Test run of military draft machinery announced

[Contrite]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4419980.html

[nashville_brook]

1. here's some of the story...

WASHINGTON — The Selective Service System is planning a test run of the military draft machinery for the first time since 1998.

As part of the exercise, the agency is expected to conduct a mock draft and convene an "appeals board" to handle draftees who claim status as conscientious objectors.

The test announcement comes as President Bush and Congress take up plans to expand the overall size of the Army and Marine Corps and train thousands more additional forces. Both services have been stretched thin by extended deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, though President Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have said they oppose bringing back the draft.

Meanwhile, the secretary for Veterans Affairs said Thursday that "society would benefit" if the U.S. were to bring back the draft and that it shouldn't have any loopholes. VA Secretary Jim Nicholson later issued a statement saying he does not support reinstituting a draft.

[Contrite]

2. Question is, why "test" it if they aren't going to do it? n/t

[Straight Shooter]

3. "Test" is deliberately ambiguous in this setting. It's probably a dry run.

bush's legacy is at stake, you know.

:banghead:

[Debau2005]

7. And when was the last time it was "tested?"

Test implies that this is done on a routine basis to keep everything inline, sort of like a fire drill in school.

This is poor timing on their part if it is truly a "test."


"We are essentially like a fire extinguisher," said Scott Campbell, director of operations and chief information officer for Selective Service. "Every once in a while you have to test the fire extinguisher, even if it sits on the wall for decades."

[tabasco]

8. No, this is a good time for a test.

The leadership of this country is talking about a "generational war" and a "100-year" war. It might sound insane to us, but Selective Service has no choice but to take them seriously. The armed forces, especially the Army and Marines, are in a dire personnel situation. Thousands are still being impressed into service with stop-loss. Junior officers are leaving in droves. Enlistment is not up and previous shortfalls have not been fixed. Selective Service is doing the right thing. I get what you are saying, but could Bush tell the SS to not test? That would work like when they tried to cut combat pay. Blow up in their faces.

[Debau2005]

9. Good point

I had not thought of it in those terms.

I have a cousin who has to stay in due to the Stop-Loss. The man I am dating is in the Guard and served a brutal deployment, where they lost several soldiers. He hopes to get out in April when his time is up. I am keeping my fingers crossed!

[krispos42]

21. Yes, the populace needs a boot in the ass to support impeachment

This should give'em a good kick.

[PerceptionManagement]

12. Well, Chimpy ain't going to tell YOU when the draft will start.

Better to just say we're 'testing' the system until it's too late. The good news on two fronts: 1) Diebold will ensure Chickenhawks and Pioneer donors are not selected for the draft. (They are the true patriots that protect the nation anyway.) And 2) you get your paper receipt this time!!! (It will have your reporting orders.)

Oh, and yea, we can't show you the software that selects draftees. It's proprietary code.

[whopis01]

15. It is tested from time to time

It was last tested in 1998 under Clinton's watch.

[Mind_your_head]

4. The winds are blowing.....the "storm's a comin' "

what will you do? How will you react?

(rhetorical/philosophical question....no response required/needed or expected).

Peace on Earth,
M_Y_H

[Akoto]

5. Perhaps I'm reading it incorrectly, but ...

Doesn't the article state that the test referred to won't take place until 2009 (a bit over two years from now)?

[Contrite]

6. It's worded rather ambiguously

In that it says part of the "exercise" would include a "mock draft" but the "actual test" would occur in '09. Does that mean the mock draft comes first or is that part of the "actual test"?

[ShortnFiery]

10. That's fine by me = Bring back the Draft IF ...

and only IF they kick it off with the first Draft Notices to Barbara Bush, Jenna Bush, George P. Bush and Chelsea Clinton. No joke! Take a moment and consider the forgoing suggestion? Now ask yourself how long this occupation would last if these children of privilege were patrolling with the MP on the outskirts of Baghdad?

It's time to for us to DEMAND that the rulers consider "the people's will" when they make their foreign policy decisions.

We must consider the fact that our combat troops have been used and abused: After 3-4 tours, even people with sound mental health are beginning to reach burn-out if not NOW on the verge of PTSD.

Our Combat Troops are HUMAN not machine.

End this occupation NOW or draft the children of our ELITE legislative warmongers. :thumbsup:

[saigon68]

11. Ooh Goody "back" to the streets

This time it will be different



Miami 1972 (Ron Kovic in chair on right)

[gratuitous]

13. Back when that picture was snapped

I thought how old those protesting veterans look. 24 years later, they have some old features (a result of being in combat, I guess), but now they look just so young to me. The guy on the left in the white t-shirt, the guy with the muttonchops in front of the banner, and the bearded guy in full fatigues behind Ron Kovic don't look like they have 60 years combined.

And we haven't learned a damned thing in the meantime.

[saigon68]

14. Here is the link back to Jan 2003

from David Hackworths site

http://www.hackworth.com/article03112003z.html

The Wall

by Alfred A. Hambidge, Jr.

He paused for a moment; I could see him trying to calm his breathing. He began to slowly read from the Wall, his eyes moving randomly over the panel. "David T. Hilton. William C. Langham. John A. Gibson. Richard Galan. Danny Lee Frye. Cecil D. Lamm. All these boys blown off the face of the Earth, because we just can't keep our noses out of what's happening on the other side of the world. Ever read George Washington's Farewell Address?"


*****


"You know what really galls me? How those that seem to yell loudest for war have never seen one. They've never seen a buddy disappear from the waist up after a shell hit, then see his legs stand there for a moment before falling over. They never saw a friend all psyched up about going home tomorrow after finishing his tour get hit in the belly with shrapnel, see his guts spill out, then watch him try to gather up his intestines lying in the dirt.

"They never saw what napalm does do a little girl's skin. They never saw a 19-year-old from Iowa screaming and writhing on the ground because a mine blew his legs off. They never saw a man take a bullet through the brain, then watch his body flop around on the ground for a minute or so because it doesn't realize he's dead. They never put pieces of someone into a bag, not knowing who it was until you read the tags, because there wasn't any face left to go along with the other parts. They haven't seen the shit I've seen, and they want to do it all over again. Those bastards!



A LOT OF US TOLD THE MOTHER FUCKERS THIS CRUSADE WOULD GO "POORLY"

[Evergreen Emerald]

16. He will not be allowed to use the life of my child.

[AzDar]

17. I have two little boys, 10 and 3 years old, and I hope other parents

will join me in an overwhelming chorus to let George W. Fuckup know that OUR children will not be thrown into his 'machine' in order to salvage his legacy (as if that were even POSSIBLE).
NEVER. GOING. TO. LET. IT. HAPPEN.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

18. This test IS political. GOP wants to blame Democrats for the Draft!

I think Rangle's Draft talk is going to be used against us in 2008.
GOP to young voters: Vote Democrat get the draft.

We need to
1) Get Rangle to shut up
2) Publicly condemn this test!

[raysr]

19. That'll get people in the streets

and a SCREAM for impeachment !

[MasonJar]

20. No loopholes. Good, then Cheney can finally serve his time and

Bush can go straight to jail for desertion in time of war.