Reinstating The Draft ... In Iraq

by: Chris LeJeune

Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 12:04:32 PM EDT


There has been a lot of talk here and all over the media about the need to bring back the draft.  Some see it as a way to end the war, others see it as necessary in order to continue the war.  This is one side I hadn't heard about until now.  

The Iraqi parliament is discussing the reintroduction of the draft, something that was scrapped in 2003.  Conscription of military forces is illegal under the Iraqi constitution.  However, there may soon be legislation proposed to change this.

Hadi al-Ameri, chairman of parliament's defense and security committee, said reinstating the draft was necessary given the country's current conditions.

It should also be noted that Hadi al-Ameri is the head of the Badr Organization.

I have to wonder about the logistics of such a decision.  In America, we have one military with numerous recruiting offices all over the country.  But in Iraq, where many areas are separated according to sectarian struggles, joining the "Iraqi Army" isn't so cut and dry.  There have been many instances of Iraqi forces battling against each other, targeting specific neighborhoods, or refusing to target others.  Instituting a draft, at least from my perspective, would be an operational nightmare.  But I definitely understand their perspective.

As U.S. troops are trying to reduce combat operations to lower casualties amid looming U.S. presidential elections, the Iraqi army finds it almost impossible to work in a professional and independent manner, they said.

In recent battles in Basra a few hundred militiamen dealt a heavy blow to the 'elite' Iraqi military units sent there to contain violence.
The government cannot find enough troops to embark on new military operations to bring major cities under a semblance of control such us the northern city of Mosul which is now completely in rebel hands.

So what is the solution?  Obviously, we can't send in more troops as we are already overextended to begin with.  Trying to persuade other allies to send troops has been problematic.  Is an Iraqi draft a good idea?
Chris LeJeune :: Reinstating The Draft ... In Iraq
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Reinstating The Draft ... In Iraq | 19 comments
Sunni CLC's. (4.00 / 1)

I remember reading somewhere about members of Sunni CLC Groups trying to get jobs in the Army to no avail. Why start a draft if you have people that want to be in the Military but not being let in.
Agreed (0.00 / 0)
But this is one of the logistical problems I was referring to.  If a certain area is predominately Shia, and the Iraqi military forces of that area are predominately Badr friendly, Sunni groups such as the CLC are not going to be welcomed.  This problem becomes compounded when such Sunni groups are not joining voluntarily, but are being drafted.  Now you have a troop who doesn't want to be there, along with a group of people that don't want him there.  Doesn't sound like a good idea.  But, as I said, what alternatives do they have?

"No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they're carrying out the missions of their commander in chief. And we honor all the service that they've provided." - Barack Obama
[ Parent ]
I understand that. (0.00 / 0)

But I also don't think that segregation along ethnic lines will solve anything either.
[ Parent ]
At this particular time in Iraq's history, (0.00 / 0)
giving the warring factions some breathing room - not segregation, per se...and that is a VERY loaded term...is the only way out of this fiasco - for the Iraqis and for the US.

What do you think of the Biden strategy for promoting a political solution based on federalism as outlined in Iraq's constitution?

[ Parent ]
What alternatives? (0.00 / 0)
Well, the Iraqis could follow their own consitution and decide that federalism is the only way out for them. Representatives of all of the Iraqi factions from the three major groups could sit down at a negotiating table somewhere and hammer out a politcal accommodation that they could all live with. They could accept that they need help and that the major and regional powers would be needed to secure and support whatever power-sharing arrangement that they are able to achieve.

And, the rest of us could recognize that this kind of process is not the kind of thing that spontaneously materializes in the midst of a civil war, no less. Strong and competent US leadership will be required...oh, well...

This kind of process could occur under the auspices of the UN or UN Security Council, at least...the five permanent members have already indicated they would be interested in helping in this effor, including the US Ambassador to the UN at the time, Khalilizad (sp?)

In other words, the best alternative remains the Biden strategy to support and facilitate a sustainable political settlement that would allow US combat forces to withdraw without leaving a failed state in their wake.

If anyone has a better plan, I am all ears!

[ Parent ]
Well let's (0.00 / 0)
develop an AQI killing plan and get our troops out first. Then, I would have no issue with an attempt to implement  Biden's political solution. Not to say that the Biden plan is a bad idea, but it is not good enough to keep 100000+ troops in Iraq for either. At this point, no political solution is worth keeping so many of our troops in Iraq over.
[ Parent ]
Under the Biden strategy, (0.00 / 0)
you would have two options for troop levels in Iraq:

(1) assuming the Iraqis come to the negotiating table to work on a political accommodation, then the number of US forces in Iraq could be substantially reduced, or

(2) if a poliical solution proves elusive, as I am now beginning to lean toward believing, then a complete and immediate withdrawal of ALL US forces and all US civilians (say good-bye to that monstrosity of an American embassy in Baghdad!) and all Iraqi citizens who have risked their lives to asssist coalition forces.

Any way you slice the Biden strategy, US troops win! In fact, I should hasten to add that under a Biden administration, troops and veterans would have been in seventh heaven. And that is why, to this day, I am dumbfounded as to why he has received so little support from troops and veterans, alike. I just don't get it.

[ Parent ]
Of course, by "immediate", I mean ASAP! (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
Well (0.00 / 0)
I see no problem with attemtping to implent such a solution. I just dont want US troops kept there while such a strategy is implemented. The troops need to start coming home now.  
[ Parent ]
None of this may matter, anyway... (0.00 / 0)
Since Senator Biden won't be in a position to implement his strategy and none of the presidential candidates understand the first thing about what to do in Iraq...heck, time has probably already run out for a political solution...how depressing, in more ways than one, is that?
[ Parent ]
Well (0.00 / 0)
I think we all agree on one thing. The troops need to start coming home.
[ Parent ]
Yes, absolutely...one way or the other. (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
And therin lies the problem. N/T (0.00 / 0)

A big thumbs up... (4.00 / 1)
...on either a draft or some kind of job corps for young military age males so they can get some money and stability for their families.  Implementation would be difficult though (as you mentioned), but it will definitely cut down on the pool of young males for militias/insurgents.  But hey, I'm not an Iraqi, and it's up to them.
This is very much my point of view. (0.00 / 0)
I think overall it would be a good thing, if they could make it work.  But I would hate to be the guy in charge of implementing it all.

"No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they're carrying out the missions of their commander in chief. And we honor all the service that they've provided." - Barack Obama
[ Parent ]
Iraqi draft (0.00 / 0)
This seems like a far better alternative than having a draft here,doesn't it?  Shouldn't the Iraqis fight for their country? I'm really not historically educated enough to get this totally correct.
It all seems such a quagmire to me. God Bless you vets!!!!

I have to believe that something extraordinary is possible. (Mrs. John Nash)
I can't believe that the Iraqi parliament (0.00 / 0)
is even thinking along these terms. It is crystal clear that Iraq is nowhere near being ready for anything like a draft...not while they are currently embroiled in a civil war with the warring factions nowhere near reaching a sustainable power-sharing arrangement.

Call me an idiot, but without a basic political accommodation between and within the various warring factions, the mere thought of instituting a draft is...what is the word for it...the height of futility will do for now.

Insane (0.00 / 0)
I believe the word you are looking for is "insane."

"No U.S. soldier ever dies in vain because they're carrying out the missions of their commander in chief. And we honor all the service that they've provided." - Barack Obama
[ Parent ]
Yes! (0.00 / 0)
That works very nicely...thank-you.
[ Parent ]
Reinstating The Draft ... In Iraq | 19 comments
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