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Special Military Draft Alert

Thread ID: 15122 | Posts: 17 | Started: 2004-09-27

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Faust [OP]

2004-09-27 04:23 | User Profile

Special Military Draft Alert

[url]http://www.blatanttruth.org/alert.htm[/url]

exposing the Bush Doctrine of greed, repression and fraud Special Military Draft Alert by Dems Will Win, September 14, 2004

Please distribute this content and the official SSS draft document, the Feb. 11, 2003 “Issue Paper,” to all college newspaper editors, in LTTEs [ letters to the editor] and mass e- mails.

Not to be confused with draft legislation introduced by Congressman Charles Rangel in 2003 and it is not associated with any Democrat. This PLAN is the work entirely of George W. Bush and his Republican comrades.

This is a SPECIAL MILITARY DRAFT ALERT. In May, the Seattle Post Intelligencer published an article about a document they received through the Freedom of Information Act. It was revealed that the SSS is currently “designing procedures” for the implementation of a “Skills Draft” and had held a top-level meeting on it with Deputy Undersecretaries at the Defense Department. This draft would change the essential mission of the Selective Service and require “virtually every young American,” male and female ages 18–34, to register for the Skills Draft and list all the occupations they are proficient in to fill labor shortages throughout nearly the entire government. If enacted, the Skills Draft proposed in this FOI- recovered document would change America as we know it.

The Pentagon is suffering from immediate labor shortages. Recently, the inactive Ready Reserve had to be called up for the first time since the Gulf War to fill 5,600 job shortages in the Armed Forces. DoD said in the recent IRR callup “20% of the call-ups are truck drivers, 12% are supply specialists who can use a computer to track supplies, 10% are Humvee mechanics, 7% are administrative specialists and 6% are combat engineers” (USA Today, August 8, 2004).

Although Congress would have to approve new legislation to create a Skills Draft or reinstate the combat draft, Family Circle reported in its July 13 issue that Karl Rove had polled GOP members of Congress in September 2002 to see if they would support the President if he requests reinstatement. The Republicans said they would vote for the draft. They would likely support the new legislation needed to create the Skills Draft. While Bush and the Republicans are of course keeping the return of the draft and the new skills draft as quiet as possible, many anti-draft organizations have recently begun warning of a “Coming New Draft. ”

The Issue Paper document was revealed through the Freedom of Information Act by Seattle Post Intelligencer reporter Eric Rosenberg, who wrote a partial explanation of it that was printed May 1, 2004.

Rosenberg’s article was edited, however, and some key points about this document were omitted in the published article. What follows is a full explanation of the document.

This document is real, having been acknowledged by the DoD and the SSS when they said no action is being taken on it at the present time. However, given the current manpower shortages for certain skills and nurses, if Bush gets back in, expect all the options outlined in the Issue Paper to be implemented by the end of December of this year, and at the least a non-combat skills and medical draft to start next year, if not the male combat draft, ages 18 –25.

Despite Rumsfeld saying the draft is not needed, this is the same neo-con administration that has repeatedly lied to and misled the American people. Draft-age youth and their families are left looking at a “long, hard slog” in Iraq (Rumsfeld secret memo), the neo-con plans to invade still more nations, and then having to take Rumsfeld and Cheney’s word not to worry about the draft, that they “are not considering it at this time.”

Although official word is that this secret list of options is not being implemented—the Issue Paper options have NOT been rejected and the 6-page proposal is rather sitting in the Pentagon, waiting. In addition, the SSS itself has said that it is “designing procedures” (Seattle PI, May 1, 2004) to implement the skills draft, meaning designing the compliance cards and the data fields needed to keep track of “virtually every young American” and their skills. Acting Director of the SSS Brodsky has also said the Skills Draft is the “top priority” of the Selective Service for 2004.

From the FOI document, we now know that on February 11, 2003, Charles Abell, the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and William Carr, Deputy Undersecretary for Military Personnel Policy, met with Lewis Brodsky, the Acting Director of the Selective Service and some other officials. This is the highest-level meeting you could have about the Selective Service, outside of Rumsfeld and his inner circle. They were there to discuss the urgent “issue paper” now revealed, which starts: “With known shortages of military personnel with certain critical skills, and with the need for the nation to be capable of responding to domestic emergencies as a part of Homeland Security Planning, changes should be made in the Selective Service System’s registration program and primary mission.”

Although it would require changes in current draft law, the far-reaching proposal shows how far the Republicans are going to plan and prepare for a huge expansion of the draft. The Issue Paper options include:

Change the very mission of the SSS to become a massive conscription service in the War on Terror for the entire government. Conscript men and women in a critical skills non-combat draft up to age 34 with no deferments of any kind, except “essential community service” (like the Medical Draft). Allow a non-combat draft for shortages in critical skills, without calling a combat draft. Fill labor shortages of all kinds throughout not only DoD but the whole government, especially high-paying professionals like computer networking specialist or linguist. Create a massive database of “virtually every young American” ages 18 to 34. This database would be used to draft in war and to recruit in peacetime. State and even local governments would be given access to the names for recruitment and help in emergencies. Create a single-point, all-inclusive database, in which every young person would be forced to send in a “self-declaration” of all of their critical skills, chosen from a long list of occupations like the Armed Forces Specialty Code. The self-declaration is similar to IRS compliance and the filling out and signing of your tax forms. All young people would be required to keep the government updated if they acquired a new skill. SSS Compliance forms will be available at every Post Office. The usual penalties of imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine would apply to all non-registrants. A draft or recruitment could be for any one of the skills you self- declare on the compliance form, not your current or primary skill. This greatly increases your chance of being drafted if you are 18–34. Bring the Medical Draft (HCPDS) up to speed and fully test it through readiness exercises. Reduce induction time from being able to deliver all inductees in 193 days down to just 90 days for skills inductees. This secret paper urges the mission be changed “promptly,” meaning they really need it, it would draft for the Pentagon as well as the enormous Homeland Security branches as well as other government agencies, even state and local!

