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from which...
Pending Draft Legislation Targeted for Spring 2005 The Draft will Start in June 2005
There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S 89 and HR 163) which will time the program's initiation so the draft can begin at early as Spring 2005 -- just after the 2004 presidential election. The administration is quietly trying to get these bills passed now, while the public's attention is on the elections, so our action on this is needed immediately.
$28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS) budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as June 15, 2005. Selective Service must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation. Please see website: www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html to view the sss annual performance plan - fiscal year 2004.
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Pedictable, though I recall some, a few months ago, expressing doubt this would happen.
The question we should ask ourselves is this: if re-elected, what exactly will the Bush administration do with another four years? I believe the draft legislation provides a clue.
Though knocked off-balance by unexpected events in Iraq - or, perhaps I should write 'events unexpected by the stupidly arrogant' since many people accurately predicted the current situation - the Bush admin appears to remain as impervious to corrective knowledge as a pile of stones. Oh, they try new things - the various twists and turns of Iraq policy are a good example of their attempts to innovate - but the underlying idea of each new plan is the same: we're right and we must control.
How does this relate to the draft?
I suspect, and this is hardly an original thought, that our Washington Empire Adventure Team is planning to continue the American Metalstorm Unprovoked Aggression Tour (subtitle: "it's not about the oil baby, it's about the power - okay, it's about both!") which has already visited Afghanistan and Iraq with great success.
It's hard to imagine these fellows sitting quietly with a four-year-renewal, tending to the business of state (or state dismantling), lining the pockets of friends and striving to pass crazy laws declaring fetuses to be proto-citizens among other bits of strangeness. This is the work of weaklings, of visionless domestic politicians. No, none of this for our titans -- they're empire builders, paunchy Caesars in tailored suits.
Four years is a long time to, as they might say, 'do nothing'. Something must be done with this time. Harrassing immigrants, examining shoes for semtex, standing in front of banners for photo-ops and giving speeches about god this or Jesus that is simply not enough.
Not when Iran and Syria taunt the mightiest and most righteous power in the history of history with their troublesome, non-free marketized existence. And don't get our imperial boys and girls started on North Korea; they're just asking for some JDAM goodness.
But it's tough to cross the Rubicon without legions.
Which brings us to the draft....
.d.