The upcoming draft

2004-07-18

...ANY type of draft, universal or "selective-technical" would be a regressive, bad development -- in spite of the chance the administration may be taking of developing another massive antiwar movement if it starts the draft. Judging from the foreign policy statements of Kerry and his selective criticism of Bush seemingly FROM THE RIGHT (on North Korea, Iraq, also Kerry's hard critique of the ICJ) it appears we may be getting the draft no matter who wins the white house this time.

This is so historically suggestive of the Johnson-Goldwater era -- Goldwater the "war monger" candidate, Johnson vocally avoiding such a label. When Johnson won the election he immediately started escalating in Vietnam and calling up the troops enmass. Is Kerry another Johnson?

I just came back from seeing "Control Room" -- a really fine documentary, for me more satisfying than F9/11 because it shows so clearly the contrasting behavior by the independent news group Al Jazeera to report the war in Iraq and the US military's (and Rumsfeld's) thuggish attempt to successfully control the news of what was occurring on the ground. It's a single subject admittedly, but extremely well done and compelling. And it probably is emblematic of what to expect from any future US military involved in such a colonial venture.

I believe we must demand that the troops GET OUT now. All justifications for our presence there having fallen away, that is the only moral stand.