Will Congress Bring Back the Draft?
"There is a growing dissonance between what the candidates said before the election and the developing facts on the ground in violent conflicts around the world in which the U.S. is deeply engaged militarily. The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere are intensifying, casualties are mounting, and the security situations are deteriorating"...(read the full article)
Preparing for the Draft: FAQ from Quaker House
Q. Will the military draft return?
A. We don’t know the future. What we do know is that the current U.S. military is seriously overstretched, with no relief in sight. We also know that the military is trying various "quick fixes" to close the gaps, and they don’t seem to be working...(read a comprehensive Q&A on draft issues)
FCNL's Statement (Minute) on Conscientious Objection
This statement, approved by FCNL's General Committee in November 2004, provides detailed information on the historic Quaker opposition to military conscription and the draft. This background can give you a historical grounding for your own application to be a conscientious objector. (read the statement)
Legislative Update: Vote on the Draft Bill
October 6, 2004
In a surprise election year legislative maneuver, the House Republican leadership decided to expedite consideration of a Democratic-sponsored bill to resume the military draft (HR 163). Apparently seeking both to quell widespread rumors that the Republicans may soon resume the draft and to shift this political hot potato to the Democrats, the Republican leadership put the issue to a vote under a "suspension of rules" whereby a bill is brought to the floor without committee hearings or a markup. The leadership fully expected the bill to be soundly defeated, and it was: 402-2. Even Rep. Rangel (NY), who originally introduced the bill in early 2003, voted against it.
Rep. Rangel (NY) and 13 other Democrats introduced the bill prior to the war in Iraq. Rangel believes the all-voluntary military is an unjust form of military conscription that draws primarily from the economically disadvantaged. He also believes the U.S. would be more cautious about going to war if everyone's son or daughter had an equal likelihood of being called upon to fight.
We at FCNL have argued to the contrary that the military draft is not the way to bring about the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, we call upon Congress to redirect the tremendous human and material resources now devoted to war and preparing for war to address the root causes of violence, to build cooperative, international institutions to peacefully prevent deadly conflicts, and to advance human security in all its dimensions.
Rock the Draft by Col. Dan Smith (FCNL Staff Member):
Once again, as in 1798 and 1918, there's a campaign underway suggesting that patriotism and dissent particularly any disagreement with top administration officials are mutually exclusive. Inherent in this suggestion is the premise that patriotism is the purview of government and government always is truthful relegating dissent to "lies and damn lies"...(read the full article)
Learn More About the Selective Service System
Are you concerned about registering for the Selective Service
or are you already registered and need to indicate that you
are a conscientious objector? To get you started, FCNL's Statement (Minute) on Conscientious Objection can give you some historical background on the Quaker opposition to military conscription. Additional information is also available
from these organizations:
More Info for Young Adults |
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Reviewed:
10/31/2005
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