Draft Day

Hopefully this will defray some of the arguments for bringing back the draft.

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Despite the shrapnel wounds Staff Sgt. William Pinkley suffered during his tour in Iraq, the 26-year-old is joining other soldiers who are re-enlisting at rates that exceed (emphasis added) the retention goals set by the Pentagon.

The accepted wisdom was that there would be a decline in re-enlistment following the war, to the point that it was cited as a reason for reinstating the draft.

From a political standpoint, any mention of a draft hurts Bush; if for no other reason than it raises a critical issue: the war has left the US military over-deployed, and essential National Guard units, such as the Military Police, in low supply and high demand.