PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT….I’ve gotten quite a few emails, prompted by this article in the Guardian, which in turn seems to have been prompted by this post at Congress.org, suggesting that the Bush administration is planning to bring back the draft in 2005. Twin bills, S. 89 and HR 163, have been introduced that would reinstate the draft for “all young persons [age 18–26] in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes.”
The issue of military manpower is surely a worthy one, but in order to forestall further panic (and further emails) I’d like to point out to everyone that these bills were introduced by a pair of Democrats, Senator Fritz Hollings and Congressman Charlie Rangel. They are, as far as I know, primarily meant as PR ploys, either as ways to whip up anti-war sentiment or as ways to embarrass Republicans by forcing them to vote against the draft. Both bills are currently bottled up in committee and will likely stay there forever.
At any rate, it’s certainly wrong to suggest that “the Bush administration” is trying to bring back the draft. Just thought I’d let everyone know.
