Americans have seen some news reports over the last few days suggesting that the White House "might-maybe-could-possibly" bring some troops home from Iraq next year. If this happens, that's great. But don't break out the confetti just yet.
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Every other indicator is that these are fairy tales cooked up by the White House PR machine to try to cauterize their bleeding support. Almost like clock-work the White House breaks the glass of their magical PR machine every time they're about to lose it.
The story hasn't changed. This is still an endless war. And, now a military draft is on the table.
As part of Iraq Summer, a project of Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, a new TV ad called "DRAFT" blows the whistle on this double-talk from the Bush administration.
The ad makes three points.
1. The Republicans targeted in the ads continue to rubber-stamp whatever Bush wants in Iraq -- despite what they might be saying to their constituents.
2. Bush's general, Gen. David Petraeus, says the mission he has been given by the president could take 10 years. (Probably why the White House is trying to sideline Petraeus from the PR war.)
3. An endless war means a military draft is on the table. Your kids could be drafted. Bush is running out of troops as it is. That's why they're talking about a draft.
This is so far outside of what the American public would find acceptable that political leaders need to be held accountable. That's why Iraq Summer is running new TV ads.
The ad will be running in the home state of Republican Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY)--who has been obstructing a vote on any exit plan from Iraq. Also, Rep. Phil English (R-PA), Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) and Rep. Thelma Drake (R-VA) are targets of this specific ad campaign.
We also learned last week that the much-anticipated "Petraeus Report" will actually be written by White House political hacks in their PR and spin operation. (Link)
Check out the ads and show them around.
Let's make it clear that: Bush-Petraeus 10 Year War = Endless War and a Draft.
People are generally fairly clueless, I've heard people talking about shipping their kids off to Canada, which is a laughable and absurd "solution" that people talk about based on romantic kitsch from 40 years ago about the draft dodgers living safe in Canada, away from the reach of American law, until Carter issued his mass pardons. For all the rhetoric, most draft dodgers couldn't wait to reenter American society.
I say laughable because these people are ignorant about some of the codicils passed in the series of agreements known as NAFTA.
Any US Citizen absconding to Canada to avoid a draft will be subject to arrest and deportation by local Canadian police and the Mounties.
As to why they aren't doing it now, with potentially a few thousand deserters living in Canada currently, my take is that it's not worth the hassle and the political stink to do it now.
If numbers rise, and the US makes a national security case (natch, what else), Canada will be bound by the terms of NAFTA to ship those guys back here.