A key issue for young Americans and their families to consider as they
prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming presidential election is the
real likelihood of a military draft being reinstated if President Bush is
re-elected.
2004.09.21
A key issue for young Americans and their families to consider as they
prepare to cast their votes in the upcoming presidential election is the
real likelihood of a military draft being reinstated if President Bush is
re-elected. President Bush should tell us now whether he supports a military
draft.
Here is the evidence that makes a draft likely:
- The U.S. Army has acknowledged that they are stretched thin and that finding
new recruits is challenging. They recently placed 300 new recruiters in the
field. Bonuses for new recruits to the Army have risen by 67 percent to a
maximum of $10,000 and $15,000 for hard-to-fill specialties. - The extended tours of duty have made service less attractive for both the
regular armed forces, and particularly for the National Guard and Reserves.
To meet this year’s quota for enlistees, the Army has sped up the induction
of “delayed entry” recruits, meaning they are already borrowing from next
year’s quotas in order to meet this year’s numbers. -
Reservists are now being called away for longer periods. In 2003, President
Bush dramatically extended the length of time for the Guard and Reserves
deployment in Iraq. Extended tours of up to a year have become common. -
In a further sign of a lack of adequate staffing, the armed forces are now
in the process of calling up members of the Individual Ready Reserves. These
are often older reservists usually waiting retirement. They are typically in
their mid-to-late forties, and have not been on active duty and have not
trained for some time. Traditionally, they are only supposed to be called up
during a time of national emergency. In 2001, President Bush authorized
their call up but never rescinded this order even after he declared “Mission
Accomplished” in Iraq in May of 2003. -
The Armed Forces are already chronically understaffed. In 2003, General Eric
Shinseki testified before Congress that an additional 50,000 troops would be
needed beyond what the Bush administration said would be necessary to
stabilize Iraq after the invasion. The President ignored him. We do not have
enough troops in Afghanistan to be able to stabilize the country, as shown
by the continual putting off of elections well past their announced date. In
an effort to free up yet more troops in the coming years, we are moving
troops away from the Demilitarized Zone in Korea and reducing the number of
troops on the Korean Peninsula at a time when North Korea poses more of a
danger to the U.S. – not less. Because of the President’s military
adventurism, our Armed Forces are under enormous pressure. The only place to
go for more troops is a draft. -
Selective service boards have already been notified that 20-year-olds and
medical personnel will be called up first.
President Bush will be forced to decide whether we can continue the current
course in Iraq, which will clearly require the reinstatement of the draft.
The Pentagon has objected to a draft but, the President has ignored other
Pentagon recommendations in the past.
American families and young people are owed an explanation about the
President’s plans. Will the President withdraw from some of our military
commitments or will he reinstate the draft? We need to know that before we
vote, not afterwards.
Author: Howard Dean
News Service: Democracy for America
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