For obvious political reasons, the decision was made by Bush, Cheney and Rove to sit on this 6-page proposal until after the election in November. Yet the SSS was told to go ahead and begin “designing procedures” for the Skills Draft in 2004 and make it their “top priority.” It can be expected that if Bush gets back in, and the DoD and SSS are still asking for the Skills Draft, the “Next Steps” part of the document will be put into action and the most expansive option to change the SSS mission will be rapidly legislated.

In the secret planning meeting document, the next steps strongly recommended by SSS Acting Director Brodsky were:

1. “Promptly” redefine the SSS Mission to draft men and women up to age 34 for skills, and deliver them within 90 days or sooner to the Department of Defense. Program a massive database to be ready to enter millions of names of those registering their critical skills.

2. Expand mission to deliver personnel in skills draft to the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies, including FEMA, NSC, Border Patrol, INS, Customs, Corporation for National Service, Public Health Service and other federal, state and local government agencies.

3. Form interagency task force to provide Administration with recommendation on this skills draft for the entire DHS and the rest of the government.

4. Obtain White House Statement of Administration Policy on the future of the SSS.

5. Be prepared to market the skills draft, raising the non-combat age to 34 and the drafting of women to the Armed Services and Appropriations Committee.

This proposed expansion of the draft, forcing all people under 35 to register with the SSS, man or woman, is primarily proposed, according to the document, because the cost of providing contract professionals, like computer network specialists, would be “prohibitive.” In this way, the proposed Skills Draft would help preserve Bush’s massive tax cuts for the wealthy by lowering the massive budget deficits.

That’s the new Skills Draft and the secret document behind it. But what about the Combat Draft?

Selective Service has been registering young men for over twenty years and at any moment the President can go to Congress and ask them to reauthorize conscription for the male combat draft for ages 18–25. It doesn’t take much to imagine a re-elected Bush going to Congress and saying “We cannot cut and run from Iraq or the War on Terror. I need you to reauthorize conscription.”

And they would not have to pass a whole new draft law to do it. All that is needed is a “trigger resolution,” which could be passed in the dead of night—and bingo! No debate, no regular bill, just a short resolution passed quickly and the draft for men 18 to 25 is back.

That is why the Democratic draft resolution being offered by Rangel and Hollings is totally irrelevant. These are known protest bills and actually propose drafting women for the combat draft, just to make sure they will never see the light of day. Rangel and Hollings offered them to raise the issue and confront Bush. Hollings even said he wouldn’t vote for his own bill!

They are not needed—and the press and the Republicans will bring them up as red herrings to distract everyone from what is really going on: the Republicans, and the SSS are quietly, behind the scenes, oiling up the draft machinery—getting ready to reinstate for the Spring of 2005. Taken singly, each of the clues indicating the return and expansion of the draft might seem insignificant but when you add them all up with what the Selective Service is doing to gear up the combat draft, a clear pattern emerges, leading to the inescapable conclusion that a Bush re-election will see not only a Skills Draft, but a return of the Combat Draft as well.

What is the proof? The government’s own document, the SSS Performance Plan for Fiscal Year 2004.

The Selective Service System, or the SSS, has for decades operated at a low level of readiness. Readiness Exercises are conducted on a multi-year cycle but historically these have been little more than getting draft board volunteers together and going over the procedures of what would happen under reinstatement and training new members every summer. And the draft boards themselves have become 80% vacant over the decades.

In the current 5-year cycle of exercises, however, the SSS is clearly ramping up the draft machinery to an unprecedented level.

“Strategic Objective 1.2: Ensure a mobilization infrastructure of 56 State Headquarters, 442 Area Offices and 1,980 Local Boards are operational within 75 days of an authorized return to conscription.”

Tie that to this objective:

An annual report providing the results of the implementation of these performance measures will be submitted by March 31, 2005.

75 days from March 31, 2005 is about June 15, 2005. According to the 2004 plan, the draft boards will be “operational” then, meaning that they will be set up in 1,980 local offices around the country. If Bush asks for reinstatement on April 1, Congress could pass it that night and the first batch of more than one million 20 year-olds would face the national lottery as soon as that date, June 15, 2005.

Here is how the $28 million is being spent according to the official document. Although the Senate rejected the funding request to bump up the SSS budget to $28 million, the SSS says in one paragraph of the Performance Plan that budgets will be “adjusted” to cover the additional cost for 2004:

Strategic Goal 1: Increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the Manpower Delivery Systems (Projected allocation for FY 2004: $7,942,000)

Strategic Goal 2: Improve overall Registration Compliance and Service to the Public (Projected allocation FY 2004: $8,769,000)

Strategic Goal 3: Enhance external and internal customer service (Projected allocation for FY 2004: $10 ,624,000)

Strategic Goal 4: Enhance the system which guarantees that each conscientious objector is properly classified, placed, and monitored. (Projected allocation for FY 2004: $955,000)

In analyzing each of the 2004 goals in detail it is obvious that there are hidden “activation bombshells” in this so-called Performance Plan. Goal number 1 in particular brings the combat induction process up to 95% operational readiness, going so far as to actually hold a mock lottery drawing this year and to issue sample orders to report for the famous medical exam. The document does not reveal the day in 2004 the mock lottery is to be held.

In addition, the Medical Draft, or Health Care Personnel Delivery System (HCPDS in the document), is for the first time brought up to full readiness by next year. This draft would take men and women up to age 44 if they are doctors, nurses or one of 60-some medical specialties. No medical deferments allowed. Previous readiness exercises merely went over what would happen with HCPDS and updated the guide. The 2004 plan actually develops a readiness exercise for the Medical Draft that would be conducted next year. Plus HCPDS must be ready to conscript by June, being part of the system.

Goal number four is particularly ominous:

Strategic Objective 4.1: Ensure a mobilization infrastructure of 48 Alternative Service Offices and 48 Civilian Review Boards are operational within 96 days after notification of a return to induction.

Strategic Objective 4.2: Develop a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Alternative Service Employer Network to specifically identify organizations and associations who can, by law, participate in the Alternative Service Program. This network will provide jobs for ASWs at the local level. Prior to activation, SSS will develop a draft MOU for use when obtaining agreements with qualified employers at the local and national level.

For 31 years, the Conscientious Objector system, called the Alternative Service, has lain dormant. The 2004 plan also calls for this to be brought up to speed and to be ready to decide cases and place COs in the Alternative Service by July 6, 2005 (96 days after March 31, 2005). The SSS is even going so far as to draw up the SOPs, the Standard Operating Procedures which identify local employers eligible to receive cheap AS workers and to also draw up the actual MOU, the Memorandum of Understanding the employer must sign to get their CO workers and allow their mandatory attendance to be monitored. This is the last obstacle to be hurdled before the draft could actually be ready for quick activation under the law.

In sharp contrast to all this preparation for a Spring 2005 draft by Bush, Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry has proposed a military plan that rejects any draft, by adding 20,000 active duty combat soldiers and 20,000 active “reconstruction specialists.” At a Wisconsin high school, Kerry pledged in June, 2004, that the draft would be “absolutely unnecessary.” When asked in April by 130 college editors in a conference call as to whether he would support a draft, John Kerry said unequivocally: “No. No draft” and he has criticized the use of the Guard and Reserve and now the Individual Ready Reserve as a “back-door draft.”

Kerry plans to spend an additional $7 billion to strengthen the Volunteer Army in what is essentially a “No-Draft Plan,” Moreover, Kerry is strongly opposed to the neo-con plan revealed in Wes Clark’s book, in which Clark was told by a senior Pentagon official that invasions of Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Sudan and Somalia are still to come over the next three years.

theBlatantTruth: exposing the Bush Doctrine of greed, repression and fraud [url]http://blatanttruth.org[/url]

Faust

2004-09-27 04:24 | User Profile

[url]http://www.antiwar.com/orig/polner.php?articleid=3652[/url]

September 25, 2004 A Draft After the Elections?

by Murray Polner While President Bush has thus far never said whether or not he would bring back the draft (Sen. John Kerry stated that he opposed a draft on Sept. 22, 2004 in West Palm Beach, Fla.), there are increasing rumors and speculation that it will be reinstated after the election, perhaps as soon as 2005. There is no hard evidence that this is so nor that it is imminent, but lots of people on both sides of the political aisle are rightly concerned.

Obviously, Iraq has not been a "cakewalk" as was widely trumpeted by its neocon promoters in the months leading up to the American invasion. And if, as Donald Rumsfeld once said, Iraq turns out to be "a long hard slog" (it has), who then will be called on to do the slogging?

It is fair to ask how many wars our imperial nation can fight with its hard-pressed volunteer forces, many of whom are now forbidden to leave when their enlistments run out. Or, when they are finally released, how many will re-enlist. The National Guard, for example, failed to meet this year's quota of 58,000, recruiting 5,000 less people. A more pressing question is, how many Americans will be forced to fight, perhaps die for the crazed imperial dreams concocted by a small clique of extremely influential and well-funded neoconservatives, virtually none of whom ever bothered to serve in the military they so profess to love? And among Americans (the late Neil Postman once described them as "amusing themselves to death"), unless their immediate family members are in the military, how many Americans will care if a draft is reinstated and more GIs must die fighting Iraqis and Iranians who have never attacked us?

And even more ominously: There is increasing chatter in Washington among neoconservatives and their pet columnists of ever more wars ahead. They call it spreading their version of democracy; I call it aggressive and unjustifiable wars. Israel, America's client state, is now hinting at an attack on Iran while neocons here are suggesting that America's next target should be Iran. Unanswered is what happens if Iran strikes back at Israel and U.S. forces in Iraq? In fact, the issue of Iran is now being discussed behind closed doors at the White House. How many dissenters do you think are present at these sessions?

This time Selective Service System (SSS) regulations have been changed. This time, as SSS states, "a college student could have his induction postponed only until the end of the current semester. A senior could be postponed until the end of the full academic year." Canada will no longer welcome anti-draft people. A new SSS plan, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer last May, proposes raising the age of draft registration to 34 years old, up from 25, and possibly including women as well. People with special skills, such as computers, foreign languages, medical training and the like, will also be subject to being drafted. In effect, if approved, it will be a universal draft where everyone, including the kids of the rich and powerful, will allegedly be eligible to serve in the military.

