Jack Cafferty's questions for today -- real beauties at 5 and 6pm ET

[Bozita]

4pm
Here’s my question to you: How can Hillary Clinton turn things around in the next couple of weeks?

5pm
Here’s my question to you: Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain if Condoleezza Rice is his running mate?

6pm
Here’s my question to you: What’s the future of the U.S. military if one in every eight new Army recruits requires a conduct waiver?

http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/

[lpbk2713]

1. I wonder how it's possible for me to be ANY less likely to vote for McLame?

I don't GAF who his running mate is.

[zanne]

2. Pleeeeeze pick Condi!

[gateley]

3. Could you clarify the

'conduct waiver'? I'm not sure what that is. And, do one in eight currently require one of the things that I don't know what it is? :7

Thanks. :hi:

[Bozita]

4. here...

FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:

The war in Iraq comes to Washington this week. General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker are set to give two days of testimony to Congress on the progress of the war starting tomorrow. President Bush is then expected to address the nation on Thursday, and talk about the future of Iraq as well as the administration’s decision to reduce combat tours of duty from 15 months to 12 months.

The highlight of the two days of testimony will no doubt be the questioning of Petraeus and Crocker by the three candidates for president, all senators. Out on the campaign trail, you have John McCain, who has said the U.S. could be in Iraq for 100 years… versus Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who insist the war hasn’t made the U.S. safer and want to pull our troops out.

As the war grinds on, our military forces continue to be stretched thinner. Consider this: one out of every eight new soldiers now requires a waiver to join the Army either because of a criminal record or other past misconduct. That’s a number that has more than doubled since 2004. One top military official told USA Today it’s because of the difficulties the Army faces attracting young people to join during a time of war. Officials insist that the military has granted waivers without hurting the quality of recruits.

Another depressing sign of the state of our military is this: the percentage of high school graduates among Army recruits is down from 91% in 2001 to 79% last year.

Here’s my question to you: What’s the future of the U.S. military if one in every eight new Army recruits requires a conduct waiver?

Tune in to the Situation Room at 6pm to see if Jack reads your answer on air.

And, we love to know where you’re writing from, so please include your city and state with your comment.

[gateley]

5. Thanks --

that's pretty much what I assumed. When they speak of our All Volunteer Army, I always think of those who opted for it in lieu of a jail sentence. Not the most altruistic of intents.

[OregonBlue]

6. Criminals in the military, who would have thunk it. Well maybe they did.

Gee Jack, if one in eight people in an organization is a criminal is it a criminal organization, can one then reasonably expect it to engage in criminal behavior? At this rate, the whole military will be just like Blackwater. On the other hand maybe that's the real objective.

[Bozita]

7. That's a chilling thought.

[OregonBlue]

8. Destroy the military, substitute Blackwater et al, voila, you have your own private

military. Chilling yes but I certainly don't put it past them. Is this in fact the neocon long-term plan?