WAR IS A FAMILY VALUE - SEND YOUR KIDS

[Guest guest]

The administration says.....??? What has been the case with " this

administration " is that what you can pretty much count on is that if

they are talking they are lying. Maybe it hasn't been 100%, but looking back

four years I can't remember any of them ever telling the truth much about

anything.

 

 

 

 

f

Sat, 30 Oct 2004 23:37:14 -0000

Subject:WAR IS A FAMILY VALUE - SEND YOUR KIDS

 

 

WAR IS A FAMILY VALUE - SEND YOUR KIDS

 

Administration's own actions fuel rumors of draft

 

By ERIC ROSENBERG

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER WASHINGTON BUREAU

 

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld indignantly scoffs

and scolds about the relentless rumors that the Bush administration

is planning to reinstate the military draft. In a radio interview

earlier this month, Rumsfeld denounced the rumors as " a mischievous

political effort that's being made to frighten young men and women. "

 

This may come as a shock to the Pentagon chief, but most of the

rumors have arisen from actions within the Bush administration, which

has studied how to expand draft registration to include women, target

some civilian work specialties for special attention by the draft and

extend the required draft registration age from 25 years old to 34

years.

 

These draft plans were discussed at the Pentagon on Feb. 11, 2003, by

the chief of the Selective Service System, the federal agency that

would operate a draft, and senior Pentagon officials.

 

At the Pentagon meeting, the Selective Service System's then-acting

director, Lewis Brodsky, and the director of public and congressional

affairs, Richard Flahavan, met with Rumsfeld aides responsible for

personnel issues.

 

Those aides included Charles Abell, principal deputy undersecretary

of defense for personnel and readiness; William Carr, deputy

undersecretary of defense for military personnel policy; and a top

Army personnel aide, Col. David Kopanski.

 

The Arlington, Va.-based Selective Service System, which is

independent from the Defense Department, envisioned the creation of a

massive database that would require all registrants to indicate

whether they have skills " critical to national security or community

health and safety. "

 

The database could then be used to fill key posts throughout the

armed forces and federal, state and local government agencies in time

of crisis.

 

The six-page proposal was initially made public after Hearst

Newspapers filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act.

 

Rumors about the draft also have been fueled by the update of

contingency plans for a draft of medical personnel in a crisis.

 

The New York Times reported this month that the Selective Service

System had hired a public relations agency, Widmeyer Communications,

to assess how to plan for such a medical draft. The agency advised

that " overtures from Selective Service to the medical community will

be seen as precursors to a draft " that could alarm the public, the

newspaper reported.

 

The military draft ended in 1973 as the American commitment in

Vietnam waned, beginning the era of the all-volunteer force.

Mandatory registration for the draft was suspended in 1975 but was

resumed in 1980 by President Carter after the Soviets invaded

Afghanistan.

 

About 13.5 million men, ages 18 to 25, currently are registered with

the Selective Service.

 

The issue of a renewed draft has gained attention because of concerns

that U.S. military forces are stretched thin due to worldwide

commitments.

 

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/197438_pot30.html