But remember this: No congressional son was drafted during the Vietnam War and today there are virtually no congressional sons or daughters serving as enlisted combat personnel in Iraq. Since 9/11, it is almost impossible to name a single prominent pro-Iraq war activist, those who demand an all-out war against terrorism, whose son or daughter has enlisted for active military duty.

The truth is, no draft can ever be fair. Other than delighting America's living room hawks, the same favoritism and deference to influence and wealth – the well-documented kind George W. Bush received when he was granted a hard-to-get slot in the Texas Air National Guard because of his father's influence – will certainly prevail in any future draft. Anyone with political pull and family connections will always be able to avoid active military duty, or if not, receive plum, safe jobs.

All a draft can do is help transform yet another generation of Americans – your kids – into potential cannon fodder. It also contributes to the further militarization of this country. "How many men and women," rightly asked Father Andrew Greeley, the Chicago Sun-Times columnist, "will be required to pacify Iraq and turn it into a freedom-loving democracy? How long will it take, how many lives must be sacrificed … ?"

Since World War I, the world has experienced continuous bloodletting, almost always enhanced by conscription. The Korean and Vietnam wars were both sustained because of the continual supply of new draftees, at least until the system broke down in the late sixties when it became clear to our centrist elites that the United States had been defeated at a cost of 58,000 GI lives, hundreds of thousands of others wounded in body and mind, and some three million Vietnamese – mainly civilians – dead.

And who bore the brunt of our recent wars? Draftees did.

The two world wars, Korea, and Vietnam were largely fought with drafted soldiers who were killed or wounded in combat in far greater numbers than better-trained regulars. The lesson is clear: The more potential cannon fodder Selective Service can impress into the military, the more savage the war becomes, the longer it goes on and the greater the number of casualties. Another draft will allow policymakers to rely even more on war rather than diplomacy. It would certainly mean more military adventures abroad, more military and civilian deaths, and ultimately more unrest at home.

Many pro-draft politicians are doubtless waiting for the post-election period when a "safe" effort will be made to reintroduce conscription under the guise of fighting terrorism. For far too many, another draft means recapturing the mythical ethos of WWII – the "Good War" – and the pre-Sixties, when no one cared enough to protest governmental policies. In this imaginary Eden, there was no racial or religious conflict, women knew their place, support for tyrants abroad was justified in the name of fighting Communism, and young men called to the colors went willingly and patriotically to proudly serve their God and country. But please note that today many if not most pro-draft people in Congress and the White House are non-veterans.

Late last spring an article appeared in the Baltimore Sun, written by Nick Leonhardt, a high school senior. In it, he wrote:

"Some anxious teens and their parents feel relieved that both President Bush and Senator John Kerry deny plans to reinstate the draft. But cynical youths already believe that candidates routinely break promises after they are elected. The man who shakes their hands during the presidential campaign may demand salutes after his inauguration."

America, and especially its young, should oppose conscription because it is a form of slavery and tramples on our freedom, which should never be sacrificed for ideological pipe dreams and political manipulation.

Another draft is a terrible idea in a very troubled time.

Kevin_O'Keeffe

2004-09-27 08:52 | User Profile

The draft is definitely coming this spring if Bush wins, and may well do so under Kerry as well (yet another reason to vote for Nader). Be of good cheer, however, as Walter may yet prove to be correct with his "worse is better" notion. The draft could literally bring down this government, IMHO.

Faust

2004-09-28 00:43 | User Profile

Momma, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cannon Fodder

By KARYN STRICKLER

The inclination of a mother to protect her children is instinctual and when violated, renders a pure form of justice that is powerful, swift and decisive. George W. Bush's illegitimate war in Iraq is becoming the corporeality that got between the proverbial mother bear and her cub. Threaten a Grizzly bear's cub and with unblinking furor, momma will take your head off with one swipe of her paw--just lookin' out for her baby. Nature expects nothing less, neither should humankind.

Bush has raised the ire of the mommas who are sacrificing their babies as cannon fodder in his imperial oil war. As the death toll rises, so do the voices of the mommas who aren't mincing words in opposition to George W. Bush for killing their babies.

First Lady Laura Bush was interrupted at a campaign event at a Hamilton, NJ firehouse last week by Sue Niederer. Mrs. Niederer, a member of Military Families Speak Out, was wearing a shirt with a picture of her son Army Lt. Seth Dvorin that read "President Bush You Killed My Son." Dvorin died in Iraq in February, 2004.

After Neiderer wondered out loud at the rally about why the Bush children and the kids of other politicians are not serving in Iraq, she was descended upon by people in black suits with earphones, pushed, shoved and arrested for trespassing. Sue Niederer said she had tickets to the event.

Seth Dvorin was 24 years old and joined the Army in order to enhance his employment prospects with the FBI or CIA. Seth was married to Kelly Harris just before he departed for Iraq. Seth, whose only training was on-the-job, was assigned to find bombs similar to the one that killed him in February.

Mrs. Neiderer was never a fan of the war, but when she heard that the entire "weapons of mass destruction" justification for going to war was a sham, she told Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg during an interview for CounterPunch, "I wanted to rip the president's head off. Curse him, yell at him, call him a self righteous bastard and a lot of other words. I think if I had him in front of me I would shoot him in the groin area. Let him suffer...Put him through misery, like he's doing to everyone else. He doesn't deserve any better."

Rosemarie Dietz Slavenas, mother of an Illinois National Guard pilot, 1st Lt. Brian Slavenas killed in Iraq in 2003, emerged from her son's funeral to tell the press that she holds George W. Bush personally responsible for her son's death. She would not allow military trappings of any sort at the funeral. Speaking of her baby, she said, "George [W.] Bush killed my son. I request in Brian's name a stop to the killing. No more preemptive wars."

Brian's mom spoke out bravely, even in opposition to other family members who publicly disagreed with Rosemarie's conclusion that Bush killed her son. In an interview with Socialist Worker Online, the long-time peace activist said, "There is...one man who's responsible for it, and that's George Bush. I hope he will live in history as George V. Bush--for George 'Vendetta' Bush. Or 'Bush the Barbarian' works for me. Or 'Bush the Baby Butcher'--he butchered my baby."

Celeste Zappala lost her son Sgt. Sherwood Baker, a husband and father who died In Iraq on April 27, 2004. In an interview with The New Standard, Zappala said, "What about all the others who have died since [my son] and will keep on dying? I want to see it stop for all the families and the soldiers most of all. How sad. How sad that we are still letting this go on. Our voices must make an impression on the people. They have to hear us because we are the ones suffering the most."

In the same interview, Jane Bright of California, who lost her son, Sergeant Evan Ashcraft, on July 24, 2003, said she feels compelled to speak out as a way of coping with her loss. She refuses to "move on," as if she did not lose her son and says, "I won't be quiet until everyone knows how bad it hurts. I won't be able to 'get over it' as long as more of our children are dying in Iraq."

Lila Lipscomb, from Michael Moore's hometown of Flint, Michigan has emerged as one of the most powerful players in both the documentary film, Fahrenheit 911 and as a spokesperson against Bush's bungled foray into Iraq. In the film, Lipscomb reads a letter from her oldest son Michael Pedersen, written just days before his death. It urges his family to work for Bush's defeat. Michael Pedersen wrote:"We are just out here in the sand and windstorms waiting. What in the world is wrong with George (trying to be like his dad) Bush? He got us out here for nothing whatsoever. I am so furious right now, Momma. I really hope they don't re-elect that fool . . ."

Lipscomb's experience has transformed her from an unquestioning matriot into a passionate, anti-war activist, who also works with Military Families Speak Out. In an interview in the The Guardian Unlimited, the mom from Michigan says that her entire world view was shattered as a result of the loss of her son and she is teaching her grandchildren to question authority.

Mommas of America are wise to Dubblyak. They know that they are sacrificing their babies to a war that violates precedent that has guided America's entry into war from the beginning of our nation's history. A declaration of war is usually spurred, either by a direct attack on the United States or our allies; or a broad consensus among our allies; or an imminent threat to our national security. None of these conditions existed for war in Iraq. Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, recently told the BBC that he believe that this war is "illegal," under the U.N. Charter.

This historically unprecedented war is brought to those sacrificing their children, by a man who would not deign to put his regal butt in harms way during the Vietnam War, going AWOL while he was supposed to be serving in the National Guard. There are no weapons of mass destruction and no connection between 9-11 and the war in Iraq. Our children are dying for no legitimate reason.

Mother Freedom is shaking her fist at the President of the United States of America for needlessly sacrificing our children in the Iraq war. Right now the ranks of the armed forces are being filled by volunteers, many of whom have no alternative route out of poverty. Mommas of every income-level, shape, size, color, creed, and national origin need to join together and loudly resist this war. Because as the death toll rises, the situation in Iraq becomes increasingly chaotic, more people are needed and fewer people volunteer, George W. Bush is likely to advocate a national draft, putting all of our children at risk. He's got nothing to lose.

Karyn Strickler is a political activist, and writer living outside Washington, DC. You can reach her at [email]fiftyplusone@earthlink.net[/email]

[url]http://counterpunch.org/strickler09252004.html[/url]

skemper

2004-09-28 16:06 | User Profile

I don't think it matters who is elected,Bush or Kerry, but the draft and the prolonging of this war is inevidable. There is too much money and power at stake.

arkady

2004-09-28 17:31 | User Profile

[QUOTE=skemper]I don't think it matters who is elected,Bush or Kerry, but the draft and the prolonging of this war is inevidable. There is too much money and power at stake.[/QUOTE]

As far as the draft and the Imperial Conquest of the Middle East is concerned, you're quite right. No matter what Rabbi Kerry says [I]now[/I], there's no reason whatever to believe that his handling of the Grand Crusade for Holy Israel would be an improvement over Jorge Boosh's in any way.

I can hear President Kerry's first press conference now: "Uh, yes, well, it [I]is[/I] true that I opposed instituting a military draft at one time. But conditions are now of such gravity that I must reluctantly review that decision, especially with our brave coalition peacekeepers now fighting in Iran and Syria. After all, with our Gallant Little Ally, Israel, at such risk, no sacrifice is too great in the War Against Terrorism."

Anyone who seriously believes that John Kerry would be an improvement over Bush will probably also believe that the Earth is flat, the CIA created AIDS and Diversity Is Our Strength.

mmartins

2004-09-28 20:34 | User Profile

"Niederer" "Dietz" "Dvorin" "Zappala" "Weill-Greenberg" "Slavenas"

?!?

Is there an ethnic angle to this I'm missing?

Faust

2004-10-09 00:03 | User Profile

Uncle Sam Will Soon Want Your Kids By David H. Hackworth

[url]http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Hacks%20Target%20Homepage.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=86&rnd=282.9378184805774[/url]

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.

Oh sure, the Pentagon suits will fight it. Volunteers tend to go with the flow and seldom blow the whistle on military stupidity, flawed tactics and self-serving leadership. And draftees don’t hesitate to make waves and tell the truth. Not to mention influential citizens with draft-age kids who’ll soon be demanding an answer to the same type of hard question their moms and dads shouted during the Vietnam War: “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?”

