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Mon 3 May, 2004 02:35 pm
I hope you are ready to gamble on your daughters lives as well as your sons when you vote this November. Keep repeating your mantra "There's not going to be a draft.......There's not going to be a draft"
Saturday, May 1, 2004
Selective Service eyes women's draft
The proposal would also require registration of critical skills
By ERIC ROSENBERG
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- The chief of the Selective Service System has proposed registering women for the military draft and requiring that young Americans regularly inform the government about whether they have training in niche specialties needed in the armed services.
The proposal, which the agency's acting Director Lewis Brodsky presented to senior Pentagon officials just before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, also seeks to extend the age of draft registration to 34 years old, up from 25.
The Selective Service System plan, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, highlights the extent to which agency officials have planned for an expanded military draft in case the administration and Congress would authorize one in the future.
"In line with today's needs, the Selective Service System's structure, programs and activities should be re-engineered toward maintaining a national inventory of American men and, for the first time, women, ages 18 through 34, with an added focus on identifying individuals with critical skills," the agency said in a Feb. 11, 2003, proposal presented to senior Pentagon officials.
Brodsky and Richard Flahavan, the agency's director of public and congressional affairs, reviewed the six-page proposal with Pentagon officials responsible for personnel issues. They included Charles Abell, principal deputy undersecretary for personnel and readiness, and William Carr, deputy undersecretary for military personnel policy.
The agency officials acknowledged that they would have "to market the concept" of a female draft to Congress, which ultimately would have to authorize such a step.
Dan Amon, a spokesman for the Selective Service System, based in Arlington, Va., said that the Pentagon has taken no action on the proposal to expand draft registration.
"These ideas were only being floated for Department of Defense consideration," Amon said. He described the proposal as "food for thought" for contingency planning.
Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jane Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Defense Department, said the Pentagon "has not agreed to, nor even suggested, a change to Selective Service's current missions."
Nonetheless, Flahavan said the agency has begun designing procedures for a targeted registration and draft of people with computer and language skills, in case military officials and Congress authorize it.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, say they oppose a revival of the military draft, last used in 1973 as the American commitment in Vietnam waned, beginning the era of the all-volunteer force.
Mandatory registration for the draft was suspended in 1975 but was resumed in 1980 by President Carter after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. About 13.5 million men, ages 18 to 25, currently are registered with the Selective Service.
"I don't know anyone in the executive branch of the government who believes that it would be appropriate or necessary to reinstitute the draft," Rumsfeld said last month.
At present, the Selective Service is authorized to register only young men and they are not required to inform the government about any professional skills. Separately, the agency has in place a special registration system to draft health care personnel in more than 60 specialties into the military if necessary in a crisis.
Some of the skill areas where the armed forces are facing "critical shortages" include linguists and computer specialists, the agency said. Americans would then be required to regularly update the agency on their skills until they reach age 35.
Individuals proficient in more than one critical skill would list the skill in which they have the greatest degree of competency.
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another of the many consessions of the conservative right to women's equality!
Yeah, right.
There's going to be a draft if Bush gets four more years. You can bet the farm on it.
the only way Bush should get four more years is in a federal 'Pen'!
I doubt many American women (with the exception of Ann Coulter) with daughters would sacrifice them to George W. Bush and his neocon pals over Iraq.
I'd send mine (if I had any) abroad and hide them until the coast was clear.
We're at war alright, on American soil! Fire the Liar!
Um - why does everyone think there is going to be a draft. Can anyone show me documented reasons for needing a draft?
Oh and since MEN have been signing up for selective service on their 18th birthday for years, shouldn't equal rights activist women want the same right for the women? Or am I missing something about Fair is Fair?
Same job same pay yet with out all of the responsibilities.
Draft
The only reason the USA would need a Draft is for the Imperialistic Wars of the Plutocracy. If the USA stopped trying to take over other countries a draft would not be needed!
Clue: The war with Al Q. does not require massive Military invasions.
Not to mention, the last time we needed a draft was for Vietnam. A war where roughly 5,000 soldiers were killed each year (assuming that you take the entire 50,000+ and divide that by the total number of years that we were "heavily" involved 1965 to 1975 = 10 years.) With the relatively low number of deaths caused by the fighting in all arena's right now (some where around 730) in a year+ time, I don't forsee a draft any time soon.
saintsfanbrian wrote:Not to mention, the last time we needed a draft was for Vietnam. A war where roughly 5,000 soldiers were killed each year (assuming that you take the entire 50,000+ and divide that by the total number of years that we were "heavily" involved 1965 to 1975 = 10 years.) With the relatively low number of deaths caused by the fighting in all arena's right now (some where around 730) in a year+ time, I don't forsee a draft any time soon.
keep repeating your mantra.....those that want the draft forsee it because no doubt they have wars planned already that will go on for the next 50 years......
