The Draft

During the past weeks, the Guardian newspaper has been posting articles about the possibility of a new US draft. The last US draft took place during the Vietnam war. I remember at the start of the conflict in Iraq, naysayers were predicting another Vietnam-like fiasco. I was right up there with them, saying that the US was bound to fail. Not only was I saying that the war was wrong, but I have always said that it was straight out immoral. It does not adjust to the just war guidelines pointed out by Augustine, and therefore (to me at least) it is wrong. The United States government has overstepped their boundaries and created more instability in the Middle East. Iraq is in danger of a civil war which is only being slowed by the rampant anarchy in place. Innocents are being killed, and NO weapons of mass destruction have been found to prove that Iraq had any plans to attack the USA. The whole war is a fraud.

So now, of course, I am very disturbed by the mention of a draft. I remember registering for the draft when I turned 18. I recall that Jenny said that it gave her goosebumps to think that her friends were signing up to go to a potential war. I laughed it off, because in July of 2001 there was no cause for fear. Then the twin towers crumbled into dust, and Afghanistan erupted into flames. If it had stopped there, I think we would have been fine. However Iraq has changed everything. Now congress is trying to get the draft reinstated for next year. Hmm... I am the perfect age to be sent off to war. Oh, and now there aren't any loopholes for me to use to not be sent into battle. Higher Education does not count to get you out of fighting any more. I wonder how conscientious objection works. If this war was legitimate, then I wouldn't have these problems. In fact, if injustice was happening, then I would be willing to go fight against it. However, I could not fight this war and still sleep well at night. The stupid government has screwed up again, and it seems that many more people have yet to pay for Bush's mistakes. I refuse to kill for something I know is wrong. Perhaps I can be sent to help in other ways, I would be willing to help with relief work. However, I refuse to fight. Call me a draft dodger if you wish, but I have to follow my heart. Hopefully my Spanish citizenship will come through before any of this takes place....

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