A Vote for Bush is a Vote for the Draft

Hackworth: Uncle Sam Will Soon Want Your Kids

Recently, when John Kerry brought up the possibility of a return to the draft, SecDef Donald Rumsfeld was quick to respond that Kerry was full of it.

But my take is that Kerry is right on the mark. Not only because Rummy has been flat wrong on every major military call regarding Iraq, but because this is a war that won't be won by smart weapons or the sledgehammer firepower we see every night on the tube.

Right now - with both our regular and Reserve soldiers stretched beyond the breaking point - our all-volunteer force is tapping out. If our overseas troop commitments continue at the present rate or climb higher, there won't be enough Army and Marine grunts to do the job. And thin, overworked units, from Special Forces teams to infantry battalions, lose fights.

Clearly, this war against worldwide, hardcore Islamic believers will be a massive military marathon, the longest and most far-flung in our country's history. By Christmas, more troops could be needed not only in Iraq and Afghanistan, but wherever the radical Islamic movement is growing stronger, from the Horn of Africa to Morocco, Kenya, Somalia, Yemen and across Europe - remember Spain?! - to Asia.

Accordingly, we need to bring our ground-fighting and support units to about the strength they were before the Soviet Union imploded, especially since the proper ratio of counterinsurgent-to-insurgent in places like the Middle East should be around 15 to 1. You don't have to be a Ph.D. in military personnel to conclude we need more boots on the ground.

Most of our warriors - who are mainly from blue-collar families from Small Town, USA - have few political connections and few conduits though which they can effectively sound off. So when they get screwed over by a desperate Pentagon's makeshift policies - such as the "Stop Loss" program that's holding over large numbers of our servicemen and -women well beyond their contractually agreed-upon terms of enlistment, or the widespread calling up of out-of-shape, ill-trained citizen soldiers from the Individual Ready Reserve - these "volunteers" salute, suck it up and lay their lives on the line.

But like elephants, they won't forget that they are "backdoor draftees," as Kerry and John McCain call them. Which means that when their hitches are up, they won't be rushing to re-enlist. And they're also warning their younger brothers, sisters and pals to stay away from recruiting stations.

Although Pentagon puff artists insist they're making quota, recruiters are already saying it would be easier to find $100 bills on the sidewalk outside a homeless shelter than fill their enlistment quotas, even with the huge bonuses now being paid.

So the draft - which will include both boys and girls this time around - is a no-brainer in '05 and '06.

www.military.com...

www.hackworth.com...

I enjoy Colonel David Hackworths articles. He used to be a FoxNews war analyst and because he has been so outspoken on this Iraqi debacle he hasn't been welcomed back. You know the FoxNews "Fair and Balanced" that they pride themselves on--hog wash!

Among other things, a military record is a good barometer of one's metal in times of high stress and danger.



I can point to Cheney (poster child for deferments), for example, and say we had the same chances. I didn't have to serve. I got two scholarships straight out of high school, plus I was flush with money from I trust I didn't even know I had (till then). It didn't take me long to realize school wasn't my bag . So I quit after my first semester and did other things. After a year or so, I decided to join the Army. I was a hawk on defense, anyway, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Glad I did. It was an excellent education. And it deepened my love for this great nation. Cheney knows nothing of that kind of sacrifice and commitment. He's a man willing to stay home in his cushy world while sending other peoples' loved ones to go fight and die. That's not a man. That's a f***ing coward.

As for Colin Powell, I used to have the highest respect for him. He was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff while I was in. He was a helluva General, someone we were all proud to serve under. Unfortunately he was invited into a den of vipers and used so perversely by BushCo- precisely because he was the man with the "street cred." They have ruined his credibility and he did nothing to help himself out. He proved to be a total yes-man, something I detest. That little dog and pony show before the UN that he put on did it for me. I will never see him the same way again. He should've resigned in protest b/c he knew it was all Bu#.

EDUCATETHEVOTE,
I salute you for your courage and thoughtfulness. Coming out and describing your age, relative inexperience and background actually shows a strength and wisdom beyond your years. I applaud you. King Solomon said "The beginning of wisdom is knowledge." You are definitely on your way. I wish everyone your age could step away from the confines of thought they were raised in and look at things independently. The best college professor I ever had drove one thing into our heads: "QUESTION EVERYTHING!" I wasn't so quick to swallow that back then, being a good Republican, but I certainly see the value in it now.

By the way, do you live anywhere near Ft. Campbell, KY (Clarksville, TN/Hopkinsville, KY)? That's where I was stationed while in CONUS. Beautiful area.

CRAIGANDREW,
I appreciate your comments as well. You and I are around the same age. I'm 35 and not a bit shy about sharing that. Altho, I swear I never thought I'd be that "old." Funny, tho, I still feel like I'm 21. I studied poli/sci and history (emphasis: foreign policy) at Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, TN) and Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ). I now write for a large regional daily.

ANTI_FEDERALIST,
Thanks for the Hackworth perspective. Hack rocks. Good points, especially the fact that Rumsfeld's been WRONG on everything straight down the line.

John Stewart's The Daily Show ran tape on a speech G.W. gave to a Florida crowd Saturday. He made the most colossal Freudian slip yet regarding the draft.

“My opponent seems to be willing to say almost anything he thinks will benefit him politically,” he said. “After standing on the stage, after the debates, I made it very plain we will not have an all-volunteer army.”

There ya go, folks. The president can't even keep his own lies straight. It's incredible.

Then after that he says "but this week we will have an all-volunteer army."

