInTib]

7. From what I understand, our greatest problem is at the mid-level

commissioned officer level. You cannot draft into those ranks.

I think whatever action we take against Iran will be airborne. We will go for a punitive, destructive air offensive because the Iranians possess a real armed forces and would inflict huge numbers of casualties on our ground troops.

I'll bet the Iranians aren't sitting around twiddling their thumbs like Hussein did. They are forming a ready resistance.

[genie_weenie]

9. You are correct we do need a draft

We just have to ensure, we start with the people with the highest income in America and take their children, also included in the First Wave, is every child 18-45 of elected officials or the officials themselves in lieu of child.

[bowens43]

11. Ridiculous.

It always amazes me to see so called liberals calling for as draft.

KEEP YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF MY KIDS

You want a draft , how about you hall your ass over to Iraq instead.

God, I get sick of seeing this nonsense posted here.

[genie_weenie]

12. AGAIN? I JUST GOT BACK!

Sorry, my post was sarcastic, although it was nonsense...

[bowens43]

10. reinstate the draft because

you don't agree with 'don't ask don't tell'???


You have to be joking.

There are NO POSITIVES in establishing a draft.

[ripple]

13. I think you misunderstood my post

I'm not in favor of a draft. I'm wondering what it would take to inspire the sort of revolution that occurred largely as a result of the last draft. I apologize if I wasn't clear enough about that.

With that said, although the previous draft was a horrific thing, it did inspire a change in mindset, which is something that is desperately needed now.

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. It was not the draft that did all that -- it was Vietnam.

The draft existed, except for a 4 year? period from 1941 to 1972. It was only in the last 5 years of it, during the height of Vietnam, that the draft was a major issue. It was accepted and expected. During the time it was in effect it did a lot to democratize the military and society in general, particularly after the integration of the armed forces in '48. I don't think the civil rights movement would have ever gained traction so quickly if not for the example set by the races serving together in the same units from Korea on.

If a president was bold enough to order the military to integrate gays, as Truman integrated the races, he would go down in history.

That said, the draft would be a terrible idea. We don't need a larger military; we need a smaller one. We don't need 700,000 troops scattered across six continents to protect our interests. How many other nations have huge military establishments in countries they are at peace with?

A small, agile military could have allowed us to respond to 9/11 and put the same 15,000 troops in Afghanistan, or even double that number, to deal with Al Queda and Bin Ladin and, if the Taliban did not cooperate, the Taliban as well. We saw that. But it would have prevented us from adventuring into Iraq, which had not attacked us in any way, shape or form, and forced us to actually rely on diplomacy to deal with Saddam, if he needed to be dealt with. If a threat becomes too great, a draft could then be instituted, with tens of thousands of new troops put in the field within a matter of weeks, just as we had done for the first 160 years of our history. But that could only happen if there were a real threat.

[Ioo]

15. Most Support Bush because they have no skin in the fight.

I think a draft would change them ASAP. As soon as they bury a kid, they will ask why,,,

[dogday]

16. It is one thing to join voluntarily, it is another to be

forced to join... I think there will be such a cry throughout the land, not just the people who get drafted, but the families and friends they will leave behind will also not be happy with this... This will be the wake-up call, the question is though, will we answer it or let it ring?