Rumsfeld, in fact, has already kicked off the anti-draft campaign by denigrating the draftees who fought in Vietnam. The SecDef, who prefers sycophants who don’t ask questions, recently stated that Vietnam-era draftees added “No value, no advantage, really, to the United States armed services ... because ... it took an enormous amount of effort in terms of training, and then they were gone.”

Wrong once again. I led draftees for almost four years in Vietnam and for several years during the Korean War. If well-led, there are no finer soldiers. Ask the Nazis, the Japanese and the Reds in Korea and in Vietnam, where “no value” draftees cleaned their clocks in fight after fight.

Israel, a country that has lived under the barrel of the Islamic terrorist gun for decades, has the most combat-experienced counterinsurgent force in the world – and boy and girl draftees are its major resource.

Count on it. We will follow their lead.

--Eilhys England contributed to this column.

skemper

2004-10-09 01:59 | User Profile

I was just listening to the Bush/Kerry debates tonight and Bush has stated that there is going to be no draft, that a volunteer army is much better and that troops are being withdrawn from Europe and Korea. Here is the real plan: if more cheap mestizos are imported to fill in lower skilled jobs and the higher skilled jobs sourced out to India, many young people of America will have no choice but to look to the armed forces for employment. So then, the draft wouldn't be needed after all.

Faust

2004-10-09 03:39 | User Profile

skemper,

You may well have something in that idea.

[QUOTE]Here is the real plan: if more cheap mestizos are imported to fill in lower skilled jobs and the higher skilled jobs sourced out to India, many young people of America will have no choice but to look to the armed forces for employment. So then, the draft wouldn't be needed after all.[/QUOTE]

Sertorius

2004-10-09 08:29 | User Profile

^©ftcgoan s/ Region II, 805 Walker St., Ste. 4, Marietta , GA 30060-2731

[url]http://www.sss.gov[/url]

Dear Potential Board Member: Recently, we received an e-mail from you expressing your interest in being a Local Board Member for the Selective Service System. Thank you for your desire to serve our country. A Board member Information Booklet is enclosed to provide more information about the role of a board member. Please complete the enclosed Board Member Application and return it to: Selective Service System, Region II, 805 Walker Street, Ste. 4, Marietta, GA 30060-2731. Again, thank you.

Sincerely,

V. f^n^A&y^J

Debra C. Rondem COL, USAR, Commander, Det. 2-7

Sertorius

2004-10-09 08:32 | User Profile

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Service Computation Date: _ Potential Board Member Information 1. Social Security Number: ___ 2. Title: _ Last Name: 3. Residence Address: City:_ MI:. See Instructions and Privacy Act Statement (Page 2). Suffix: First Name: (Enter Number, Street, Route, and Apt. number where you reside. Please no P.O. Box.) ___ County: __State: ______Zip:. (9 digit Zip Required)

1. Mailing Address: City:______ State: Employer: .Zip:.
2. Residence Phone: E-mail: _____ Extension:

3. Business Phone: Fax:

4. Sex: Male Female

5. Birth Date: ___ 8. Race/Ethnic: _ (Month/Day/Year)
6. Information for a Board Member Height: Identification Card, when issued: Weight: (See Instructions on Page 2) _ (Inches) _(Pounds) Dominant Eye Color: Dominant Hair Color:

Status: 11. Are you a member of the Armed Forces of the United States? (See Instructions on Page 2) YES NO (For items 12 through 20, check 'yes' or 'no'.) 12. PI O Are you a citizen of the United States? 13. CH dl Are you a compensated employee of the Selective Service System? 14- CH EH Are you a spouse of an employee of the Selective Service, as defined in the Eligibility Requirements on Page 1 paragraph A.2.e? 15. I I | | Are you (or are you the spouse of) a Reserve Forces Officer or Area Office Augmentee with Selective Service, or an appointee to another Selective Service board? 16. O l~l Will you attend required board meetings and training sessions? 17. Q Q Do you feel you would be objective and unbiased in performing the duties as a member of a Selective Service board? 18. Q |~| Are you a former Selective Service Board member? (Use continuation sheet if necessary) If yes: Board No: __City: ____ Start Date: __ State:_County: __Stop Date: ____

19. Have you ever been convicted, forfeited collateral, or are now under charges for a criminal offense, other than a traffic offense with a fine of $400.00 or less? If yes, explain below.

1. CH Q Males only: I certify that I am in compliance with the registration requirement of the Military Selective Service Act. If no, explain:

Selective Service Number:

Other: 21. Occupation: ____ .Description: 22. Occupation Category: _______ 23. I belong to the following civic/professional organizations: (If additional space is needed, use continuation sheet) Organization Office Held (if any)

I certify that all of the statements made above are true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief, and are made in good faith.

DATE SIGNED (SIGN IN INK) SIGNATURE OF POTENTIAL BOARD MEMBER

OMB Approval #3240-0005 SSS FORM 404 (FEBRUARY 2003) - PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE OBSOLETE. STOCK WILL BE DESTROYED. -—

Sertorius

2004-10-09 08:35 | User Profile

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM OATH OF OFFICE AND WAIVER OF PAY (Required of every person who undertakes to render voluntary uncompensated service in the administration of the Military Selective Service Act) OATH OF OFFICE I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that if appointed to any position under the Military Selective Service Act, I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter; SO HELP ME GOD. WAIVER OF PAY I hereby expressly declare that I am volunteering my services to assist in the administration of the Military Selective Service Act, and if appointed to an uncompensated position, I hereby expressly waive any right to pay or compensation in any form whatsoever for services heretofore or hereafter rendered. This waiver is signed by me pursuant to the provisions of the Selective Service Regulations.

