Why anti-war protests are so wimpy: there is no draft
I was discussing the sorry state of affairs in America with some elderly voters while canvassing for a Democratic candidate a few weeks ago. There are two things about the elders in our society: they love to talk, and they remember how things "used to be". One woman who was obviously a "liberal" bemoaned the fact that there are no anti-war protests now, like there were in the 1960s. There are also no anti-war songs, no anti-war buttons, no anti-establishment fashion statements, etc. I thought for a moment, and dredged up the obvious reason from my war chest of talking points: there is no military draft.
A draft would get the potential draftees - and their parents - involved in protesting the Iraq war. They would protest not just the fact that the conflict has gone on longer than World War II (and has no end in sight), but they also would protest against the Bush/Rove/Cheney regime which presented "cooked" information to convince us to go to war ... and which promised us that it would not turn into a quagmire. This is, in fact, where we find ourselves: in a quagmire. If the young (and now - with the raising of the age limit to enlist - not-so-young) men and women returning from Iraq in coffins were going there against their will, there would be a huge call for the Bush/Rove/Cheney regime to re-justify the whole Iraq fiasco.
There is now talk of military action against Iran, if they do not place their nuclear power projects under United Nations control. If Bush/Rove/Cheney decide to attack Iran, where will the American military get their soldiers? They could raise the maximum enlistment age again for volunteers, which currently stands at 42 for the Army. (It was raised from 34 to 40 in January this year, and then from 40 to 42 in June.) The Congress could alternatively raise recruitment levels by offering incentives such as higher pay, higher death benefits for relatives, and a higher "GI Bill".
The thing about a volunteer militia versus a drafted militia is that volunteers go into the militia because of patriotism, pay, experience, or family tradition. (One could also argue that someone with political aspirations could be more successful with military service on their resume.) Those who enter the military because of a draft do so because they didn't volunteer first: in the time of a draft, it is a good idea to volunteer first, if you are likely to not protest going, to save face in front of friends, family, and colleagues. I would guess that the bulk of those who currently volunteer do so to make money to support their families, to make money for an otherwise-unaffordable education, or to learn a skill for future employability. All of these three reasons are economic. A person with a rich family would not need to go into military service to get the money to pay the bills or to pay for education.
Thus, the current volunteer military is designed to entice poor people into dying for their country. On the other hand, some not-so-poor people I know joined the Reserves during the Clinton Presidency, seeing it as a social club which met one weekend a month, where they could "play war", and have a party at the end. Additionally, others joined the military right after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Shoot, I was ready to join myself. Most likely those weekend warriors and patriots are fighting in Iraq right now, alongside those who joined to make money.
One can now understand why Congress has resisted raising the Minimum Wage. If people earned more money while staying out of the military, either the military wage would have to be increased, or a draft would have to be enacted. If a draft were enacted then Jenna and Barbara Bush would be eligible to go to war - and I believe people would suggest that these two volunteer first, before anyone is drafted. If President Bush balked at sending his daughters to war, that would raise questions from all quarters about the legitimacy of the war. I think the Bush/Rove/Cheney regime would have great difficulty answering these questions, especially questions posed by those who cannot be labeled as "liberals". I also think that the massive protests against a draft would make these three feel very insecure in any sort of public setting, making Bush resort to fake, scripted appearances (more than usual, anyway).
"No draft" means that poor people will die, Barbara and Jenna are safe, and Bush does not have to answer hard questions: all good things, as far as the current Republican Administration is concerned.
A draft would get the potential draftees - and their parents - involved in protesting the Iraq war. They would protest not just the fact that the conflict has gone on longer than World War II (and has no end in sight), but they also would protest against the Bush/Rove/Cheney regime which presented "cooked" information to convince us to go to war ... and which promised us that it would not turn into a quagmire. This is, in fact, where we find ourselves: in a quagmire. If the young (and now - with the raising of the age limit to enlist - not-so-young) men and women returning from Iraq in coffins were going there against their will, there would be a huge call for the Bush/Rove/Cheney regime to re-justify the whole Iraq fiasco.
There is now talk of military action against Iran, if they do not place their nuclear power projects under United Nations control. If Bush/Rove/Cheney decide to attack Iran, where will the American military get their soldiers? They could raise the maximum enlistment age again for volunteers, which currently stands at 42 for the Army. (It was raised from 34 to 40 in January this year, and then from 40 to 42 in June.) The Congress could alternatively raise recruitment levels by offering incentives such as higher pay, higher death benefits for relatives, and a higher "GI Bill".
The thing about a volunteer militia versus a drafted militia is that volunteers go into the militia because of patriotism, pay, experience, or family tradition. (One could also argue that someone with political aspirations could be more successful with military service on their resume.) Those who enter the military because of a draft do so because they didn't volunteer first: in the time of a draft, it is a good idea to volunteer first, if you are likely to not protest going, to save face in front of friends, family, and colleagues. I would guess that the bulk of those who currently volunteer do so to make money to support their families, to make money for an otherwise-unaffordable education, or to learn a skill for future employability. All of these three reasons are economic. A person with a rich family would not need to go into military service to get the money to pay the bills or to pay for education.
Thus, the current volunteer military is designed to entice poor people into dying for their country. On the other hand, some not-so-poor people I know joined the Reserves during the Clinton Presidency, seeing it as a social club which met one weekend a month, where they could "play war", and have a party at the end. Additionally, others joined the military right after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Shoot, I was ready to join myself. Most likely those weekend warriors and patriots are fighting in Iraq right now, alongside those who joined to make money.
One can now understand why Congress has resisted raising the Minimum Wage. If people earned more money while staying out of the military, either the military wage would have to be increased, or a draft would have to be enacted. If a draft were enacted then Jenna and Barbara Bush would be eligible to go to war - and I believe people would suggest that these two volunteer first, before anyone is drafted. If President Bush balked at sending his daughters to war, that would raise questions from all quarters about the legitimacy of the war. I think the Bush/Rove/Cheney regime would have great difficulty answering these questions, especially questions posed by those who cannot be labeled as "liberals". I also think that the massive protests against a draft would make these three feel very insecure in any sort of public setting, making Bush resort to fake, scripted appearances (more than usual, anyway).
"No draft" means that poor people will die, Barbara and Jenna are safe, and Bush does not have to answer hard questions: all good things, as far as the current Republican Administration is concerned.
posted by batguano at 2:31 PM
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