After reading this article, the life of selling coconuts on Ipanema beach in a square cut bathing suit seems a little more likely. And I say Ipanema and selling coconuts because I would rather be killed by a band of drug dealers than being shipped off to Iraq to be killed in a pointless war.
Agency to Test Military Draft Machinery - New York Times.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Selective Service System is planning a comprehensive test of the military draft machinery, which hasn't been run since 1998.
The agency is not gearing up for a draft, an agency official said Thursday. The test itself would not likely occur until 2009.
Meanwhile, the secretary for Veterans Affairs said that ''society would benefit'' if the U.S. were to bring back the draft and that it shouldn't have any loopholes for anyone who is called to serve. VA Secretary Jim Nicholson later issued a statement saying he does not support reinstituting a draft.
The Selective Service ''readiness exercise'' would test the system that randomly chooses draftees by birth date and the network of appeals boards that decide how to deal with conscientious objectors and others who want to delay reporting for duty, said Scott Campbell, Selective Service director for operations and chief information officer.
''We're kind of like a fire extinguisher. We sit on a shelf'' until needed, Campbell said. ''Everyone fears our machine for some reason. Our machine, unless the president and Congress get together and say, 'Turn the machine on' ... we're still on the shelf.''
The administration has for years forcefully opposed bringing back the draft, and the White House said Thursday that its position had not changed.
A day earlier, President Bush said he is considering sending more troops to Iraq and has asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to look into adding more troops to the nearly 1.4 million uniformed personnel on active duty.
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, increasing the Army by 40,000 troops would cost as much as $2.6 billion the first year and $4 billion after that. Service officials have said the Army wants to increase its force by 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers and the Marine Corps would like 5,000 more troops.
The unpopular war in Iraq, where more than 2,950 American troops have already died, complicates the task of finding more recruits and retaining current troops -- to meet its recruitment goals in recent years, the Army has accepted recruits with lower aptitude test scores.
In remarks to reporters in New York, Nicholson recalled his own experience as a company commander in an infantry unit that brought together soldiers of different backgrounds and education levels. He said the draft ''does bring people from all quarters of our society together in the common purpose of serving.''
happy to be european. one bad scenario for which i don't have to be afraid. how did u guys in this mess!
Posted by: steven | January 01, 2007 at 11:10 AM
Breaking news Selective Service Agency to Test Military Draft Machinery. Its posted on the Democratic Underground. Mothers lock up your kids here we go
Posted by: Monkeyman | December 21, 2006 at 09:51 PM