by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
House panel votes to require women to register for the draft
The House Armed Services Committee narrowly passed a motion that takes women one step closer to being required to register for the draft.
A proposal by Calif. Rep. Duncan Hunter to merely generate debate on the issue ended up being approved by the panel in a 30-32 vote, in which Hunter himself voted against.
Hunter had originally written the amendment as a conversation starter after he felt the Pentagon's decision to lift the ban on military jobs previously closed to women left the possibility of a draft open without proper oversight.
“I think [Congress] should make this decision,” Hunter said. “It's the families that we represent who are affected by this.”
During his presentation, Hunter described the situation that usually follows a draft call, calling it a “call for bodies,” and would put women directly in harm's way.
“A draft is there to put bodies on the front lines to take the hill,” he said. “The draft is there to get more people to rip the enemies' throats out and kill them.”
Despite his graphic imagery descriptions, supporters held the majority opinion of the measure, with women panelists speaking highly of the idea of women registering for the draft.
Rep. Jackie Speier of Calif. said the change was an important part of gaining more equality for women.
“I actually think if we want equality in this country, if we want women to be treated precisely like men are treated and that they should not be discriminated against, we should be willing to support a universal conscription,” she said.
Retired Air Force fighter pilot, Rep. Martha McSally of Ariz., disputed the idea that draftees are only sent to the front lines, and said there are many other positions for them to fill.
The amendment will be added in to the defense policy bill that will be discussed and debated between Congress before being approved. The bill authorized the budget for the next fiscal year which begins Oct. 1.
Whatever Rep. Jackie Speier of Calif. Said it has nothing to do with equality for women but everything with being able to have a larger pool of bodies to use in the event of a war, a war on which they are very much working.
I think we seriously have to ask ourselves what the reasons are behind this. First of all the US Military presently is a professional army, navy and air force and the draft has not been used since the Vietnam War and while the register has still been in existence to now add women to this means, as far as I am concerned, that something is afoot that we better make sure is not going to happen.
If this would not directly come from the horse's mouth, so to speak, that is to say from sources directly under mil.gov more or less, and is not the figment of the imagination some what some refer to as conspiracy theorist we really, I should think, have to keep a very close eye (or two) on this and see how it develops.
With all the saber rattling going on of NATO forces trying to bait the Russian bear this is a very worrying idea and move indeed.
© 2016
