TV Ads: Bush-Petraeus 10-Year Plan Means a Draft

Americans have seen some news reports over the last few days suggesting that the White House "might-maybe-could-possibly" bring some troops home from Iraq next year. If this happens, that's great. But don't break out the confetti just yet.

Every other indicator is that these are fairy tales cooked up by the White House PR machine to try to cauterize their bleeding support. Almost like clock-work the White House breaks the glass of their magical PR machine every time they're about to lose it.

The story hasn't changed. This is still an endless war. And, now a military draft is on the table.

As part of Iraq Summer, a project of Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a new TV ad called "DRAFT" blows the whistle on this double-talk from the Bush administration.

The ad makes three points.

1. The Republicans targeted in the ads continue to rubber-stamp whatever Bush wants in Iraq -- despite what they might be saying to their constituents.

2. Bush's general, Gen. David Petraeus, says the mission he has been given by the president could take 10 years. (Probably why the White House is trying to sideline Petraeus from the PR war.)

3. An endless war means a military draft is on the table. Your kids could be drafted. Bush is running out of troops as it is. That's why they're talking about a draft.

This is so far outside of what the American public would find acceptable that political leaders need to be held accountable. That's why Iraq Summer is running new TV ads.

The ad will be running in the home state of Republican Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY)--who has been obstructing a vote on any exit plan from Iraq. Also, Rep. Phil English (R-PA), Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA) are targets of this specific ad campaign.

We also learned last week that the much-anticipated "Petraeus Report" will actually be written by White House political hacks in their PR and spin operation. (Link)

Check out the ads and show them around.

Let's make it clear that: Bush-Petraeus 10 Year War = Endless War and a Draft.

Comments

[nomorebombs]

Stop the bloodshed ...

[matandch]

Better than the draft pay for the war now! This is the only war in the history of our country in which taxes were not raised to pay for the war. Raise taxes and balance the budget. If you hit Americans in the pocketbook they WILL change their attitudes about continuing the war. Money talks, BS walks. Works every time

[Sundialsvc4]

It might interest a few people to surf to "thomas.loc.gov" (the official research website of the Library of Congress) and look-up a bill that is sitting on the House floor right now: The National Service Act of 2007.

Under this act, any PERSON from age 18 to 42 would be liable either for conscription into the military, or compulsory "national service" (of the President's own choosing), or both.

So, if you're chucking for a draft as a good thing because you and everyone you know are:
-- female
-- well under age 18
-- well over the age of 25,
and you therefore suppose that "it won't affect ME or MINE," then perhaps you may wish to think again.

There will be no deferments to speak of: if you're in school you get to finish your current semester.

And if you happen to be foolish enough to think that "Congress wouldn't stand for it," blah blah blah, maybe you'd better spend a whole lot more time on "thomas" and SEE FOR YOURSELF how your so-called representatives in Congress have ACTUALLY voted. On an awful lot of things that affect you. You do not have a friend on Capitol Hill.

Your son .. and your daughter .. and you! .. just might REALLY become cannon-food for nothing more than a bunch of rich folk's lust for oil and power. And by the way, they will sell the coffin that you get buried in, as well as the flag that your next-of-kin will receive (before THEY ship out).

Oh no, no, no. I am not kidding. God, I sorely wish that I was.

[JHD]

The thing that keeps this war going is that without the draft almost everyone thinks "it won't affect ME or MINE". Watch the riots happen when the chicken hawks have THEIR children used as cannon food for oil and empire. The all volunteer army breeds chicken hawks by the millions. A draft would end the war.

[Sundialsvc4]

Give me your son and your daughter, then. Give me your spouse, and you.

(Time passes.)

Indeed, your prediction was correct. The draft did end the war. Unfortunately for you and yours, it "ended" all of YOU, first.

Well, not exactly. Look on the bright side: your son has one arm left, and with a good wheel chair he don't need legs. And your daughter, well, she's a sad shape, and I don't know why the security detail wasn't around when .. well, when "it" happened. But the psychologists will take good care of her.

"You haven't an arm .. you haven't a leg .. karoo, karoo ..
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, karoo..
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg,
You'll have to be put with a bowl to beg ..
You're a hapless shell of a man on a peg,
Johnny,
I hardly knew ye."

That song was written in Civil War times. Maybe they knew something back then, that we should not forget today?

"There's no such thing as a winnable war...
It's a lie we don't believe anymore..."

[tellner]

I would absolutely support a draft. 100%. Without a doubt.

But it will have to be the Carthage Draft. Let me explain.

There's some controversy about whether ancient Carthage practiced human sacrifice. But the stories say that it was a special sort if it existed. In times of grave danger children were burned alive in a bronze statue. But they weren't just any children. They weren't strays, slaves or the poor. They were the favorite sons and daughters of the rich and noble.

If we're going to have a war let's update that custom. Every Congressman, every Senator and everyone in the Executive at Cabinet level or above plus the Joint Chiefs contributes a child. It should be a son or daughter by preference. If there aren't any of suitable age a grandchild, a sibling, a niece or nephew or other close kin will do. The designated won't be allowed any sort of deferment or exemption. He or she goes straight into the Service in a high-risk specialty like Cavalry Scout or rifleman and stays there for the duration.

You can have your war. But you'd better really believe in it because you'll pay in the only coin that really matters, your own flesh and blood. You'll have to endure the same sleepless nights and cry at the same funerals as the Little People. You'll have to endure whatever your spouse and the rest of your family heap on you. And you'll have to look them in the eye and say "It was worth it" when your darling comes home in a closed box.

[johnebeegood]

We'll start with you and your family.

[Cosmicos]

Because of the tragic "Holy War"
created by the Bush administration,
a military draft is inevitable.
Before 2010.
This will be inspite of a Democrat President
and Congress.

[mphalen]

If you think reinstating the draft will put an end to this illegal occupation you are wrong. Growing up is the 60's I can tell you it was not that we had the draft that got people out in the streets protesting the Viet Nam war. It was because the media back then was doing their job. Every night there were reports and pictures of the war on the news and in the newspapers. They were not afraid to show not only the casualties but the body bags. Do you remember the classic Life Magazine picture of the little girl running naked in the street burned by napalm? Back then the media was not in the pockets of the administrations' of either Johnson or Nixon. People actually read newspapers that kept them informed of what was really going on. Entertainment news was left to the gossip columnists (which was actually one column in the paper) and Variety magazine. I commend this ad for trying to inform by connecting the dots for the public, but we need to have ads that show what is really happening in Iraq.

[johnebeegood]

Thank you.

I don't think most of the people posting have a clear idea of what they're asking for. The ones that do are gung ho military types.

[NABNYC]

We should have a draft for both men and women. No exceptions for the rich and well-connected.

The fact is that if a democracy is going to be involved in wars, all the citizens should be equally affected, or at least potentially equally affected, by having their sons and daughters, or grandsons and granddaughters, fighting in far off lands.

Middle class people not only do not fight the wars, they actually profit from them. Drive around the suburbs. Take a look at the 4000 square foot air conditioned homes, the gas-guzzling SUVs and tanks being driven, four to a home, the exotic vacations, big bank accounts. These people are pampered by the policies of the Bush regime, and are doing quite well thank you very much.

If all the children from all the neighborhoods had been subject to a draft, (1) the war in Iraq probably would not have been started, and (2) if it was started, it would be over by now.

Those same SUVs would have been driven not to the mall but to the government centers full of parents and grandparents with picket signs demanding that this war be ended.

Can you imagine Chelsea and the Bush twins being sent into the nightmare that is Iraq? Of course not. These politicians, and much of the middle class, only support wars when it is other people's children who are dying.

[Observer47]

"We should have a draft for both men and women. No exceptions for the rich and well-connected."

As someone else commented, there have been exceptions for the rich and well-connected since there have been wars. Just wishing it so isn't going to make it so, and if a draft were instituted, you can bet our children's lives that those of the Bu$h and Cheney ilk would NOT be serving. There are always loopholes and exceptions, and no one in the world is going to stop that.

[Bigtexxx]

Draft? C'mon, what is this, 1941? A draft is so five minutes ago! I agree with Sierra's points. You gotta start thinking mercenaries, baby! It's cost effective, the public doesn't know or care, and it makes Dubya's nutty friends even more wealthy! "Blackwater" is a must-read, because it lays down the future of war. War will be, and is, being fought by hired guns who are both above the law and outside the code of military conduct. There will never be another draft, but there will be a lot more mercenaries.

[johnebeegood]

Another stupid idea. The idea is to stop this nonsense,not privatize it.

[Kungfublood]

Any member of the House that believes so strongly in the richeous reason of war and thus votes for war should have their kids automatically placed at the top of the draft list! Men and women both should be forced to kill innocent people for the enrichment of the wealthy just as soon as the wealthy are forced to die along side the poor and not a moment sooner!

[Dem02020]

I like the stated focus of the ad campaign; it is not necessary to try and convince the American People of the madness of the Bush administration's greedy scheme in Iraq... they know already, in an overwhelming majority.

I like the focus being on what many of the American People have not thought about: That it is presently Congressional Republicans who are enabling this scheme of death and lies and profit in Iraq; and they are doing this of course, by way of siding with George W. Bush, and against the American People and their own constituents, on this matter.
And those Congressional Republicans can and should be held accountable themselves.

Also, that there is no end in sight to the Bush administration's scheme in Iraq: They are hell-bent and determined to keep the $10 billion per month flowing to their gang... and to keep the blood of our Sons and Daughters in Iraq, flowing too, as simply an unfelt (to them the schemers) consequence to their scheme.

And the prospect of a draft, is simply a way of focusing us on how over-extended are those who are already serving, and sacrificing, on a "mission" that serves no National Security concern in the least, to the American People.

And lastly, I'd note that there seems little reason to run these ads with certain House Republicans in mind... as it is not Republicans in the House who stand in the way presently, but in the Senate...

In particular, those Class II Senators up for re-election in '08: They are the ones to target with these ads...
Sen. Coleman (MN), Sen. Collins (ME), Sen. Dole (NC), Sen. Domenici (NM), Sen. Graham (SC), Sen. Hagel (NE), Sen. Smith (OR), Sen. Roberts (KS), Sen. Sununu (NH), Sen. Warner (VA), and of course Sen. McConnell...

It's their seats we'll take from them, in a year's time, if they don't get on board with the American People and their constituents on this matter, and stop enabling George W. Bush's scheme of death and lies and greed in Iraq.

[Tom Matzzie - Huffpost Blogger]

The strategy is to create a political price for politicians who are obstructing an end to the war. Senators up for re-election in 2008 are prime targets.

[Sundialsvc4]

"They're rolling out the guns again, karoo, karoo...
They're rolling out the guns again, karoo...
They're rolling out the guns again, BUT THEY'LL NEVER TAKE MY SONS AGAIN..
No, they'll never take my sons again,
Johnny, I'm swearin' to ya."

[Paul]

A draft is what this country needs. As it is, some air-headed President can send off the all volunteer military into some reckless adventure, and nobody cares. Worse, the all-volunteer military has failed to properly occupy Iraq, a country in a region of vital national interest.

If we had a draft you can bet there would be a meaningful debate in Congress before any authorization was given. And should we decide to go to war, we would probably win it. As it is now, every country in the world is being given a demonstration on the tactics that are successful in defeating the US military.

I don't see a downside to a draft.

[Observer47]

Other than that they could legally take all the bodies they want for cannon fodder.

[rijomi]

If a real draft was reinstituted it would mean the end of the war. Do you think the neocons and the privileged would put up their blood? They couldn't even give up their tax cuts to help finance the war. Bring it back and watch the chickenhawks scatter and squawk.

[freesingerrr]

I live out on the west coast, where we get up 3 hours later...I get HuffPost when there are 50-139 posts already...You've seen the Sports Filter, "I'm first", several times...well I'm last!every day! Is there a way for the last to be first! Excuse, that's religious...but could the bottom third be flipped digitally up to the top about twice a week? Puhleeze! freesinger

[Tom Matzzie - Huffpost Blogger]

I'm reading your comment even if it posted low.

[TitaniumAvatar]

They hate our time zone!

[Nocall4it]

Simply put folks, there is no deviating from the course here. there is no difference b/w Dems and Republicans. This isn't about party but about oligarchy and imperialism. If the democrats were any different then they would have acted in congress as their constituients have desired. We're watching the end of the american nightmare for, there was never a dream. I fear the future here for my children. I see facism, rampant corruption and a further dismantling of our constitution. France in 1789 experienced a basic boiling over caused by similar characteristics. Unfortunately, I don't think the American people have the intellect to see nor the balls to become radical in the streets. It's not going to be pretty from here out. Recommendation: get a passport and a plan.