Posted on 11/19/2006 10:30:36 AM PST by Brilliant
A senior House Democrat said Sunday he will introduce legislation to reinstate the military draft, asserting that current troop levels are insufficient to sustain possible challenges against 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," said Rep. Charles Rangel (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y.
Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, said he will propose the measure early next year.
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," he said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record), 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, incoming chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, said he worried the military was being 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. An agency independent of the Defense Department, the Selective Service System trains, 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.
Rangel and Graham appeared on "Face the Nation" on CBS.
The correct term is conscript. And Roosevelt didn't think so highly of that generation that he though they would voluntarily do their great work.
Your posts on this thread have been right on.
So if we have a draft, does that mean that illegals will take the jobs Americans won't be able to do?
Thank you for telling people how to live their lives
Yup! Something will have to happen to wake the sleeping giant before the country agrees to a draft.
Do you think we could have conquered Germany and Japan with volunteers?
Nicely said.
"What a novel way to sidestep the real issue: is freedom "free"?"
Which branch did you serve in?
"flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress" ?
uh . . so the CONGRESS voted for a war based upon clearly FLIMSY EVIDENCE ??
Boy, oh, boy...words to cringe by...
"What was it like when you served with men who were drafted? Were there many problems?"
They were guys like Elvis. They came, did their job for two years and moved on. Many stayed. Sure it got crazy during Vietnam but the draft dodgers and deserters hogged the news. Again, most did their job.
The army isn't a social program to mold young men and women into your ideal. Don't get sucked into this. What we'll end up with is a social program to mold young men and women into Charley Rangle's ideal.
Note to all: If you'veserved in the military, you've earned your right to an opinion on this issue. Knock yourself out.
If not, you have zero right to tell others they should be forced to serve. Join the military yourselves or shut up.
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