New bill may reinstate the draft for 2005
Meredith Veto
Issue date: 4/2/04 Section: World
Cara Newman, a CCE student, joined the military when she was 20 years old. "I consider myself a feminist," Newman said. "As such, I don't think that it's right to exclude women from the draft, simply because they're women."
"But they are going to have to work out some specifics," she continued. "For instance, in families with children, obviously both parents can't be gone. In my family, if they institute a draft, I would be the one to go because I have prior military experience. And I wouldn't have a problem with that if my husband were there to take care of the kids." Those who do not believe military service is right for everybody suggest alternative service."
"Service to the country, at least to me, is not an objection, but saying that you must participate in some sort of military service would be my objection," White said. "There was, in the '30s, the Conservation Corps. It was sort of the Americorps of the 1930s. My mother helped build dams in Tennessee."
"The military's not the right place for everybody," Joplin said. "I see things like the Peace Corps, the Vista program, as alternative service. I would like to see the military service looked at as another way of fulfilling a social obligation that we have, as opposed to saying we have to do this because we're fodder for the war."
Joplin also explained that it's in the conservatives' interest to keep the military all volunteer-there's less internal resistance than when people are forced to go to war.
"There were people actually shooting themselves in the foot to keep from going to Vietnam, and it wasn't just out of fear of going into battle," Joplin said. "When it's pretty clear that the guys in Vietnam don't want to be there, and people who have been drafted were saying, I don't understand what the justification of the war is, that gave greater impetus to the war protesters."
Misconceptions that the draft bill was conceived by the Bush administration may stem from the fact that the draft would be implemented in the spring of 2005, safely hidden behind major campaign issues of fall's election season. Most supporters, in fact, oppose the war with Iraq. The draft bill is seen more as a cautionary tool created by liberals concerned about the consequences of a hasty move to war.
"We're not going to re-implement a draft," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "There is no need for it at all. The disadvantages of using compulsion to bring into the armed forces the men and women needed are notable."
"But they are going to have to work out some specifics," she continued. "For instance, in families with children, obviously both parents can't be gone. In my family, if they institute a draft, I would be the one to go because I have prior military experience. And I wouldn't have a problem with that if my husband were there to take care of the kids." Those who do not believe military service is right for everybody suggest alternative service."
"Service to the country, at least to me, is not an objection, but saying that you must participate in some sort of military service would be my objection," White said. "There was, in the '30s, the Conservation Corps. It was sort of the Americorps of the 1930s. My mother helped build dams in Tennessee."
"The military's not the right place for everybody," Joplin said. "I see things like the Peace Corps, the Vista program, as alternative service. I would like to see the military service looked at as another way of fulfilling a social obligation that we have, as opposed to saying we have to do this because we're fodder for the war."
Joplin also explained that it's in the conservatives' interest to keep the military all volunteer-there's less internal resistance than when people are forced to go to war.
"There were people actually shooting themselves in the foot to keep from going to Vietnam, and it wasn't just out of fear of going into battle," Joplin said. "When it's pretty clear that the guys in Vietnam don't want to be there, and people who have been drafted were saying, I don't understand what the justification of the war is, that gave greater impetus to the war protesters."
Misconceptions that the draft bill was conceived by the Bush administration may stem from the fact that the draft would be implemented in the spring of 2005, safely hidden behind major campaign issues of fall's election season. Most supporters, in fact, oppose the war with Iraq. The draft bill is seen more as a cautionary tool created by liberals concerned about the consequences of a hasty move to war.
"We're not going to re-implement a draft," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. "There is no need for it at all. The disadvantages of using compulsion to bring into the armed forces the men and women needed are notable."