Did anyone hear Biden on Meet the Press talking about a draft?

[katinmn]

I'm curious as to whether he connected the dots between Bush's lies and Bush's War.

From this story it sounds like he is paving the way for discussions on a draft instead of highlighting the lies that got us into a war that more and more Americans are against. If we don't support the war, why draft us???

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050612/ts_alt_afp/usiraqrecruitment
US will 'have to face' military draft dilemma: senator Sun Jun 12, 5:01 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States will "have to face" a painful dilemma on restoring the military draft as rising casualties result in persistent shortfalls in US army recruitment, a top US senator warned.

Joseph Biden, the top Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the prediction after new data released by the Pentagon showed the US Army failing to meet its recruitment targets for four straight months.

"We're going to have to face that question," Biden said on NBC's "Meet the Press" television show when asked if it was realistic to expect restoration of the draft.

"The truth of the matter is, it is going to become a subject, if, in fact, there's a 40 percent shortfall in recruitment. It's just a reality," he said.

-more-

[PATRICK]

1. That "other reality"

that should ALWAYS be paired with the draft issue is that Bush made the draft an issue by ruining the armed forces irresponsibly. Maybe Biden is so concerned about repairing the misused Army of the New Empire without concern about HOW it will be used again that he does not want to offend the Emperor.

Biden would do us better by keep digging his own polticial grave and leaving our children out of his brilliant bi-partisan descent to slaughter.

[ladjf]

4. I believe that Bidden is a crazy, slimy bastard who doesn't

have America's best interest at heart.

[Larkspur]

2. If the DLC Dems champion the Draft, then the Dems will be a permanent

minority or be driven to extinction.

Restoring the Draft at this time is political unfeasible and would start a new anti-war movement that could topple both political parties or at least the ruling elites of both parties. Hmmm, maybe that is not such a bad idea if we can get rid of the Repuke fascists and DLC traitors.

[wurzel]

3. We should have a draft.

If we had not had a "volunteer" military the Iraq war would never have happened. A "volunteer army" is a private army of the party in power, largely consisting of the underprivileged. And therefore expendable. The war Vietnam ended because the draft began to include the "middle class". The problem for our ruling class today is there can be no exemptions. It would have to include its own sons and daughters. Unlike when the Vietnam war began. And that makes a drafted army very unlikely. Like it or not, a "citizen army" is the only military to be trusted to be used properly.

[Larkspur]

5. In theory, I can support a mandatory 2-year service for 18 year olds

in the military. I don't think these 18 year olds should be trained "Killers" at first but should learn how to handle a chaotic situation that happens when either a natural or human induced catastrophe occurs in large population areas. More like Coast Guard or National Guard training for 18 year olds as opposed to war training. This training would be for both conscientious objectors of war and for those who would fight in wars because it's purpose is not to kill but to restore order and set up triage areas for injured civilians.

If these trainees want to pursue a career in the military than they can go on to war training.

But the problem I have with the Draft that Biden supports is that leaders like him willingly enabled Bush to launch an illegal and immoral war with our current volunteer army, so what's to stop them for launching another illegal and immoral war with a conscripted army? A conscripted soldier should have rights to opt out of an immoral war without suffering punishment, but I don't think Biden, let alone Rethugicans, want conscripted soldiers to opt out of their imperialistic fantasies.

[election_2004]

14. Would females be subject to mandatory "national service," as well?

If so, where would you get the lottery of females to join their male peers - - given that Selective Service only contains males in its registrar?

[wurzel]

19. A conscripted army is very hard to control.

It would include very bright and affluent young people with parents who have a future for them in mind. Believe me we would not be Iraq today with such an army. And even if we were they would be properly equipped and have much better planning that went into this mess. What is happening to the army today is totally immoral!

[FreedomAngel82]

6. I wonder what the republicans would do though

Would they vote for one? They know they could lose their seats and lose support back in their home states if that happens. Bush also promised last year that we will remain an all volunteer army. So I wonder what he's going to do. :shrug: But the truth of the matter is NOBODY is joining the military. They stopped putting out recruitment numbers to save face and lie some more.

[forgethell]

11. The presence of a draft

made the Vietnam War possible. Don't kid yourself otherwise. Plenty of troops, and a glory hound war criminal like LBJ, it was bound to happen.

[AndyTiedye]

13. A Draft Would Allow ** To Invade Even More Countries!

If we had not had a "volunteer" military the Iraq war would never have happened.

Nonsense! He would have invaded anyway. He was claiming that Iraq
had Weapons of Mass Destruction ready to launch, remember? It was all
lies, of course, but the media lapped it up, and most people believed it.

A "volunteer army" is a private army of the party in power, largely consisting of the underprivileged. And therefore expendable. The war Vietnam ended because the draft began to include the "middle class".

It would have ended a lot sooner without the draft.
When they ended the draft, then they had to end the war.

The problem for our ruling class today is there can be no exemptions. It would have to include its own sons and daughters.

Yeah, right. Just like George W. Bush had to go to Vietnam (NOT) after
he ran out of college deferrments.
What makes you think that an all-Republican government will be fair when it comes to drafting their own kids?

[wurzel]

17. Deleted by poster.

n/t

[wurzel]

18. I have to guess you have never been in the military.

If not, take my word for it. A drafted army cannot be jerked around like a volunteer army. That is why our rulers are so happy not to have one. Notice how often they stress that these are "Volunteers". Even the National Guard who certainly didn't "volunteer" to become full time cannon fodder.

[AndyTiedye]

23. If That Were True, the Vietnam War Would Not Have Lasted So Long

A drafted army cannot be jerked around like a volunteer army.

The Vietnam war went on for over a decade, during most of which there
was a draft. It could not have happened without the draft.

What did Johnson or Nixon care if a few 2nd Lieutenants got fragged?
They could always get more.

[AndyTiedye]

8. The Draft Would Allow Them to Expand the Crusade

The lack thereof will bring their empire-building plans to a screeching halt.

Surely Biden and Lieberman know this! Lieberman would love send
Americans to die for Israel. Does Biden share that view?

[wyldwolf]

15. true, which is why the DLC hasn't championed a draft... but...

Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) has joined Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) in calling for one.

Neither are DLC.

[wurzel]

20. What is happening today is totally immoral.

Mostly the poor and the gullible are fighting this illegal war. If there was a draft this war would be over in a month.

[wyldwolf]

21. that's true

So why add it as a reply to my post?

Biden, like Conyers and Rangel, agree with you.

But Biden gets called on the carpet, it becomes insinuated that the DLC is championing a draft (Biden isn't DLC and the DLC isn't championing a draft), yet Conyers and Rangel say it and it's cool.

Just more of the irrational DLC phobia from some on DU.

[Mass]

7. He said what the Democrats have said during the campaign

It is not that we want a draft. It is that the only solution of Bush's disastrous politics is a draft.

Nothing new here, except may be the way Biden said it.

[AndyTiedye]

9. The Solution to Bush's Disasterous War is to End It!

not to have a draft so we can pour in more troops.

The war is the reason people don't want to join the military.
Most people don't support the war, and even those who do can
see that the people running it are hopelessly incompetent.
There was no plan to run the country after invading it, they left
stocks of explosives completely unguarded for months -- explosives
that are now killing our soldiers every day.
They see an NFL star join the Army and get shot by our own troops,
then the Army lies about it and gets caught at it.

How can a few hundred thousand barely-trained draftees do anything
but make things even worse?

[Mass]

10. Tell that to Bush, not to me.

I am not making the policies of this country, neither is Biden at this point.

With Bush in power, the two only solutions to his current policies are:

- an army of mercenaries paid to Halliburton
- a draft.

None of these solutions are good, I agree, but dont blame Biden for that (except may be for his vote on IWR).

[candy331]

12. I think the backlash would be on and many would refuse military

service even if drafted. The streets would be full and so would the jails. Why do they think the army is not meeting it's quota? I guess they better bring out the big bucks to entice ones into the service. It is said you pay for what you get.

[hopein08]

16. I agree......

I'm a 23 year old woman but I would think that a draft would have to include women. My mom told me and my 22 year old sister that if that happens we should go to Canada. But, save me a jail cell. This is my country. I'm not giving it up. That draft is an absolutely horrible idea and I would go to jail if that is how I had to say it. I briefly toyed (and it never would have happened) with the Canada thing after *'s re-election. But not any more. This is my country. No way in hell will I leave it for those people!

[election_2004]

22. How would they draft women....?

...given that women aren't included in the Selective Service lottery?

[hopein08]

25. I don't know...

but I'm sure that they could think of something. I'm not putting anything past this administration.

[baron j]

24. Ha! I laugh in the face of draft. They can draft Dumbya's supporters,

and the children of repug congresspeople.

Really Biden, revolution can be a reality, too.

[Tinoire]

26. Is anyone really surprised at not-one-day-in-Vietnam Joe? VIDEO

A video to kind of lighten things up...

http://toccionline.kizash.com/details.php?id=138

[Disturbed]

27. There will be no Draft.

The Bush Regime will hire 3rd world young men for a two year contract.