I propose a draft that should satisfy everyone

[Orrex]

Military not meeting its ever-diminishing enlistment goals? Let's reestablish the draft immediately.

It's simple. We have like 160K troops in Iraq, and they're suffering from long deployment and the general strain of a terrible and terribly stupid war.

Where do we get the personnel to bolster their ranks? Draft them!

By last count, we have about 180K mercenary "contractors" in Iraq. Draft them. Draft every last one of them. If they're as American as apple pie, as their employer likes to claim, let them prove it.

We'd save on training (since they're already trained); we'd save on transport costs (since they're already there); and we'd save on per diem expenses (since they earn between six and ten times what an equivalent member of the military makes).

It's a win-win! We get rid of the contractors, we replenish our diminishing ranks, and we save a bundle in the process.


Who's with me?!?

[pennylane100]

1. I am.

[MNDemNY]

2. We would have to screen the hell out of them.

I fear many are unfit for service.

[movonne]

3. Excellent idea...Please run that by someone who can do something

about it...but I doubt you will find anyone...

[Basileus Basileon]

4. While that might save on costs, it's problematic on two fronts.

The first is that it may be considered a bill of attainder and thus unconstitutional. I will not seriously argue this point, because I am completely unaware of any precedent regarding that.

The second is that you are not changing the number of Americans in Iraq. There would still be the same number of Americans there, and the same number of jobs to do.

[Orrex]

8. Interesting

Hadn't thought of the bill of attainder angle, but there might be something to that.

And as far as the number of Americans in Iraq, at least they'd be clearly on the books, so that Bushco couldn't hide behind falsely under-exaggerated figures. If we have 340,000 over there, let's say so.

(It occurs to me that some indeterminate number of non-US citizens make up part of the population of contractors, but the point remains more or less the same even if we can't draft those people).

[Freedomofspeech]

5. Better yet, let's draft every able-bodied person who supports ...

this damn invasion. I can give the government a list right now.

[Orrex]

9. Let's throw out the "able-bodied" part

A distressingly high fraction of the Congress supports this war, and many of those are well beyond their physical primes. But if they're so gung-ho, surely we could find some kind job for them...

[doubleplus]

6. Brilliant!

That's hilarious. If it wasn't for the fact that the billions we're spending on mercenaries we have in there is just part of the whole purpose of the war (money movement to Cheney pals), it might fly.

Even better, pay our REAL soldiers what we pay our mercenaries, and we'll have all the volunteers we need. Then, drop the mercenary pay to what we're paying our Marines and they'll all leave on their own (or join the military).

The mercenaries would not know how to act having to actually follow rules and laws. Right now they're completely unaccountable - not bound by Iraqi laws, international rules of war, US laws or any other laws. Heck, they murdered 17 Iraqis and the worst thing that could happen is they get fired. There's videos all over YouTube of them snipping innocent civilians for fun. They're assassins for hire, and it disgusts me that my country hires them.

[Warpy]

7. I am. When did a private army owned by a rich man

ever become legal, anyway? And now that joker wants a navy.

That could very well the only way we could deal with the potential menace of a private army like Blackwater.

If we don't, we can expect to see them used to destroy unions, disrupt peace marches, and generally attack all Americans who assemble peacefully to speak truth to power.

[AndyA]

10. Why do you hate America, Orrex?

Can you not clearly see that all our goals as a nation can be met by declaring war on sovereign nations who have done nothing to us;

Creating instability in the Middle East to keep gas prices high;

Lowering taxes for the wealthy - it trickles down, you know;

Borrow as much as you can, someone else will pay it back later;

No draft, contractors do a more efficient job at filling in any gaps;

And never, ever admit you are wrong. Blame those damn libruls for everything - and your right wing conservative talk show hosts will berate anyone and everyone who tries to point out the truth.

Can't you see they have it all figured out? Why do you hate America so much?? :shrug:

:sarcasm: