Democrat Rangel to Pursue Draft

Before 2004, he introduced a bill to reinstate the draft. Even though the legislation was already doomed at the start, Rangel wanted to point out that President Bush would try to do this after the election. Of course there was no relevant proof that this was actually considered by the administration.

Of course, he would suggest it was a "double-secret" plan to draft poor people for Bush's war.

Now, in a Washington Post article, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) will introduce a military draft when the Democrats take over the Congress in January. His reasoning? To deter politicians from launching wars and to bolster U.S. troop levels insufficient to cover potential future action in Iran, North Korea, and Iraq.

His quote:

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way."

So if we had a draft, we won't go to war??? We had the draft before and went to war in Korea and Vietnam.

Do we really have a manpower crisis? Recruiting levels have been ok so far this year. The active duty Army have met its retention goal for 2006. Check the figures available from the DoD.

Our active military forces is around 1.4 million troops, plus another 1.25 million in reserve. We are talking a bit under 3 million troops. Does this show we have a manpower issue? I would have thought it is more with logistics and equipment, not men.

Rangel says the draft will have "young people commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether it's our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals," with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Yet Michelle Malkin counters with organisations such as National Health Service Corps, AmeriCorps, National Civilian Community Corps, VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), and Citizen Corps Councils/Fire Corps/Medical Reserve Corps.

The Democrats have made all of us fearful that Bush would reinstate the draft and send us to Iraq. Yet, Rangel, a Democrat and incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee is pushing for this draft.

So who is playing the fear-monger?

This draft bill is unnecessary and accomplishes nothing for the American people.

Update

The Democrat House leadership has stated that the "draft bill" is not on their agenda come January.