For fans of Chuck Hagel: He wants a military draft

[cynatnite]

http://www.nbc13.com/news/3026352/detail.html

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Due to the deteriorating security in Iraq, the United States may be forced to reintroduce the military draft, a senior Republican lawmaker said Tuesday.

Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on post-occupation Iraq that there isn't an American that doesn't understand what the troops are engaged in Iraq and what the prospects are for the future.

"Why shouldn't we ask our citizens to bear some responsibility and pay some price," he said.

********

It's dated 2004. Anyone want to take bets he hasn't changed his position?

[Rex]

1. Chuck Hagel is actually far more evil than George Bush.

Bush is a bumbling dictator...Hagel would make an international warmonger cream his pants. Hagel is very, very smart. Imagine ALL the laws in place now and a James Baker III clone, with charisma! Watch this guy.

[cyclezealot]

2. Agree. I think Hagel more of a warmonger.

But, I think a draft would help end America's military adventurism. The public would not tolerate Bush's or anyones war without end, if it means their Johnny might not be marcing home again. I think Hagel's call would in the end jeopardize his own war plans.

[krkaufman]

17. Agreed. Americans would quickly become more interested ...

... in international affairs, and considerably less quick to opt for a military response to all issues.

[XanaDUer]

3. As long as Bush voters go first.

nt.

[Selatius]

4. If the draft is truly "fair," then we will all be there in the trenches

Of course, we don't live in a "fair" world. The rich will still find ways of protecting their sons and daughters from bleeding and dying like all of us poor saps. We die for their money and power.

[krkaufman]

18. Well, simply looking at the numbers, the non-rich would always ...

... be doing most of the fighting, since there are so few of the wealthy as compared to the middle class and poor. Were there a draft, it would need to be fairly administered, to insure proportionate representation of the classes in the fighting forces.

[tabasco]

8. That's the way it should be if they start the draft during this quagmire.

I actually support universal service, but only instituted during peacetime and with very strict deferment rules.

I will never support a draft during this war for corporate profits.

[krkaufman]

19. Institute a draft, and this war would end very quickly.

Of course, the Republicans will NOT institute a draft. They'll allow the military to become fully expended, and leave the cleanup to the Democrats -- who will then be castigated for taking the necessary but less-than-painless measures to turn the country around.

[tabasco]

23. That's what Democrats do.

Clean up republican disasters.

Every generation forgets and the gullible fall for republican lies again and again.

[SammyWinstonJack]

29. As long as ONLY bush voters go, period!

They voted for this, they trash those that oppose ** warmongering ways. Draft young republicans.

[DRoseDARs]

5. Did it ever occur to anyone that this is a ruse...

...to force the chickenhawks into the uncomfortable position of showing themselves to be chickenshits whose only support for the troops comes in the form of rhetoric?

Just a thought. :shrug:

[Wetzelbill]

6. it kind of is

it's hard to tell how Hagel means it. Like Charlie Rangel introduced draft legislation, purely to embarrass chickenhawks, saying they want war but weren't willing to serve themselves and are not willing to let their kids fight either. Hagel very well could be looking to make chickenhawks uncomfortable, or he could be more serious about actually utilizing a draft. Tough to say. But I think you have a good point.

[sarge43]

9. Hagel did the short tour of hell.

He was an Army platoon leader in Nam in '68. As memory serves, got himself a Bronze Star w/V and a couple of Purple Hearts. So he may well be doing a 'money, mouth' move with his proposal.

[Ian David]

14. Everyone knows that during Vietnam you awarded medals to yourself

The Swiftboat guys taught us that in 2004.

Remember to bring that up whenever a Repuke veteran is bragging about their medals.

They awarded them to themselves whenever they felt like.

[krkaufman]

20. Rangel's proposal wasn't merely rhetoric

He believes, as do I, that the country would be less likely to initiate military adventures, such as Iraq, if a wider proportion of the country had a stake in the welfare of the forces to be committed.

[Wetzelbill]

26. well yeah but he doesn't really believe

we should have a draft, he didn't even vote for his legislation. His point was exactly what you said, the country would be less likely to initiate military ventures if the rest of the country had a stake in force commitment. I didn't mean give the impression I thought it was only rhetoric, he had a point to prove and he did so very well.

[rucky]

7. Charlie Rangel's proposed two draft bills...

for the same reasons you describe.

[Wetzelbill]

15. yes it was two

I knew there was at least one. Right when the war started, he first introduced one bill. He didn't even vote for it himself, but, you know, the guy was trying to make a point, and a pretty valid one too. :)

[Ioo]

10. SO DO I - Time for the RW to put some skin in the fight...

Nothing will make you stand up and think about who and what you support after you send your son off to war. I say DRAFT now! It is time for those that are on the sidline to start to notice the world around them.

[afrosia]

11. A draft!?

Why in the fuck should people who oppose this war be forced to fight it! They'd be shit soldiers anyway because their heart wouldn't be in it. Are you sure he's that smart?

[Ian David]

16. If you oppose war, you can't be forced to serve.

But you have to be opposed to ALL wars-- not just "the bad wars."

Conscientious Objectors will be put in public-private partnership programs, administered by governmental and corporate entities.

For example, you may be put in a Conscientious Objector Work Camp building the border security wall across the Mexican border. Your boss would be either Halliburton or Betchell.

This is my own personal opinion.

[EFerrari]

12. Who does he think is paying for the professional military? n/t

[galileo3000]

13. Conscientious Objector

[mmonk]

21. A great test to see how many Americans really love their bloodshed

By the way, I support Chuck's statements over our democratic senators who keep cheerleading this darkness and MAKE NO APOLOGIES FOR DOING SO.

[n2doc]

22. Would a draft really change attitudes?

One thing keeps occurring to me. We had a draft during Vietnam and yet elected Nixon twice, the second time in a landslide, over more peace oriented candidates. I wasn't old enough to remember much about those times, but it seems like that experience teaches us that simply having a draft doesn't prevent wars. Even wars of choice. Maybe the panic induced by setting up a draft might change things, though.

[jerry611]

24. 74% of Americans favored a draft the day after 9/11

I'm sure it is nowhere near that high today, but it shows that a military draft would not always be the most unpopular option.

The lower and middle class will always do the most fighting because they make up the majority of the population. The top 5% of the rich, who are military-capable that favor the war would not be enough soldiers to even create a single combat division.

[tomp]

25. no draft, no way, no how!

the draft is a threat against freedom. we have a constitutional right to be secure in it is our persons. the draft is subversion of that right for political purposes. the very concept of conscription is anathema to liberty. it is one of my lines in the sand.

if america were really under threat, she would have more volunteers than she could handle.

for your own self interest, make sure you are on the right side of this issue. there are many who will militantly oppose you and you risk bringing the war to your front door.

in addition you run the risk of splitting the vote. if you don't want a third party don't support the draft.

[Strelnikov_]

27. Hate To Say It, But Hagel Is The Presidential Dark Horse From The Right

I would be watching.

I am afraid he is going to come out and grab McCain's 'straight-talk' cred. And rightfully so, as he has repeatedly called Chimpco on the carpet re: foreign policy.

He is 'Brand Republican' that has differentiated himself from the far-right neo-con element, thus allowing the more moderate/centrist types cover to maintain 'brand' loyality.

The big question is whether the GOP Taliban base will 'McCain' him, and if the GOP Oligarchy will allow him to run.

In this case, would he be up for a third party run?

One plus of a Hagel candidacy, though, is we would get to see McCain break down (ie Joementum) in living color at some point during the primaries.

[mainer]

28. A draft is the only way to force Americans to pay attention

It's something that quite a few liberals also believe