by Ivan Eland

Independent Institute

10/18/04

[I]t is safe to say that a renewed draft will not occur before the election. And it may not occur after November 2 either, but once the election is safely behind them some politicians could change their minds. War is costly, and politicians usually try to hide the financial expenses. With the already yawning federal budget deficit, that temptation is even greater. The current tar baby in Iraq has bogged down 140,000 U.S. troops and may ensnare more after November if the worsening violence and freedom from electoral constraints cause the next administration -- whether headed by Bush or Kerry -- to escalate U.S. involvement. So the government may be tempted to enlarge the military 'on the cheap' by using conscription. But what is cheap for the government is not for the rest of American society...

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1402


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp