As I was looking into whether or no there was enough material to do this type of a post yet once again, I found a few interesting facts that point towards the need for a possible draft by this military. Read on.>>>
It seems that according to the Pentagon, the suicide rate for active military personal supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 doubled from 2004. Also that 19% of military personal that were sent a second or more times to Iraq suffered, symptoms of acute stress, and higher levels of anxiety, and depression.
The military has had to, what I call straight out lie to those who they have tried to recruit. Some of the tactics that they are using I mentioned in my diary on my niece’s meeting with the local recruiter. The recruiting game has become a hard one, since the patriotism that September 11, 2001 instilled in so many has been wasted by this administration. Many of the promises that have been made, like large enlistment bonuses, and college money, are falling to the red tape, and in some cases just not being paid. Then you have some of the brave vets who have been wounded, or missing limbs that have to fight the government for their benefits. That tends to put a crimp in the recruitment quota.
Some of the creative ways the pentagon has come up with is setting up recruitment offices in other countries, promising citizenship to those who will fight for the U.S. Another cute idea is to enlist the services of those doing time in our prison system. (No, I am not kidding.) "The Dirty Dozen" rides again. But I covered all this in my Post, With the New Laws...
Look, I am the first person to stand against a draft, but if the New Improved Congress does not find away to force Bush into getting the hell out of the Middle East, well as General Barry McCaffrey, and other distinguished retired Generals put it in an article in the Sheboygan Press
Recently, military leaders expressed concern about the state of the military.
Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, former head of U.S. Southern Command said, "We're in a period of strategic peril, if we're not careful, we will emerge 24 months from now withdrawn from Iraq with a broken force."
Retired Gen. John Keane, a former vice chief of staff, added his worries saying that the Army and Marine Corps are too small — not just to sustain their commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, but to remain ready to cope with other contingencies.
During testimony on Capitol Hill, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Shoomaker warned that continued deployments at current levels threaten to break the active Army unless the end strength is increased and reservists are allowed to be called up more often.
A draft would relieve many of the battle-weary troops.
To the friends and relatives I have spoken to about their time in Iraq, (Those who would talk about It.) they do not want to go back. My wife’s friend’s son-in-law who was in the Reserves before 2001 came home from Iraq missing a leg, because of an IED. He is doing all right except he battles with depression on a daily basis. It makes it hard on the family. He has to fight every inch of the way when it comes to his benefits. He was sad, when his old unit was called up again. He new what they had to battle, and that some might not make it back. There is a bond that just does not go away. He told Mary, "There are things far worse than death."
Try if you can to imagine that you are working out of town and the job is ending. You are all set to come home to your family, when the word comes down that you have to stay another year. You would be upset right? Now think how these men and woman feel, they have just come through the hardest thing they have had to deal with, some made it unharmed(physically), and to be told that you have to go and face that again everyday. I can’t begin to imagine.
What’s Out There
Senaor Charlie Rangle has introduced a Bill that would institute a Draft for Men and Women ages 18 to 42, which would have very few loopholes for getting out of it.
A new draft pool, unlike the Vietnam-era draft, should include every young American who is physically and mentally eligible to serve. During the Vietnam War, 2.2 million were drafted, while deferments, exemptions or disqualifications were given to 16 million who had the right connections or occupations, stayed in college or had physical problems that allowed them to avoid military service.
As most know Rangle wrote a similar Bill in 2003, which met with the fate of being tabled by the Republican, controlled Congress. But know the new Bill is meeting some stiff criticism, and not much support.
A Democratic congressman from New York has announced plans to file a proposal to reinstate the military draft, making men and women 18 to 42 years old eligible for service, with very few exemptions.
"I believe it is immoral for those who insist on continuing the conflict in Iraq, and placing war on the table in Iran and North Korea, to do so only at the risk of other people's children," said Rangel, the new chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. "If there must be a sacrifice, then the burden must be shared fairly."
It is pretty safe to say, the Draft Bill won’t make it this time. However, as this war drags on and the threat from the White House is a strong possibility that Iran and North Korea could be in their sights, the human recourses are not there.
For anyone on the Hill to vote for such a Bill would be political suicide. Although, there are some that feel that to vote in a Draft, would shorten this war, and possibly save lives in the long run. The public outcry would be deafening. Then again, the White House has not listened so far.
As I have said before, I oppose a draft because I have a child of age, and I do not have enough faith in the people of this country to standup and shout down this lunatic at the helm. I do trust, that with all the bullshit that is spewed by both parties, about how they care about the troops and would do anything for them. They will think of their political life before they act to save the life of one of those soldiers. With few exceptions.
ABA