Failures in Military Recruitment Leading to a Draft?

I have written previously about my suspicions that the Bush administration would need to institute a draft to provide enough roadside bomb targets to satisfy their neo-con dreams. So far, history has shown me to be wrong on this point - and I'm damned glad of it.

Now, the Pentagon is playing games with its announcement of recruiting numbers. They have always released them on the first business day of the month, but, this month, they have delayed their release until a Friday (so they will get less news play), and they need another ten days to think up new ways to say "we're screwed." This comes after previous revelations that they are lying and cheating to sucker people in.

Obligatory snarkiness: I'm appalled. If I recall correctly, over 50% of this nation voted for Bush in the Presidential election. Surely enough of those voters are of military age to meet the needs of the neo-cons they support. Even those that are too old could use their powers of persuasion to convince their friends and neighbors to go. I'll acknowledge that some of them are probably gay, but, even there, they can take advantage of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy to serve their country. Heck, we could just empower the military recruiters to kidnap any able-bodied young people found in vehicles with "W" stickers on them - that should take care of the problem.

More seriously: I'm worried. My kids are now 19 and 18. I don't think we'll see college deferments in the next draft. Someone I got to know through school recently departed for Iraq. Too many lives have been lost and too many young people have been horribly wounded by this God-damned (literally, I suspect) war for the entire country not to begin feeling the pain.

In all sincerity, I ask that if you voted for Bush, please enlist, and/or encourage like-minded people to do so. You owe us that much.