how would they theoretically reinstate draft

[ccarter84]

granted it would probably be under a different name...I read 'patriotic service' was suggested over on dkos...makes sense.

so which of the following options does DU and associated freepers think would give the NeoCons enough momentum to declare a draft?

(why hello there mr FBI agent, hope you're having a good day) :hi:

[Babel_17]

1. Here's a wild one

Are you sitting? :)

Lol, ok, my whole line of speculation is predicated on one assumption.

Namely, no way in hell is Bushco going to draft the children of the self anointed "elite".

Here's how they will get around having the above while having a "draft".

The draft won't be a normal one.

Cliff Notes: Everyone will be given the option to request an "opt-out". Everyone.

Sounds fair, right? But people being people many will ignore the initial notice to opt-out. They will be the first ones to go into the "primary pool" from which, ultimately, the Selective Service will choose who gets drafted.

Side note: In order to make this whole process not look like what it is we will hear a lot about how many low income people with a lot of medical bills etc. were given a pass.

Ok, that was round one and now the gov't starts denying most of the initial claims for opting out of the draft. Reasons like being opposed to war and having travel plans will get short shrift and the people who used that reason will be informed that they can appeal but for the moment their name is going in the primary pool.

To make a long story short those who can write a good resume and provide documentation for their claim to worthiness of opting out will be able to stay out of the primary pool for quite a while.

Needless to say those with money will be having some really sweet looking resumes. ;)

So now we have millions of names in the primary pool and Selective Service didn't have to break a sweat.

Here comes the part Bushco has to handle with exquisite delicacy.

Millions of us will immediately be decrying this obvious set up.

So what Bushco does is say "No, no, no. We aren't sending people in the pool "final notices" that they have been drafted. We're just telling them that if they want they can show up now."

That's all it would take really. Never really forcing the issue, just allowing for the fact that a goodly percentage of people will allow the system to shuffle them along.

Remember, the military isn't looking to get millions of extra recruits. If they could get fifty thousand recruits above and beyond the number that is expected to enlist they are home free.

So it won't be a draft as we know it. Just some very, very, heavy handed recruiting that only sweeps in those not experienced at gaming the system or just used to not bucking authority.

Not one person would be able to say that they couldn't have appealed.


I know my premise is wild but maybe it's food for thought or can serve as a jumping off point for a more likely scenario.

Laterz.

[patricia92243]

2. Believe your basic theory is good, but they will need doctors and other

skilled personnel that would be smart enough to write a sob-story resume to get out of the draft. How could that part be handled?

The part about the US not needing millions of recruits but about 50k or so is a very good point.

[Babel_17]

5. Whoops, I did neglect that part

That's an important point.

Scratching my head on that but I guess they could create a special pool for those with essential skills.

It might even be done in a completely separate manner.

I could see that being finessed slightly differently.

Instead of an outright and immediate draft those that got snagged by the net would be told they should consider themselves on standby and to be prepared to close out their affairs.

Such a special skills draft is going to be complicated. There would have to be a financial aid package for those with huge college loans. An official moratorium on paying the debt while the people were serving would be the minimum imo.

And smaller companies would be vulnerable to ruin if they were to lose two or more of their technical experts.

On the other hand the case could simply be that the SS will just cull the names of everyone under a certain age, say 25 or 30, that has the needed skills, throw their names in a hat, and keep picking till all the slots are filled.

[Nay]

3. That's a very interesting scenario. Have you made this up yourself

or do you have some reason for thinking this? It makes a lot of sense, since it truly would lull a lot of people into it.

[Babel_17]

6. It's just a result of pondering the situation and ....

using the assumption that Bushco isn't going to draft their own.

I don't see them as having both the nerve to impliment a full blown draft and the ability to fend off a general public outrage if the elite end up getting exempted.

While their arrogance is stunning to behold I think even they would prefer to take this in steps.

It's possible that Bushco is still very hopeful that they won't need a draft but they realize that it might be a near thing and not having any preparations ready for such an eventuality will earn them a reputation for being feckless.

The top brass of the military has been doing Bushco's bidding but this might be something they are insisting on as a pre-requisite for further full cooperation.

[he lied us into war]

4. Wrong - they'll have a Vietnam style draft and call it a draft

Yes i know bush promised us no draft during the debates, and that's the point. They'll do it anyway and thereby impress on everyone that resistance is futile.

[Babel_17]

7. I can't say there's much this administration .....

does anymore that truly surprises me.

"They'll do it anyway and thereby impress on everyone that resistance is futile."

There's something to that, this administration early on decided they would never allow themselves to get bogged down with issues of accountability or by stopping to project for real world consequences.

[Wilms]

8. .