The draft

[OG Grenadier]

Outside chance of it being reinstated, but the fact that it is being thrown around on the Hill means it has weight and may resurface.
In 1 to 2 years the US could put a million men in uniform. If pressed considerably shorter time frame.

Aside from being immensely unpopular , what political ramifications would you anticipate from the current administration if the draft is reinstated?

[danzig]

Outside chance of it being reinstated, but the fact that it is being thrown around on the Hill means it has weight and may resurface.
In 1 to 2 years the US could put a million men in uniform. If pressed considerably shorter time frame.

Aside from being immensely unpopular , what political ramifications would you anticipate from the current administration if the draft is reinstated?

Er no, there is only one moron talking about the draft...Charles Rangel he has done it every year since Iraq/Afganistan has started. He has *zero* support from Republican or Democrats, the one time he got it voted for it recieved *2* Yea votes. Democrats are probably groaning and just wishing they could muzzle him as the move for a draft is a Democractic Congressman's idea not the admin who has dismissed the idea outright repeatly. A draft today under today's situtations is absolutely beyond the realm of possibility. Only way draft would come back is in the case of a 'world war' type situtation, Rangel is pushing this for political reasons not actual need, he has said so himself that politicans would rethink wars if they knew their own kids might get drafted of course Vietnam proved THAT to be completely false. Rangel is also basing this on clearly false information in saying that volunteer army draws in more minorities then a draft would (ie black and brown kids dying for white man's war) which of course is laughable given that 73% of volunteers last year were white and from middle case.

[Erik]

Rangel is pushing this for political reasons not actual need, he has said so himself that politicans would rethink wars if they knew their own kids might get drafted of course Vietnam proved THAT to be completely false.

How many children of high ranking politicians were really drafted for Vietnam?
Didn't they provide special arrangements for those kids (like W. Bush)?

About the draft: it's a great way to better defend your country, and as such I think the vast majority of Americans would support the draft in case of a serious threat to their own country.
But in offensive wars (and this includes the "war on terror") it would never be popular.

[danzig]

How many children of high ranking politicians were really drafted for Vietnam?
Didn't they provide special arrangements for those kids (like W. Bush)?

Yep that is my point, Rangel's reasoning is flawed as the draft will do exact opposite of what he claims....the rich/powerful will somehow avoid and more minorities will be pulled into the military defeating what he claims is the problem.

About the draft: it's a great way to better defend your country, and as such I think the vast majority of Americans would support the draft in case of a serious threat to their own country.
But in offensive wars (and this includes the "war on terror") it would never be popular.

Yep, a time when the draft is necessary is probably the time when a draft isnt *needed* ie WW2 so its counter productive. Elective wars, Vietnam, Iraq etc something like the draft just doesnt work as a comparison look at the recruit rate for the military when 9/11 first happened in regards to Afganistan it skyrocketed.

one Democratic Congressman who should probably keep his ideas to himself or he might find himself losing a seat come next time he faces reelection.

Sadly THAT wont happen, Rangel has a nicely carefully drawn district to ensure he is never seriously challenged. He has had his seat since 1971

[Erik]

a time when the draft is necessary is probably the time when a draft isnt *needed*

Good point.
You don't need to keep the possibility of a draft in your laws because by the time it's really needed (when America gets invaded, for example) you would have so many volunteers that a draft would become pointless.

[OG Grenadier]

Well that is start.

[Caelius]

Yeah, the draft is dead, no one wants it. Period. Probably the only time it'll likely ever resurface is if a war far grander than even WWII was about to be fought where there was something close to a direct invasion of the country, and even then I think a lot of Americans would voluntarily sign up.

[sephodwyrm]

The draft will be reinstated when the "benefits" outweight the "costs".
It probably won't be voted in, but would be implemented when the above conditions are met. If the war expands and there's insufficient manpower, the draft would be implemented. We are already seeing increasingly aggressive recruitment campaigns (bah, even see such BS on gamespot).

Containing the war is a way to make sure that the draft does not get implemented.

[Hurricane]

Bringing back the draft over a war like Iraq or Afganistan is political suicide, there would probably be mass rioting in the United States. The only time the US government would get away with it is if the United States was at war with an extremely powerful nation/union of nations such as China or the European Union.

[JP226]

About the draft: it's a great way to better defend your country, and as such I think the vast majority of Americans would support the draft in case of a serious threat to their own country.
But in offensive wars (and this includes the "war on terror") it would never be popular.

A draft has never been popular in the US, even at America's most dire circumstance, the civil war, thee were riots over the draft. Americans would never support it, no matter what. Contrary to popular europinion, we really are not a warlike bunch.

[Legio XX Valeria Victrix]

Contrary to popular europinion, we really are not a warlike bunch.

HA! Yeah, right...we didn't get to where we are today by sending flowers to everyone.

No way the draft is coming back. For Iraq at least. danzig summed it up pretty well. It's just one Democratic Congressman who should probably keep his ideas to himself or he might find himself losing a seat come next time he faces reelection.

[Erik]

A draft has never been popular in the US, even at America's most dire circumstance, the civil war, thee were riots over the draft. Americans would never support it, no matter what. Contrary to popular europinion, we really are not a warlike bunch.

"europinion" .... I like that.

But it's not warlike to want to defend your own country.
I think many, if not most, people would be willing to take up arms against a foreign invasion. (I think I would volunteer myself if America ever came trough with their "The Hague invasion plan", for example)
Civil wars are different, because then you will be fighting your own countrymen, possibly people you know, and not some foreign invader.

[JP226]

HA! Yeah, right...we didn't get to where we are today by sending flowers to everyone.

name one popular war in American history.

[Legio XX Valeria Victrix]

name one popular war in American history.

Well, that all depends on how you define 'popular'.

And since when do wars have to be 'popular' to make the people fighting them warlike? You think the Vietnamese revelled in fighting off the Japanese, French, Americans, and Chinese for 80 years? Hell no, but I'd still call them one hell of a warlike people.

[technishn08]

Well ,all I can say is that this totally suks ass for me because I'm 16, and if its reinstated in 2 years, It's off to bootcamp for me lol. Oh well.

[Lavastein]

i like the idea of the draft. I was likely to join anyways so its just another reason to.

[Bwaho]

name one popular war in American history.

the gulf war?

[Lee1026]

Sadly THAT wont happen, Rangel has a nicely carefully drawn district to ensure he is never seriously challenged. He has had his seat since 1971

However, that won't protect him from his own party. If the dems decides to push another person instead of him, he might face problems running for re-election as a 3rd party canadiate.

[Rush Limbaugh]

the dems decides to push another person instead of him, he might face problems running for re-election as a 3rd party canadiate.

Why on earth would they possibly do that?

[Lee1026]

I am merely claimed that it is possible, not likely.