If only Tony Blair had it that easy with his opposition (and his own party)…

Posted by: ralphieboy | Apr 20 2006 10:40 utc | 4

Since the dems genuflect at the alter of AIPAC equally as enthusiastically as he rethugs, one would infer that the faxes are flying. I haven’t checked AIPAC prouncements, but I’d be willing to wager they’re continuing to push hard for attack, having cross-pollinated with the neocon clusterfuck.
As long as contradicting Israeli policy and action is conflated with anti-semitism we are indeed screwed in the mideast.

Posted by: DonS | Apr 20 2006 12:35 utc | 6

Malooga – What are your thoughts on re-instating a draft? As a way of motivation for the masses, would it work again? Did it before?

Posted by: beq | Apr 20 2006 13:36 utc | 8

I think that the elite are very scared of the draft. They are worried that it would increase resistance to the war, increase class consciousness, and, to a lesser extent, increase consciousness of the greater deleterious effects of American empire to the world. Remember that the protests during the Vietnam War were primarily about not wanting to get one’s own ass shot; greater political awakening did occur, but to a much lesser degree.
The elite are also worried that the draft will have a general mobilizing effect politically for the populace. They are much more comfortable with the current elite restricted debate about manufactured non-issues (flag burning, etc.) which are carefully crafted to arouse the spirit of only the most ignorant and easily manipulated, and marginalize and supress all informed debate. In this respect, much effort has gone into devising ways, like caged “free speech” zones, to both criminalize the appearance of protest, and minimalize the energizing, engaging, populist face of street-theatre protest.
Over the years, much work and planning has also gone into crafting ways to minimize the carnage of combat. We have better armor, more powerful weapons, a better air force with “smarter” bombs, and now, the emergence of pilot-less drones and robots. And they have been largely successful. 3000 casualties is acceptable to the public in a way that 10,000 would not be.
Another theme devolving from this effort has been the selling of war as a kind of high tech game. The video game industry passed Hollywood in size several years ago. Those guys, like me, who still haven’t been able to get over our professional sport addictions, were treated to endless commercials during “March Madness,” like the one of a sharp looking lad who returns home to his rather dull and enmired homies to announce that he “has gotten into comuters.” When one of his friends asks if he couldn’t have done that at home, we see his memory flash to a series of cut-action shots, replete with whirling camera perspectives, of arrays of monitors all zeroing-in perfectly on “the enemy,” who is, of course, bloodlessly vanquished at the push of a button. “Not like this,” the soldier replies. His friends look up at him with jealous admiration. The image of war as video game, devoid of content and consequence, has been mastered.
So I believe that the elite will do anything to avoid a draft. If one does occur, because of dire need, it will occur in hastily passed unread legislation as the result of another, even more massive, engineered (MIHOP) terrorist attack occuring on our soil.
It is clear that the deteriorating domestic employment outlook forms a virtuous cycle, along with military recruiting, for the elite. But they can only push this so far without incurring significant domestic unrest, which is already beginning to mobilize.
I also believe that the need for greater recruitment is one of the most salient, uncommented upon (even by me), features lurking beneath the surface of the “immigration” debate. We already have vast numbers of Latin Americans serving in our military. The question is, how to design a plan to encourage even more. Proposals for mustering a para-military “border control” force of some 600-700,000 men, also amount to stealth methods for increasing military enrollment, as well as broadening the definition of service in our increasingly militarized society, and directing a new force arrayed at our wayward southern neighbors.
In a sense, the elite have become penned in, with few acceptable options. The best one being internationalizing military conflict, as Bush I did so successfully in “Gulf War I”™, and Clinton did, also successfully, with NATO, in Yugoslavia. That is the approach being taken so smoothly in the current Chad/Sudan oil and resource grab, being marketed as the “crisis in Darfur,” that even an old pro like Amy Goodman has been suckered in. The Bush I experts, and Clinton “internationalists,” are running that show, below the radar, with much more aplomb than the Texas cowboy has managed his apportioned bailiwick.
All of this above, is just by way of background for my opining that it is for these reasons, I believe, that those who support the reinstatement of the draft, the Rangels and Conyers, et al., are to be supported, and encouraged, in their efforts. Even vigorous public debate about a draft would be a good thing, and have a chilling effect upon the already weak public support for future military adventures.
But, more to the point, all efforts to directly educate the public of the deleterious effects of our war addicted society are to be encouraged and supported. The best, and simplest, book that I know about, is the comic book, “Addicted to War.” It is cheap, clear, easy to talk about, and its arguments are easy to grasp and irrefutable in their logic.
Americans want their ground cow, but they are loath to raise their own hand, and run the gleaming knife across its sultry throat.

Posted by: Malooga | Apr 20 2006 16:04 utc | 10

@malooga – draft
Did you see the propaganda trial baloon that was floated in todays NYT as an OpEd?
A Peaceful Call to Arms

THE American public needs to be prepared for what is shaping up to be a clash of colossal proportions between the West and Iran.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt masterfully prepared Americans before the United States entered World War II by initiating a peacetime draft under the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940.
Now, President Bush and Congress should reinstitute selective service under a lottery without any deferments.
…
President Bush has the perfect credentials overseas to execute this move, and little political capital at home to lose at this stage. Polls confirm that a wide majority of people in many countries view him and the United States as the major threat to global peace. Why let them down on this count? Go with the flow.
..,
President Bush should therefore consult with Congress about reinstituting selective national service by lottery for all young males and females. After 9/11, President Bush missed an opportunity to ask America’s citizenry to make sacrifices in the form of military service, homeland defense and conservation that many would have accepted. Instead, he asked people to continue shopping to prop up the flagging economy.
We should not fumble the opportunity now to begin selective service again, while the Iranians and others are watching. It may be our last best chance to avoid war with Iran.

It’s hard to tell if is satire or real, but I opt for real.
The other is some unknown guy. Someone launched this into NYT to see what the reaction might be.

Posted by: b | Apr 20 2006 16:48 utc | 12

Thanks for that Malooga. It’s always hard to imagine how it could play out. So much at stake. How to get the uninformed to think about having their own skin in the game with no easy way out of it.
In re: “…bloodlessly vanquished at the push of a button.” Over at “Castle” d r i f t g l a s s, “Button, Button”.

Posted by: beq | Apr 20 2006 17:28 utc | 14

Yes, I was thinking that too. Forgot to mention it. It does seem rather unbeleiveable. Stuff like that would move in a huge convoy up from Kuwait.

Posted by: Malooga | Apr 20 2006 17:48 utc | 16

Interesting question, reenstating the draft. Malooga is no doubt right that it would intesify resistance to the war effort. This is the same lesson I took from the recent immigration protests. When people lose a personal choice in the matter and they become vulnerable, personally, can imagine quite vividly a personal consequence which they have lost control over. This, as most of us would agree, would clear up a lot of the moral ambiguity that is so often used by the zelots on the right that are happy to fight wars vicariously or by proxie — like say, the college republicans. Rhetorically amusing, yes, but, I wonder would it be enough (to stop it) — or, is it the right moral position to take to become an ironic advocate for what your against. And here, I’m as guilty as anyone, having cynically argued the other day on the need to keep rumsfeld as secretary of defence as a kind of failure insurance and clarity regarding culpibility. Interestingly, the draft issue would effect me and my own on the same level that I might find myself arguing that it should effect others, in that I could be advocating the draft of my own son into a war that both of us disagree. And could’nt this advocacy then be construed as support for the war effort not unlike the democrats tacit support we all loath so reguarly? Especially if there were to be some (fabracated) event (like Iran) that would necessitate a real draft. Gotta be careful what we wish for here, because as Grace Slick once sang “when the men on the chess board get up and tell you where to move” — it might be you.

Posted by: anna missed | Apr 20 2006 19:00 utc | 18

The differences and opposition between Team Red and Team Blue are entirely artificial and engineered by both of them.
Some lip service to old progressive views – vestiges of times past – or harking both forward and back to basic Conservative values is sufficient to keep people either drop-outs or rooters for team A or B.
Nobody will look at the high school itself – its incompetent teachers, outdated books, crazy social – power – class based discipline, stigmatisation of certain pupils, pedophiliac high jinks – one death, hush hush, secret drama – poor access road, toxic food, spread of veneral disease, the future of the children, the jobs availiable, the car accidents, the shootings….
No, its team A and Team B all the way. Rah, or Yay, or whatever.
Now, that might be a societal choice. I think it is, in a funny way.
The left furnishes an alibi – as does the right, of a different kind – but the left upholds the idea that ppl care, do care, or should pretend to care, about the sick, the drugged teens, the elderly badly cared for, the dismal education, the prisoners who are not guilty, the homeless, the handicapped, the immigrants, the new slaves who can’t be replaced by tractor…
the Iraqi children, their guts spilled on the pavement, their white faces terrified in the bright lights ….
the insurgents, rebels, terrorists, jihadists, fanatics, madmen, who deserve — death or torture. Torture before death is better…
Team A will kill one million, team B the same or more, who knows.
If the Democrats take back Congress, watch out. They are the weaker party (see Hillary C’s posturings), they will be more subservient to the PTB, as to get the cash they will have to make more effort. In a sense Bush protected the American people through his dynastic and right wing credentials, his hesitations, his sticking his feet in the ground. His stupidity.
I know that will seem totally weird to many.
I’ll give the Democrats one thing, though, and they have sure been pushing it: they are better at negotaition with the allies; they can make nice (as the poor cousin does, sweet, understanding, humble…), give up or agree to pay,make promises. They are better at diplomacy, at understanding others, at giving up time; less rigid, more cosmopolitan, savvy-er, culturally richer. That is their one calling card. A matter of strategy rather than substance.
And the EU is slavering at the mouth waiting for these more amenable partners. The EU remembers well that Billy C managed the killing in and busting up of Yugoslavia, almost invisibly, under the radar, while putting up cheerfully, most of the time, with, inter alia, the demeaning trivia of a sperm-stained Gap dress. The jihadists, handsomely, nay extravagantly paid, performed brilliantly, and the Prince of Darkness’ bombs (Welsey Clark) did the rest – Koffi (Annan) had agreed to it from the start, it was the condition for him being hired. That is how things should go!
There will be no draft in the US in my life time. It is dangerous and unecessary. The Democrats, e.g. Kerry, who spoke for it, only did so because they were out of power. Once in their tune will change.

Posted by: Noisette | Apr 20 2006 20:25 utc | 20