[extropy-chat] Fwd: Manditory draft for your child?

Zero Powers zero.powers at gmail.com
Wed Sep 29 04:28:51 UTC 2004


OK folks, I got the below very breathless email about a purported
looming draft bill.  I didn't follow the links, and barely perused the
message.  But I remember there was debate on this list about whether
dubya is out to implement a draft.  Perhaps this answers that
question?

Zero

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 21:21:57 -0700
Subject: Fwd: Manditory draft for your child?
To: Zero Powers <zero.powers at gmail.com>

Mandatory draft for males and females (ages 18-26) starting June
15,2005, is something that everyone should know about. This literally
affects everyone since we all have or know children that will have to
go if this bill passes. There is pending legislation in the house and
senate (companion bills:89 and HR 163) which will time the program's
initiation so the draft can begin as 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. Details and
links follow.This plan, among other things, eliminates higher
education as a shelter and includes women in the draft. Also, crossing
into Canada has already been made very difficult. Actions: Please send
this on to all the parents and teachers you know,and all the aunts and
uncles, grandparents, godparents. . .And let your children know - -
it's their future, and they can be a powerful voice for change!

This legislation is called HR 163 and can be found in detail at this
website: http://thomas.loc.gov. Enter in "HR 163" and click search and
will bring up the bill for you to read. It is less than two pages
long. If this bill passes, it will include all men and ALL WOMEN from
ages 18 - 26 in a draft for military action. In addition, college will
no longer be an option for avoiding the draft and they will be signing
an agreement with Canada which will no longer permit anyone attempting
to dodge the draft to stay within its borders. This bill also includes
the extension of military service for all those that are currently
active.If you go to the select service web site and read their 2004
FYI Goals you will see that the reasoning for this is to increase the
size of the military in case of terrorism. This is a critical piece of
legislation; this will affect undergraduates, our children and our
grandchildren. Please take the time to write your congressman and let
them know how you feel about this legislation.
www.house.gov. Please also write to your representatives and ask them
why they aren't telling their constituents about these bills and write
to newspapers and other media outlets to ask them why they're not
covering this important story. $28 million has been added  to the 2004
selective service system 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 www. sss. gov/perfplan_fy2004 to view the Selective Service
System annual performance plan, fiscal year 2004. The pentagon has
quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board
positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide. Though this is an
unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential
members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction of a
"long, hard drag" in Iraq and Afghanistan (and permanent state of war
on terrorism)proves accurate, the U. S. may have no choice but to
draft.

The Universal National service Act of 2003, "to provide for the common
defense by requiring that 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."

These active bills currently sit in the committee on armed services.
Dodging the draft will be more difficult than those from the Vietnam
era. College and Canada will not be options. In December, 2001, Canada
and the U. S. signed a "smart border declaration," which could be used
to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed by Canada's minister of
foreign affairs, John Manley, and U. S. Homeland Security director,
Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30 point plan which implements,
among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people entering and
departing each country. Reforms aimed at making the draft more
equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates higher
education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to postpone
service until the end of their current semester. Seniors would have
until the end of the academic year.



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