Military Draft: A Sleeping Giant Stirs
 

December 9, 2003

      Questions have come up: Is the administration preparing for the return of the draft? What is the word from Congress?

      Bush continues to promote his doctrine of preemptive strike on any "rogue" nation and the Cheney/Wolfowitz list of countries to overthrow. Currently troop morale is very low. Many service members are saying that they will not reenlist. The military is already stretched thin across the globe. If the administration is to mount any additional military campaigns, the numbers simply aren't there to carry out the job.

      The official word on Capitol Hill is that there is no way a draft would be approved. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), as we reported, is working behind scenes with Republican members to push his draft bill, which he claims would make the Armed Services more equitable. Other sources have informed us of a rumor that the administration is talking with Republican members of Congress on the possibility of a draft. This is a sign that the draft may be reinstated.

      If not now, the draft may be real in a little more than a year.

      We must work to oppose the draft.

      The Center is holding a lobby day on May 14th, 2004 in conjunction with the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund. We will continue in our effort to educate Congress and their staff about conscientious objectors. Most young congressional staffers are not knowledgeable about conscientious objectors since there has not been a draft in their lifetime. This will give us an opening to talk about how a draft is always a bad idea and how the draft can never bring equity to the Armed Services (Look at past talking points).

      Mark the 14th of May on your calendar. It is important that members of Congress hear from their constituents to know that a draft is never a viable option.

      Come to Washington to lobby Congress in an effort to stop the draft.

      Even if it is not possible for you to be in Washington in May, please meet with the local office of your Representative. Contact us if you need help in setting up an appointment.

      Let's sing the giant back to sleep

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Phone-in Talking Points

October 27, 2003 
 
Background

American armed forces are stretched thin across the globe; Reserve and National Guard units are feeling the strain. People on both sides of the issue are talking about bringing back the draft to ease the burden on our Reserves and National Guards, who never intended to spend years away from home fighting America’s wars. On October 7, 2003 The Hill reported that Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) has revived talks of pushing for his bill, the Universal National Service Act, which will put conscription back into effect.
 
Points
 

Conscription has never been, and is still not, a good idea.

 

Historically, conscription has never made the Armed Services more equitable: neither racially nor economically. During the draft in the Vietnam War, minorities were disproportionately serving in the front lines. The affluent had and still have the means to gain medical deferments, or to get positions that will not place them on the front lines of the battle. The draft will never make the military an equitable force.

 

The draft is not a war deterrent. During World War I, the reason for the instatement of the draft was to ensure a steady flow of soldiers into the battlefield. Since then, while the draft was in effect, the U.S. has been involved in numerous wars. Bringing back the draft will give Pentagon an endless number of soldiers to continue its war making efforts.

 

The text of the Rangel draft bill is flawed in regard to provisions for conscientious objectors (CO). If the CO language from the bill were to be passed into law, the situation for COs will worsen. Under this law, it would draft COs into the military as non-combatants, and then at the “discretion of the President” a CO could be transferred to a civilian job. This notion is not acceptable to most COs. Even though the Rangel bill is unlikely to be passed, it is credible that the CO language could be carried onto other bills and be passed into law.

 

Congress needs to be educated about this issue so that they will know of the devastation it will cause in this country.

 

The Center on Conscience & War (www.nisbco.org) is available to help Congress members to get educated.

 

http://www.nisbco.org/talking_points.htm

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