Alter - We're Dodging the Draft Issue

Newsweek's Jonathan Alter has an article online that's being published in the coming week's issue of the magazine. Alter's piece addresses an issue near and dear to our ASZ hearts -- the military draft that George Bush must surely revive if he's reselected:

...It doesn't take a nuclear scientist to figure out which presidential candidate this year would have a better chance of making a fresh start in securing the cooperation of our allies when the world erupts again, in Iraq, Iran, North Korea or anywhere else. Diplomacy works. Five years after Bill Clinton's war in Kosovo, 100 percent of the peacekeeping is handled by foreign troops.

Both Bush and Kerry insist they won't revive the draft. But someday a presidential candidate will come along who has the guts to propose national service, in which every young American serves his or her country either in the military or in community-service projects at home. Until then, beware categorical promises. 'Not. Gonna. Happen.' That's what President Bush's father used to say about raising taxes.

Elsewhere in the article, Alter also correctly notes that it doesn't take a genius to figure out which candidate will unquestionably have an easier time of repairing alliances and move toward global 'burden sharing' in various hotspots around the world. Absent additional significant troop commitment by other countries, and given the fact that U.S. forces are already stretched to the breaking point, there's little doubt that conscription of our sons and daughters (and grandchildren and nieces and nephews...) will be necessary at some point during a second Bush administration.

If you haven't already done so, forward ASZ's "draft email" to everyone in your email address book. If you took up our challenge before and forwarded the email, do it again. Folks, we've finally got a meme being established that will stick - if George Bush is reselected, there will be a draft. How do we know the meme is being established? Both Faux and Newsweek are currently addressing the topic, and it's a real hot button issue on college campuses everywhere in the U.S.

The key, though, is getting the word out beyond the campus. That's why ASZ's email campaign was directed to mom, dad, grandparents, and aunts / uncles. Let's continue to perpetuate the meme truth from now until election day, because that's what it is -- truth is to BushCo as garlic is to a vampire.

Update, 11:15PM: Liz at BlondeSense points us to a great Rock the Vote PSA. Forward the link along with the email!