Call of Cthulhu

Fight for Freedumb® in Iraq...or we'll DRAFT YOU

While we've been focussing on the disaster that is Mess-o'-potamia, the neo-clowns in DC have been quietly trafficking their desperate attempts to shore up troop numbers in the military.

The US Army quietly announced that it was screening inactive veterans for possible reassignment to the Active Reserve:

The Army's Human Resources Command - St. Louis (HRC-STL), is identifying Individual Ready Reserve Soldiers with a statutory Military Service Obligation (MSO) remaining for possible assignment to an Army Reserve unit. These Soldiers may be assigned to position vacancy requirements within designated Reserve units based upon the needs of the Army.

The Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) consists of over 118,000 trained Soldiers who may be called upon to fill vacancies in Army Reserve units and may replace Soldiers in Active and Reserve Units.

Any and all of the estimated 118,000 men and women who have already served in the military within the last eight years are being screened for possible reactivation. These are people who are not currently serving, who have moved on with their lives, have civilian careers, own homes, built families. These people are being screened for possible reactivation. And after they've been ripped from their families, take one guess where they'll be sent...

Of course, that isn't really quite enough, is it? Screening 118,000 case files is a bit of work. Oo oo, how about if we trick them into reenlisting on their own?

CHICAGO -- As part of an aggressive recruiting effort, Army and National Guard officials have warned inactive reservists that they could face being sent back to Iraq unless they re-enlist in the active reserves or join their local Guard units, according to a published report.

MariAnn Curta told the Chicago Tribune in a story published Sunday that a recruiter called her last weekend, saying her 22-year-old son Bill -- who recently completed a nine-month tour of duty in Iraq -- could be headed back there unless he enlisted in the Illinois National Guard.

More than 1,000 inactive reservists signed up for active units in the past week nationwide, also resulting in a larger-than-normal number, Army officials have said. But just how many states were affected was unclear.

"Faulty orders were sent out by the Army, which told people in the Individual Ready Reserves that if they did not re-enlist soon, the military would do so for them," DeFazio, D-Ore., said in Washington, D.C. "I would ask that these enlistments, which were made under a faulty order, be rescinded by the secretary of defense."

The Army claims that this was all a "misunderstanding". A misunderstanding that has occurred in almost every part of the nation, save New England. Note that there is no guarantee that anyone who was suckered into reenlisting will be discharged or relieved of their new obligation to serve.

I suspect that the political cost of keeping these poor souls will be judged too high, and that these 1000+ men and women will be released back to their lives; however, their addresses, post-military education, and new skill sets, have all been updated in their IRR files. See second paragraph above for how well that will work out for them: The reprieve may be temporary at best.

Feeling sorry for the poor slobs who thought they were done with their military service? Don't: You may be joining them soon:

HR 163, a House Resolution calling for the REINSTATEMENT OF THE DRAFT, has been moving quietly through the Congress since January:

SEC. 2. NATIONAL SERVICE OBLIGATION.

(a) OBLIGATION FOR YOUNG PERSONS- It is the obligation of every citizen of the United States, and every other person residing in the United States, who is between the ages of 18 and 26 to perform a period of national service as prescribed in this Act unless exempted under the provisions of this Act.

(b) FORM OF NATIONAL SERVICE- National service under this Act shall be performed either--

(1) as a member of an active or reverse component of the uniformed services; or

(2) in a civilian capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes the national defense, including national or community service and homeland security.

HR 163, and its Senate twin S 89, are currently awaiting a reviews from various Congressional committees.

Are you between the ages of 18 and 26? Have children in that age group? I suspect that anyone who was for the war in Iraq has already enlisted: This draft is aimed at those of us who aren't enthusiastic enough about Iraq to suit ShrubCo's™ taste.

If anyone is thinking that this is just a bit of compicated political posturing, then think again:

The pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350 draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide.. Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and influential members of congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. may have no choice but to raft.

And forget about vacationing in Canada for the duration:

In December 2001, Canada and the U.S. signed a "smart border declaration," which could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed by Canada's minister of foreign affairs, John Manley, and U.S. Homeland Security director, Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30-point plan which implements, among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of people entering and departing each country.

That's right: In the "Land of the Free", we Americans will need "pre-clearance" from Homeland Security to enter or leave our own country.

Freedumb® isn't free...