Ted Rall: Will Bush Bring Back the DRAFT (in Feb. 2005)? (must read)

[Dems Will Win]

Hey my DU posts on the DRAFT just got into the mainstream media with Ted Rall! (I'm the person who dicovered the 2004 Ramp up budget -- http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_FY2004.html and the fact that they just put the DRAFT BOARD AD back up--this time on the sss.gov Home Page with 2 sentences saying there is no connection to Iraq)

DU does work mu friends!

<snip>

In early November, the Pentagon (news - web sites) website DefendAmerica.mil put out a call for applicants willing to serve on Selective Service System draft boards. "Serve Your Community and the Nation--Become a Selective Service System Local Board Member," the ad read. "If a military draft becomes necessary, approximately 2,000 local and appeal boards throughout America would decide which young men who submit a claim receive deferments, postponements or exemptions from military service, based on federal guidelines." Noting that the SSS hopes to fill its 8,000 draft board slots by spring 2005, many journalists are wondering aloud whether the Bush Administration plans to reinstate forced conscription of 18-to-26-year-olds after the election, just on time for invasions of Iran, Syria and/or North Korea (news - web sites).


Reports of a big uptick in the draft agency's budget from '03 to '04 abound, yet the feds claim that ramping up Selective Service is part of "the routine cycle of things." "There are no secret discussions," says SSS spokesman Pat Schuback. "We aren't doing any planning that we don't do on a routine basis." Yet they refuse to issue a categorical denial. A February Surprise, perhaps?


Our armed forces are stretched dangerously thin. 60,000 of the 130,000 troops stationed in Iraq come from the National Guard or reserves. 90,000 more are serving in Kuwait, Afghanistan (news - web sites), South Korea (news - web sites), Kosovo and Macedonia. Demoralized by low pay and long tours of duty under harsh conditions--why won't Bush invade someplace with nice weather and hot babes?--49 percent of soldiers told Stars and Stripes newspaper that they won't re-enlist. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and top brass say they prefer volunteer professionals to surly conscripts, but in the end they may not have a choice.


This much is certain: If Bush resumes his neocolonial landgrab after "re"election, he'll have to bring back the draft. And a new generation of young men, ordered to disrupt their lives to feed the vanity and bank accounts of a cabal of gangsters, will ponder whether to flee or fight.

<snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=127&ncid=742&e=7&u=/uclicktext/20031204/cm_ucru/acolddraft

[ecstatic]

1. Will the *I'm Gay* defense work? nt

[Dems Will Win]

2. Sure -- they will ask you if you are a "Practicing Homosexual"

My friend said (with a flirtatious look) "What do you mean by that?"

"Have you recently had sex with a man?" asked the shrink.

"Oh, yes!" said my friend.

That was it -- 4-F!

[Eloriel]

3. I've got an idea, and could use some help

See my thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=843554

Eloriel