McCain: World War III Would Justify Draft

John McCain said last night during a campaign tele-conference that he would bring back a military draft in the United States only in the case of a 'World War III' scenario.

Reuters reported:

Many Americans are fearful the U.S. government will be forced to reinstitute the draft given the prolonged Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Asked about that possibility by a potential voter in Florida during a telephone "town hall meeting," McCain said: "I don't know what would make a draft happen unless we were in an all-out World War III." ...

McCain, a Vietnam veteran, said the draft during that conflict weighed most heavily on lower-income Americans, and that this should not be repeated.

But McCain may be more open to the draft than it seems. During a July 2006 interview on CNN, McCain was asked about the following statement by Newt Gingrich: "We're in the early stages of what I would describes as the Third World War and, frankly, our bureaucracies aren't responding fast enough." Asked whether he agreed, McCain said:

"I do to some extent. I think it's important to recognize that we have terrorist organizations which -- who are dangerous by themselves, are now being supported by radical Islamic governments, i.e., the Iranians, which makes them incredibly more dangerous because they are trained, equipped, motivated and assisted in every way by the Iranians."

Also, as ThinkProgress noted, "Last October, President Bush himself warned of a coming 'World War III' with Iran. 'I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III,' said the President. 'It seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.'"

Comments

[lornejl]

huffie puts bucks before free speech and open discourse I know everyone is shocked..

[lornejl]

j/k huffie, you know I love ya ; )

[majormoderate]

I am ALL about the draft. I'm sick of these wars being designed by rich americans and fought by poor ones. Make a draft and I guarentee we're out of Iraq in a year. Draft is the quickest way to avoid war.

[DallasMike]

majormoderate,
"Draft is the quickest way to avoid war"?
So how come it took so long to get out of nam?

[lefilmnoir]

Because, unlike WW II, there were college deferments during Viet Nam, i.e., Five Deferrment Dick (Cheney). If Charles Rangel's bill became law, there would be a hasty end to these colonial wars/occupations.

[GoodDay]

If the United States continues to have the poor leadership it has had for the past eight years, we probably are in the early stages of World War III.

[gladys46]

WWIII, hmmmm, can Mc be drafted!!? Anyway, how else does he put his experience in Nam to rest!? How else does he continue "his" family legacy!?

Mc most probably breathes military, hut, hut, hut!

[lefilmnoir]

This is McCain's great strength (for some people.) He's one of the few politicians in America today who could call for a military draft and be taken seriously. They'd call it "national service" or something along those lines, for PR reasons, and they'd make sure the elites have a means of avoiding anything unpleasant or ... God forbid ... dangerous.

[JohnTalbutt]

As stupid as the NeoCons are, they know a draft for an unpopular war could not be enforced in a democracy. We have already proved that.. And a wider unpopular war with more occupation troops cannot be successful without a draft. That is why the objective goal of the NeoCons is fascism and why at every turn they are so eager undercut our Constitution and any other restraint on execuitve power.

[lornejl]

That was their genius, No draft, and put the war on the credit card. I really do give the evil credit when its due, a brilliant plan.

[RS]

I've mentined numerous times on this blog that if "More Wars" McCain wins in November, the first thing he would do once he's sworn in would be to reinstate the draft. Therefore, I have every right to say these words: SEE, I TOLD YOU SO!

[robodweeb]

I'd bet that when McC's people call O-bama "the most liberal, bordering on radical" if they were asked to name the votes that he made that "qualified" him in that category that...

First, they wouldn't have a clue what those votes were

Second, if they did name them I'd suspect that most Americans would agree with those votes.

[Researchguy66]

I bet his support for a bill (by way of a "present" vote of course) to allow medial professionals to deny basic medical care for babies who survive abortion would be real popular. Ma and Pa in the heartland would love the picture of a living baby tossed in the garbage can...nice­.

[lornejl]

War is killing. Real people die. Real baby's die. Real men women and children die.I don't think fat @ss Americans get that. They are REAL PEOPLE that we kill !

[Suthngal]

Can you imagine the tourism that Canada and Mexico would get? LOL

[Moshe]

Those that don't see a draft coming are just not paying attention.

And I remember debates about "virtues" of a draft, that if would share the burden more justly.

Absolute B.S.

Rich people don't do the dirty work, even when they are "drafted." See, for example, what George W. spent his time doing during his "service", check out Dick Cheney's multiple deferments; etc.

Don't be fooled. The rich and privileged are NOT subject to the draft. Never have been. Never will be.

We already have an economic draft. A broader draft would just give the rich and priviledged more bodies for cannon fodder in their war profiteering scheme in Iraq, and after all, it's not their children being blown to bits. They just get to cash the obscenely profitable tax payer checks that flow without end from a never ending war that other peoples children die in.

[Lemeritus]

11:05 PST - FISA being debated on C-SPAN 2.

[soapington]

Militarily, the US is now in a similar position to that of North Korea: because its army is ineffective and ill-equipped, its first strike option against any powerful nation has to be nuclear. Clearly any notion of "invading" Iran is absurd - but the destruction of Iran is not only possible, but likely, if Bush or McCain decides to go to war with that country. Presumably a nuclear strike would qualify as the looked-for beginning of World War III.

[Truthfighter1]

McCain you cannot have my 10 year old son for a stupid dumb War, the funny thing is that my son actually likes the MilitaryFBIPolice etc...and i have no problem with that, if he is willing to risk his life because of a choice he makes to serve the American people it she be just that, HIS CHOICE!!! Government cannot have my son against his will if it is not his choice. This is what really scares me about McCain and the GOP, neo-cons they are just ignorant.

[PixieThis]

I doubt any of the war supporters of this administration would have even the smallest iota of courage that we've seen from other folks. Including those grandmothers who wanted to volunteer because they didn't think the young people should be sacrificed. What ever happened to the noble idea of a leader being the first into battle and the last to leave the field?

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Leading by example didn't make the cut when they rewrote the rules.

[PixieThis]

I just despise cowards!