And what the heck was Bush meaning talking about a "civilian volunteer corps"??

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

He did say that, right? An American version of the French Foreign Legion? Is he going to ship off criminals and illegal aliens to fight for us? Can anyone shed some light?

[Drum]

1. Legitimizing the mercenaries.

They have a wider latitude, and I think they have more legal protections from any wrongdoings, in addition to the hefty paychecks. In short, it's the army without the unity and honor of training and uniforms.

[More Than A Feeling]

2. It's a more repressed, angry, white guy version of the Peace Corps or AmericaCorps.

[Richardo]

3. More money for KBR

[C_U_L8R]

4. Blackwater Battalions

The monkey's own privatized Army.
Did you see the faces of the joint chiefs?
It seemed a big surprise to them too.
I've never seen a group of old men collectively
go "HUH???" at the same time like that before

[stonecoldsober]

5. I had to laugh when i heard that

Like he's going to get anyone to sign-up. Everyone knows they'd be on the next flight to Iraq.

[Norrin Radd]

24. The difference is, they'll be driving hydrogen powered humvees.

He certainly likes to discuss odd stuff that'll never happen in his Sad State of the Union readings.

[harveyc]

6. Another way to say draft? ... n/t

[Janice325]

My first thought was mercenaries, my second thought was draft.

I hope we don't have to get either.
Dimson really scared me even more when he mentioned that idea.

[harveyc]

15. I thought daft ...

since mercenaries also cost money, the Pentagon could just increase pay for the military to increase enlistments. I can't really figure out what the hell he was talking about!

[az chela]

7. I read in the paper that they were thinking of sending

prisoners to fight in Iraq.I assumed that was what he was referring to

[2Design]

8. kerry talked about that too - serving the country for two years

this was something being thrown around during the last presidential election - not new stuff - both sides have talked about this - I remember Kerry mentioning it

[Blue_In_AK]

9. That gave me the creeps

more than anything else he said.

[Divernan]

10. Mercenaries are too expensive - this could be like National Guard

but with no military benefits, and not bound by the Geneva Convention. If the idea is to station these civilians in war zones, but they are not trained or armed for combat - what a bloodbath that would be. In urban warfare, everyone is in the battle zone, whether they're working as a cook, a secretary, a paramedic - whatever.

[Ouabache]

11. If Reagan & Poppy hadn't dismantled the Peace Corps

it would already be in place and doing the job that a DEMOCRAT, John F. Kennedy envisioned for it some 45 years ago. of course, who knows what dimson really has in mind as its' job function.

[porkrind]

12. I figured it was more of the corporatizing of the military

replacing soldiers with corporate mercenaries. That way when they are killed, it goes unreported. Also, they have fewer rights. I think *'s goal is armies of armed corporate wage slaves fighting corporate wars.

[Island Blue]

16. They can also however, get away with a lot more abuse

because they aren't subject to court martial.

[niyad]

13. is this like his "mandatory volunteer service" of a couple of years ago? or something completely

different?

[Island Blue]

14. To me, this was one of the scariest tidbits of the entire speech.

It was kind of mixed in with a bunch of other things and will go unnoticed by most. He wants mercenaries a la Blackwater is what he wants. He scares the hell out of me.

[aaronbees]

17. I agree....

He sure didn't explain it very well (which always makes that scarier with a BushCo speech), but the implications do seem to be something along the mercenary lines.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

18. I think I know where this might be going. During the Condoliezzalot

hearings there was talk about a group of individual, please forgive me, but I can not remember the term used to describe them. They are training up xxx (not known term) to be used in Iraq.

The gist that I could get is, they NEED teams of people to assist in developing the Iraqi governmental infrastructure. The Iraqi's need help in governmental operations support, people to assist in the non military/governmental type responsibilities. For example, the Judiciary, how to set up, manage and operate a Dept. of Justice, or Interior, or Treasury.

It was discussed during Condi's testimony.

I also, think there was discussion on DU about trying to send US Gov't employees to do this work, like a draft of non military personnel.

They have established a quick study course in Arabic, from what I could pick up.

[frogcycle]

19. it was a really wierd

non-explanation

either a trial balloon for something sinister, or else a wild hair someone threw into the soup without thinking it through

[silverojo]

20. Hell no, he won't ship off the illegals

He and his cronies need them for cheap labor, and to force down Americans' salaries so his rich friends can pocket the difference. :mad:

[Kosmo]

21. Sign up at you local compound.

Civil Volunteer Corps Needs You!

[newyawker99]

28. Hi Kosmo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[SanCristobal]

22. I'm pretty sure its nothing like anyone posted so far.

Bush probably got the idea from Wesley Clark (http://www.clark04.com/misc/003), and some of the details of the plan can be found here: http://proceedings.ndia.org/6100/russell.pdf . It sounds like a way for the military to stock up on civilian specialists they normally don't have enough of.

[cyberpj]

23. See here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3073619

[Ronnie]

25. My husband turned to me and said,

"Ah, a Peace Corps for war."

[leftyladyfrommo]

26. Bush Scouts? n/t

[Javaman]

27. civilian volunteer corps = citizen solders = the draft nt