Chicago Tribune: Feel that draft?

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0506080018jun08,0,1971614.story?coll=chi-newsopinioncommentary-hed

Recruitment for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps is on the brink of disaster. Indeed, along with combat, recruiting duty is now considered the worst mission in the military. Although we are in a global war against terrorism, the American citizenry is not being asked for any sacrifice. In the last election, both President Bush and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) were united in their refusal to consider a return to conscription. "Patriotism-lite" is the order of the day.

But truth to tell, a draft for the 21st Century is the only answer to our national security needs. Such a draft would have three tiers of youth service, with 18-month tours of duty for citizens ages 18 to 25. The first tier would be modeled after a standard military draft. The second tier would be for homeland security, such as guarding our borders, ports, nuclear installations and chemical plants. Included in this category would be police officers, firefighters, air marshals and disaster medical technicians. The third tier would be for civilian national service, such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, Teach for America, assistance for the elderly and infirm, environmental work and the like. Women should be draft-eligible for the latter two categories and, of course, can volunteer for military service as now.

In return, all draftees, as well as voluntary servers, would receive generous financial aid for college and graduate school modeled after the GI Bill of World War II. Non-servers would be ineligible for federal student aid. Today more than $20 billion annually in federal funds is given to students who do not serve their country. We have created a GI Bill of Rights without the "GI."

Any conscription system must start at the top of the social ladder to have widespread public acceptance. During World War II and the Cold War, privileged youths were conscripted at a higher rate than youths from the lower socio-economic levels. (My draftee contemporary was Elvis Presley!) This was not true in the Vietnam War draft or in today's all-volunteer force. That only a handful of those in Congress have children in the military speaks directly to the inequity of military service today.

[chicagojoe]

1. Sounds like they've got it all planned out. n/t

[Igel]

5. They do have it all planned out.

When the draft was abolished, the law required a selective service registration be set up, and readiness plans be established in case the draft needs to be reactivated.

Otherwise, if we suddenly had a real need for a draft, it would take months to plan, months to set up, and months to implement.

The plans have been in place, regularly updated, since the 1970s.

What's amazing to me is that this news is starting to sound like the 2nd coming of Christ. It's March! No, it's June! No, it's October!

[Wright Patman]

2. Make my day!

Today's youth are savvy enough to know this 'global war on terror' is a giant, fetid, decomposing turd that has been dropped on our country by the incontinent PNACers and neocons, led by the Turd Blossom and his Chimperor.

I want a front-row seat for their reactions to their 'Greetings' conscription letter from SSS. :popcorn:

[acmejack]

3. How many of them do you think will actually report?

If they want to energize the youth vote, this will do it.

[wtbymark]

4. federal student aid ...

is a grant from the gov't for low income students, it has nothing to do with the GI bill - tell this guy to go fuck a duck

[GoldenOldie]

6. GI Bill,/ Student funds = Govt. Funds

The GI bill allowed the low-income, no-income veterans to attend college. The majority of WWII veterans came out of the depression era and their families could not afford college. Our Nation at that time had the ability and the intellegence to understand that we either worked together to fight a common enemy. Our Nation as a whole understood that our returning veteran's deserved more than we could ever pay and the GI Bill was just a small part of that payment.

The elders realize that Education of our youth is essential to our democracy. We understand that only an educated, well informed society can endure.

Don't attempt to divide the importance of either funding. It all comes from the same pocket, the taxpayers.

[chicagojoe]

7. The same asshats that want to send our youth to war

will bitch and moan when taxpayer dollars have to fund their "liberal" education. Did you ever notice that the dorks who cry so much about "being taxed to death" are usually low to mid income earners. I don't make a lot of money, and when I look at it , I really don't pay a lot in taxes, either. I know for a FACT that I pay out more in sales and property tax each year than I pay out in income and SS taxes. But I don't mind the latter; it pays for schools, cops, fire protection, etc., for my town.

[samsingh]

8. war on terror is a lie

bush has started a war for oil and profits. that's what America is being asked to sacrifice for.

[soundhead]

9. Blehhh

Reminds me of that great summarizing headline on antiwar.com after the odious neo-scum PNAC-ers came out with their letter to Congress in January asking that they increase the size of the military:

"Neocons: More cannon fodder please."

Actually, I hope they do enact the draft. It will be the best thing to happen to this country since Bush stole the elections. Let's see how the great unwashed react to their letters telling them they're off to Iraq or Iran, or the fantastic embarrassing news stories about how such and such's offspring getting preferential treatment.

[GetTheRightVote]

10. This is very scary, they are going to forced us to fight for lies

No one should have to do this ever, especially not in a Democracy.

:kick:

[Martin Eden]

11. Starve the beast, I say

Grover Norquist's strategy cuts both ways -- make imperialist wars impossible by denying the chickenhawks their cannon fodder.

No draft!

[Stuckinthebush]

12. Perhaps we need to rethink this...

Why is it that we are so unsafe these days that we need so many young people to "protect" us?

Hmmmmm.......

Let's step back a minute and examine our policies......