Just this week? What about the week after that? Now I'm confused. Well I'm sure Bush is too.

I tell you, the man is having some serious trouble keeping it together. And this is supposedly the leader of the free world. Or, the sock puppet of the not free world. What's he gonna slip up and tell us next, "..when we flew those planes into the towers that day.." Rove must be having coniption fits.

The most absurd aspect of the slip was when the audience started correcting him! TELLING HIM what to say! Un_F***ing_believable. And then, when he said it correctly they applauded him! What is he, FORREST GUMP?

"My mamma always said, "Words are like a box of choclates. You never know what you're going say."

"I'm not a smart man but I know what a draft is."

I couldn't help myself!


[edit on 21-10-2004 by mrmulder]

Bush as a sock puppet?...hmmm.....well one of his eyes does always look like it's about to pop off when he makes a speech.

ECK. I think you're right about Powell. Sadly I think his political and social reform hopes for the future are dust. At least playing a leading role anyway. We see so little of him now on Oz media that I get the impression he must be just going through the motions and seeing what happens during the elections. Whats worse, he may just cop out completely and take a consultancy job or do the speaking circuit. Sad end.

The other thing I meant was that a sound military career can still make for a lousy human and leader in political office. Bush has poor (IMHO) credentials for the role not because his life was not a military focus but because his character overall was doubtable. Religious faith in a man is not terrible either when it is humble...Not when you ram it down peoples throats though.

My only education was to the end of High School. But when you have a wise father and get a range of expereince sometimes that can be enough.
I used to regret not getting a uni education, especially when I was looking to climb the ladder, but I see and here some of those who have them around the place and don't feel I have missed out on so much after all....if you know what I mean.

Anyways. Have a good one.

I'd say he pretty much proved it when he wouldn't testify before the 9-11 commission without uncle Dick.



I actually wanted him to run for president in 2000. He would've definitely had my vote. One reason I thought so highly of him back then, apart from him being in my chain of command, was that he had disagreed w/Clinton so strenuously over the don't ask don't tell policy, that he resigned. I applauded him for that. For whatever reason, he lost his courage of conviction in this administration. It's pathetic.

The reason you're not seeing so much of him is b/c he's pretty much as good as gone. He's said as much without saying, if you know what I mean.

.

I hearya. You take a guy like Kerry, though, who showed courage under fire in battle and is just as accomplished back in the world, that's a special mix. (warrior, prosecutor, legislator) In the debates I saw a guy in total command of the facts and completely at ease in the complexity. George W. looked and sounded like a chimp.



I thoroughly agree. And if the man is truly a man of faith, his words and deeds will reflect that. There is nothing remotely humble about George W. He may think he's on his way to heaven, but I posit this: he may just be in for one rude awakening come judgement day.

Ramming one's religion down other people's throat is the mark of insecurity and arrogance, not to mention fascist.



True that. You're lucky. My dad died when I was five. The kicker is, when he passed, he was working on his masters degree to become a political science professor. It's strange b/c my mother was not political, my family lived 3000 miles away and my interest in politics (and party affiliation) totally tracked his. He died before I could ever listen to him about politics. Must be a genetic thing.



I wouldn't sweat it. It's the game. Unless you're planning to work in a specialized area like medicine or law, for example, it's more about talent, how you use it, and who you know/being in the right place at the right time.

Degrees don't mean near as much as they used to. Why not? B/c it's a racket. Anyone with the money can buy a degree. And today's college grads aren't getting the education they once did. Get on the internet and do your own research into your area of interest, or go to the library and do the same. You'll find yourself pretty much on par with your degreed peers. Hell, you might even find you know WAY more than they do. Here's a good example: Like I said, I studied poli/sci & history instead of Journalism. I wanted to specialize in foreign policy b/c I knew I'd learn how to write along the way. Why would I waste my money learning how to write for 6th graders? No offense to my journalist colleagues, but, they are SO indoctrinated in J-school it's ridiculous. (It's part of the problem w/the mainstream press, in my opinion.) There's not nearly enuff independent thought and no real investigative journalism anymore. Political Science taught us to think for ourselves and to question everything.


Backatcha!

Not one Bush defender. Go figure.

This site is too hooty! Checkit out!

I especially love the Join the Army ad.

Anyone know why the image isnt appearing. Sorry, I'm a total non-techie.


[edit on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

Is it a .gif file or a website?

Here's the link to see the pic.
www.enjoythedraft.com...

Is this it?

You forgot your chant:
"Four more wars....four more wars"
Hey, what ever happened to bin Laden? He seems to have more freedom than you do.

There aint gonna be a draft you left wing nut jobs...

sorry about the bluntness but name calling is all I can resort to.

If we had a draft we would lose the war because conspiricy theory GEEKS like you left wing, gun hating, tree huggung, socialist, corporate America hating, nerds don't make the best soldiers.

I'll keep supporting my president and all the troops over in Iraq no matter what happens because at least we have a president with BALLS in the white house at the moment.

*inappropriate language removed*

[edit on 22-10-2004 by Banshee]

Yea you're probably right. We should vote for 'your' president in hopes of being as intelligent and distinguished as yourself.

[edit on 22-10-2004 by Banshee]

Yep. Thassit. Thanks MM.

Check out the Army recruitment ad below that.

Well, there ya go, all you BushFans! Name-calling is all he can come up with to argue his case. Need I say more?

Keep it up, these mindless rants only make Kerry look better.

[edit on 22-10-2004 by Banshee]