DRAFT BILL. WHERE WILL YOU BE WHEN THEY COME FOR YOU?

DRAFT BILL.  WHERE WILL YOU BE WHEN THEY COME FOR YOU?

1.    *EDITED WITH DRAFT DODGING LINKS

Chaney Dodge: http://www.slate.com/id/2097365/
Bush AWOL: http://www.awolbush.com/
Weldon Dodge?: http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=24504
Clinton Dodge: http://www.urbin.net/EWW/polyticks/bc-rotc.html
Confronting the War Machine: http://uncpress.unc.edu/chapters/foley_confronting.html
Draft Dodger Memorial: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/09/08/draft_dogers040908.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 14, 2006
Contact: George Dalley
(202) 225-4365          
  
RANGEL REINTRODUCES DRAFT BILL  

WASHINGTON - Lawmaker Says Volunteer Military May be Overwhelmed by Military Challenges in Iran, North Korea and Syria requiring more troops who will have to be drafted.

Congressman Charles Rangel today introduced new legislation to reinstate the military draft that will include draftees up to 42 years of age.

"Every day that the military option is on the table, as declared by the President in his State of the Union address, in Iran, North Korea, and Syria, reinstatement of the military draft is an option that must also be considered, whether we like it or not," Congressman Rangel said. "If the military is already having trouble getting the recruits they need, what can we do to fill the ranks if the war spreads from Iraq to other countries? We may have no other choice but a draft."

The bill would mandate military service for men and women between the ages of 18 and 42.

Deferments would be allowed only for completion of high school up to the age of 20, and for reasons of health, conscience or religious belief. Recruits not needed by the military in any given year would be required to perform some national civilian service.

"My bill conforms to the age standards that have been set by the Army itself," Congressman Rangel said, referring to the Army's recent announcement raising the top age for Army volunteers from 39 to 42. "With volunteers now being accepted up to the age of 42, it makes sense to cap the age of draftees at 42," Congressman Rangel said.

Congressman Rangel first proposed legislation for the draft in January 2003 before the invasion of Iraq. Since then more than 2,200 American troops have been killed and 16,000 wounded. Despite dramatic increases in military bonuses, the Army failed to meet its recruiting goal last year by 6,000 recruits. In the face of that failure, last month the Army announced that it was doubling enlistment bonuses to $40,000 for Special Forces. Enlistment bonuses for Reservists were also doubled to $20,000 from $10,000. Reenlistment bonuses for specialized active duty soldiers were also increased drastically, going from $60,000 to $90,000.

"The Pentagon's own researchers have reported that the military is broken and there's no plan to fix it," Congressman Rangel said. "It's not unusual for active-duty and Reserve units to see two and three deployments. Troops are spending about a third of the time on deployment, instead of a fifth of the time, as preferred, to adequately rest, train and rebuild units.

"Our military is more like a mercenary force than a citizen militia. It is dominated by men and women who need an economic leg-up. Bonuses of up to $40,000 and a promise of college tuition look very good to someone from an economically depressed urban or rural community. But, as events unfold in Iran, Syria and North Korea and become even more dangerous, at what point will the risks outweigh the attraction of money--even to the hungriest recruits?

"I don't expect my bill to pass; my purpose in introducing this legislation is for it to serve as a constant reminder that we have lost 2,200 of the best, brightest and bravest Americans, have had thousands more maimed, and countless Iraqi citizens killed. As the President speaks of a national response involving the military option, military service should be a shared sacrifice. Right now the only people being asked to sacrifice in any way are those men and women who with limited options chose military service and now find themselves in harm's way in Iraq. A draft would ensure that every economic group would have to do their share, and not allow some to stay behind while other people's children do the fighting.

"It is shameful for high ranking government officials who have never placed themselves in harm's way to promote military solutions as a substitute for diplomacy. It's disheartening to hear the most strident champions of war in Iraq or anywhere else who have never thought or voted in Congress to send their own children to war.

"I dare anyone to try to convince me that this war is not being fought predominantly by tough, loyal, and patriotic young men and women from the barren hills and towns of rural and underprivileged neighborhoods in urban America where unemployment is high and opportunities are few. As we see who are the troops coming home wounded and killed, I challenge anyone to tell me that the wealthiest have not been excluded from that roll call.

The Republican Leadership responded to my first bill by procedurally preventing debate on the issues it raised; let us see how they try to avoid facing the question of shared sacrifice this time.

WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
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http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ny15_rangel/CBRStatementonDraft02142006.html
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/07/rangel.draft/
CHECK OUT NEW YORK CITY DRAFT RIOTS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Draft_Riots

MY NOTE: Let the leaders fight their own damned wars for their own damned interests. Leave the people out of it lest we slap them all down with one swoop! ~ Arachne 10:05 p.m. 1/7/06