Wow! How ambitious they are! Now, who are "they"?
Isn't it Hagel who is spouting off about the draft?
I have to agree - Who is They that are supporting the draft? Can you document where in congress that it has been proposed?
All I see in the original post is a proposal to include women in the registering for selective service and the inclusion of skill sets. Doesn't it make sense that if Women want equal rights, then they should have equal responsibilities. Also, doesn't it make sense that if you are going to pull people in to the military in the time of war, that you pull qualified people to do the job. For example, if we are going to fight a battle in spain, wouldn't it be advantageous to "draft" people that spoke spanish?
Also, in your article, it clearly states that the Pentagon (that's that big building in DC with 5 sides where the joint cheifs work) have not even really considered this proposal.
So you just go on about your Chicken Little business, and keep shouting that the sky is falling. Hey, I hear Canada is a great place to live. Maybe you can go there and dodge the draft (if it ever happens) and maybe the president won't pardon you after the "war" is over and you will never be able to come back? Sound like a good idea?
saintsfanbrian wrote:I have to agree - Who is They that are supporting the draft? Can you document where in congress that it has been proposed?
All I see in the original post is a proposal to include women in the registering for selective service and the inclusion of skill sets. Doesn't it make sense that if Women want equal rights, then they should have equal responsibilities. Also, doesn't it make sense that if you are going to pull people in to the military in the time of war, that you pull qualified people to do the job. For example, if we are going to fight a battle in spain, wouldn't it be advantageous to "draft" people that spoke spanish?
Also, in your article, it clearly states that the Pentagon (that's that big building in DC with 5 sides where the joint cheifs work) have not even really considered this proposal.
So you just go on about your Chicken Little business, and keep shouting that the sky is falling. Hey, I hear Canada is a great place to live. Maybe you can go there and dodge the draft (if it ever happens) and maybe the president won't pardon you after the "war" is over and you will never be able to come back? Sound like a good idea?
You are not the first of the posters on even this thread to extend me that invitation and my answer to you is the same...sorry pal, I live here.... you are welcome to attempt to run me out of town, although if that's the best you can do I suspect I'll die peacefully in my bed at a ripe old age. :wink:
Meanwhile I will stick to my opinion and we'll see what happens. If I'm wrong I won't try to spin it later. I want to be wrong. Badly.
I was only suggesting it as a dodge to the draft. If you want to stay here, fine, I am happy to have you. I was only suggesting that if there was a draft and you want to avoid it (assuming that it would affect you or your family anyway) then Canada is tacking. We have enough of their people living here, I think it is time we repay the favor.
No one answered my question about the equal rights though. Is it because it's true, or is it because women only want the "rights" that give them a better station, and not the "rights" that require them to do something if the world goes in the crapper so to speak.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for women presidents, and Doctors, and lawyers and such. I just also think that if they want the freedoms, they should have to suffer the same responsibilities, and if I could, I would give birth so don't try using that line on me.
Quote:I was only suggesting it as a dodge to the draft. If you want to stay here, fine, I am happy to have you. I was only suggesting that if there was a draft and you want to avoid it (assuming that it would affect you or your family anyway) then Canada is tacking. We have enough of their people living here, I think it is time we repay the favor.
NOT A CHANCE! We, up here, do not want George Bush, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz moving here on the basis of their combat avoidance.
Well would you take Alan Thick back?
No...him neither. Nor Celine Dion...please keep her.
I was wondering if Celine Dion would maybe like to be an astronaut?
blatham wrote:Quote:I was only suggesting it as a dodge to the draft. If you want to stay here, fine, I am happy to have you. I was only suggesting that if there was a draft and you want to avoid it (assuming that it would affect you or your family anyway) then Canada is tacking. We have enough of their people living here, I think it is time we repay the favor.
NOT A CHANCE! We, up here, do not want George Bush, Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz moving here on the basis of their combat avoidance.
I almost moved to Canada in the mid seventies, not a draft issue, but because I liked the country so much......and Suzanne Christink and her amazing station wagon sized breasts were quite an enticement as well....I sometimes wonder what became of them...I mean her......
They, not having had the good fortune of the weightlessness which Celine's breasts may enjoy, have evolved into something more akin to a Chevy Suburban in recycle mid-melt.
blatham wrote:They, not having had the good fortune of the weightlessness which Celine's breasts may enjoy, have evolved into something more akin to a Chevy Suburban in recycle mid-melt.
A thought that has not escaped my consideration
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