SIGNATURE PRINTED OR TYPED FULL NAME DATE

20 « AUTHENTICATION SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN (or affirmed) BEFORE ME ON THIS ___ DAY OF PRINTED OR TYPED FULL NAME AND TITLE OF INDIVIDUAL AUTHORIZED TO ADMINISTER OATH SIGNATURE

Instructions Completing this portion of the Form 404 will not commit you to accept an appointment nor does it constitute an offer of appointment. _ —.: _ . w. Oath of Office and Waiver of Pay - To be completed and signed by the prospective applicant when completing the interview and the first portion of this form. --..,-„ ...... ......... _~—,, Authentication - To be completed and signed by the person so authorized in Chapter 520, PPPM, after the prospective applicant has signed the Oath of Office and Waiver of Pay. This form will be retained in the Board Member's file.

SSS FORM 404 (FEBRUARY 2003) 0MB Approval #3240-0005 - PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE OBSOLETE. STOCK WILL BE DESTROYED. —

Sertorius

2004-10-09 08:37 | User Profile

SSS BOARD MEMBER APPLICATION Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual - Chapter 520 The Selective Service System (SSS) is seeking applicants to serve as uncompensated members of the SSS Boards. There is no plan to begin inducting young men into military service. Before inductions could be resumed, a law must be passed by Congress and approved by the President. However, there is a need to make the SSS ready to operate should it become necessary. Consequently, it is necessary that we select and train citizens who would be willing to serve if needed. Completing the attached information sheet does not obligate you to accept an appointment nor does it constitute an offer of an appointment. Each individual selected for recommendation will be contacted to determine availability. This application is the first step in identifying individuals who are willing to serve as SSS Board Members. A. Eligibility Requirements: In order to be considered for appointment on a Board, 1.You MUST: (a) be a citizen of the United States; . „. tt (b) be at least 18 years of age; (c) reside in the county in which the Board has jurisdiction; (d) be able to devote sufficient time to accomplish Board Member duties; (e) be willing to apply the SSS Law and Regulations fairly and uniformly; and (f) be registered with the SSS, if required to do so. 2. You MAY NOT: (a) be an active or retired member of the Armed Forces or any Reserve Component; (b) have 20 or more cumulative years of prior SSS Board Membership; (c) be employed by public or private enterprise which handles SSS matters; (d) be a member of a law enforcement occupation as defined by SSS policy (example: police officer or judge); (e) be a SSS employee or a spouse, parent or child of: (1) a compensated or uncompensated employee of the SSS; (2) a Reserve Officer assigned to the SSS; (3) an Area Office Augmentee assigned to the SSS; or (4) an appointee to any other SSS Board. (f) have been convicted, forfeited collateral, or are now under charges for a criminal offense, other than a traffic offense with a fine of $400.00 or less. B. Appointment: Local Board Members are appointed by the Director after recommendation by the Governor of their State. District Appeal Board and the Civilian Review Board Members are appointed by the Director upon recommendation of a Region Director. Each SSS Board is composed of 5 members and the membership of each Board should, to the maximum extent possible, be proportionately representative of the race and national origin of the registrants within its jurisdiction. No citizen will be denied membership based on gender. C. Selection: Individuals are selected by a process that begins with preliminary screening to determine whether the basic eligibility requirements are met. Personal interviews will be conducted with those persons found eligible. A prospective Board Member's indication of willingness to serve by filling out the attached form is not a guarantee of a recommendation or a final commitment to serve. Each nominee will sign an Oath of Office and Waiver of Pay and receive written confirmation of appointment before serving as a Board Member. D. Training: Each Board Member receives approximately 2 days initial training in members' duties and responsibilities, as well as continuation training consisting of 4 hours, which can be scheduled yearly. Board Members training may also be kept current by various mailings. If Board Members are unable to attend 3 consecutively scheduled training sessions, they will be asked to resign or will be removed from their positions. E. Responsibilities: Board Members are responsible for keeping abreast of changing regulations and procedures by attending training and meeting as a Board as scheduled, as often as necessary, to consider and decide on registrants' claim(s) for deferment, exemption and postponement of induction. Decisions of Local Boards are subject to appeal. Because Board Members are key to the success of the SSS, they are asked to attend all training sessions and Board meetings. F. Remuneration: Board Members receive no pay for serving on the Board. They are, however, reimbursed for authorized travel expenses incurred while conducting SSS duties. This includes travel to required training sessions and to Board meetings. Board Members do receive satisfaction of knowing that they have had a vital role in insuring that our nation's defense manpower needs have been met in a just and impartial manner. G. Application: If you meet the eligibility requirements in Section A and are interested in being considered for appointment, please complete the attached form and give it to the assisting official present or forward it to the appropriate SSS Region Headquarters indicated below. Locate your state abbreviation; this will designate the Region Headquarters address. REGION I REGION II REGION III CT, DE, DC, IL, IN, ME, MA, MD, AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, PR, AK, AZ, CA, CO, GU, HI, IA, ID, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, or SC, TN, TX, VI, VA, or WV KS, MO, MN, MP, MT, NE, ND, WI NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA, or WY Building 3400, Suite 276 2400 Lake Park Drive, Suite 270 Stapleton Bldg., Suite 1014 2834 Green Bay Road Smyrna, GA 30080-8982 3401 Quebec Street North Chicago, IL 60064-9983 Denver, CO 80207-2323 Page 1 SSS FORM 404 (FEBRUARY 2003) — PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE OBSOLETE. STOCK WILL BE DESTROYED. — OMB Approval #3240-0005

