Republican Senator Wants to Bring Back the Draft

Evidently Sen. Chuck Hagel is talking about reinstituting the draft in order to increase troop strength in Iraq and "spread the burden of military service in Iraq more equitably among various social strata".

Whiskey at JagWire comments:

'So let me get this straight . . . we are going to stop offering incentives to volunteer and instead draft spoiled rich kids just to make sure all “classes” are represented? It’s like some kind of twisted affirmative action program. And why does any of this matter when so many so-called “upper class” gentlemen (Bill Clinton, Howard Dean, I could go on . . . ) dodged the draft anyway?'

(I like this gal! Her blog has hereby been added to the blogroll.)

Senator Hagel further argues that compelling all Americans to military service would force "our citizens to understand the intensity and depth of challenges we face." What exactly do you mean "we", Senator? And do "we" really want a bunch of rich kids and war protestors covering the backs of the men and women who really want to serve their country? Seems like we've been there before and discovered it didn't work.

UPDATE: Happily the good senator doesn't seem to be on the verge of proposing any legislation, so I will count this as merely election year posturing. Stupid posturing, but still... Maybe he is looking to retire soon?

UPDATE: I thought this was too far-fetched to take seriously, but evidently the Black Helicopter Crowd thinks it is all-but-inevitable:

"While most of us are preoccupied with the latest tales of mayhem and destruction emanating from Iraq, the Bush administration is quietly paving the way for the re-imposition of the ultimate form of slavery: a military draft to provide additional fodder for the so-called War on Terror."

Hmm. Now I'm sure this is too far-fetched to take seriously. Can you say negative directional indicator?