Sertorius

2004-10-09 08:40 | User Profile

SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS for SSS FORM 404 (Self-explanatory items are not mentioned below) Item 1. Social Security Number: Use 9 digits. Item 2. Title: Enter a one digit number: 1 = Mr., 2 = Mrs., 3 = Ms., 4 = Miss, 5 = Dr., 6 = Other. Suffix: Example: Jr., Sr., I, II, III. Item 3. Residence: Address (location) where you reside. Enter Number, Street, Route, Apt. number, city, county, state. ZIP: Fill in all 9 numbers. Item 4. Mailing: If address is the same as residence, write "SAME". Item 5. Residence and Business Phones: Enter phones followed by your primary e-mail and Fax if applicable. Item 8. Race/Ethnic: Enter a one-digit number from the list below, followed by "H" for Hispanic or "N" for Non- Hispanic Origin. First Box: 1 = American Indian/Alaskan 2 = Asian/Pacific Islander 3 = Black 4 = White Second Box: H = Hispanic N = Non-Hispanic Example: 4H = White Hispanic Item 10. Eye and Hair Color: Enter a one-digit number from the list below: Eye Color: l=Black 2=Brown 3=Blue 4=Green 5=Hazel 6=Gray Hair Color: l=Black 2=Brown 3=Blonde 4=Red 5=Gray 6=White Item 11. Armed Forces Status: Enter a one-digit number from the list below: l=Non Applicable, 2=Active Duty, 3=Active National Guard/Reserve, 4=Inactive Reserve, 5=Retired 6=Honorable discharge, not retired, 7=Other than honorable, not retired, 8=Type of discharge unknown Item 14. Family or Personal Connection with SSS: See Item A.2.(e), on page one. Item 18. Former Board Member: If you have served as a Board Member before, fill in the location and dates of service. If you have additional previous tours of service, use the continuation sheet. Item 20. Males Only: If you are male and required to register, enter your Selective Service Number. Item 21. Occupation: Enter a two-digit number code from the list below. You may enter further information in the space provided. If you choose "Other - 99", enter your occupation in the space provided at Item 21. 01=Accounting 07=Legal 12=Real Estate 18=Engineering 02=Banking 08=Homemaker 13=Retired 19=Computer/Data 03=Education 09=Manufacturing 14=Sales Processing 04=Agriculture 10=Medical/Dental 15=Self Employed 20=Retail 05=Government ll=Secretary/ 16=Trades 06=Insurance Clerical 17=Student 99=Other (Specify) Item 22. Occupational Category: Enter a two digit number code from the list below. You may enter further information in the space provided. If you enter numbers 23,24 or 25, enter a description in the space provided at Item 22. 01 =Asst. Attorney General 11 =District Attorney 21=Sheriff 02=Asst. District Attorney 12=District Judge 22=States Attorney 03=Attorney General 13=Justice of the Peace OTHER 04=Bail Commissioner 14=Magistrate 23=Judicial (Specify) 05=Circuit Court Judge 15=Mayor (w/Judicial Duties) 24=Penal (Specify) 06=County Attorney 16=Pohce Court Judge 25=Law Enforcement 07=County Judge 17=Police Justice (Specify) 08=County Warrant Officer 18=Police Officer 09=Court Bailiff 19=Parole/Probation Officer 10=Deputy Sheriff 20=Prosecuting Attorney 99=None of the Above Item 23. Civic/Professional Organizations: If you belong to any civic/professional organizations enter name of Organization and office held. Use the continuation sheet as needed. PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT THE INFORMATION REQUESTED ON THIS FORM IS UNDER AUTHORITY OF SECTION 10(b)(3) OF THE MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT (50 U.S.C. APP. 460(b)(3)). FURNISHING THE INFORMATION IS VOLUNTARY, BUT FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE REQUESTED INFORMATION WILL PRECLUDE SELECTION FOR APPOINTMENT. CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARDS OF THE SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM. INFORMATION SUPPLIED MAY BE FURNISHED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHEN REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH PROCESSING ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT OR TITLE 18 U.S.C. THE NAME AND COUNTY OF RESIDENCE OF PERSONS APPOINTED AS MEMBERS OF BOARDS WILL BE PUBLIC INFORMATION. Page 2 SSS FORM 404 (FEBRUARY 2003) — PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE OBSOLETE. STOCK WILL BE DESTROYED.— OMB Approval #3240-0005

Sertorius

2004-10-09 08:52 | User Profile

What draft?

The last five posts are the HTML version of the application to staff the local draft board I requested some months ago when the rumours first started. Only my technical inexperience prevents me from posting these pages as images. (perhaps someone can render assistance. if so, p.m. me) There is also a nice, colored six page booklet that explains the board member's duties. Of course, this could be a routine proceedure, but with the Bush administration and the control the neocons have on it it could be true that if Bush win we get the draft back.

Remember, when it comes to Israel nothing is too good for them.

Faust

2004-10-10 05:27 | User Profile

Sertorius,

I always found it plain silly; all those TV PSAs they used to run saying Selective Service has nothing to do with the draft.

"Is Selective Service issuing draft cards? No. A card-style proof of registration is being issued, but it has nothing to do with the draft." from the Selective Service Website.