If there had been a draft at the time, would the Iraq war have happened?

[Guaranteed]

On edit: Make an argument, either way, please.

[cerulean_ink]

1. Never

There's no way the average American would support the notion of the draft even if Shrub showed them photographs of Iraq's non-existant WMDs. The idea of another Vietnam is fresh in the minds of the voting public, which is the very same reason why the administration is keeping draft '05 off the airwaves; Bush would get slaughtered in the GE.

It's kind of too bad, I would have loved to have seen the backlash of a draft for Iraq blow up in the administration's collective faces when the world realized Iraq had no WMDs and there was no reason for us to go in there in the first place.

[Nashyra]

2. Case in point

If there had been a draft in place but only using volunteers until "necessary" there would not have been an ounce of support, or I should say maybe 25% of the electorate would be for it, but definetly not enough for the repukes to have encouraged it. They would have much to worried about re election

[KoKo]

3. There will always be Presidents who go to war, with or without the draft.

Actually having a draft might make it easier because you already have all those troops you have to pay for when you aren't at war. Therefore having a draft creates need to use the troops. Not having a draft means you should have to use the troops wisely if you need them.

This president ignored using the troops he had wisely and so now he's got his folks out there pushing for a draft.

And, the Democrats will sadly play into this, because some of them think that if we bring the draft back the American people will be more involved in the consequences and therefore not be so hasty.

But, we went into Korea and Viet Nam with a draft and both were wars which didn't need to be fought.

Unfortunately we have that gang of idiots in the White House and we are back in it again.

[Mari333]

5. stop loss of the reservists and guard units is already a draft

extended duty for more then a year, sick kids being sent back
Its already a draft
the next step, other people kids
thats the only way people will wake up Im afraid
get proactive if you dont want a draft, demand the troops be brought home now
http://www.bringthemhomenow.com

[KoKo]

6. Oh I've been active Mari. I've protested here in NC week after week and

was part of the DU effort to stop us from going in where we were phoning faxing Congress and even the UN. I was part of Move On's effort to deliver faxes to the UN. I had "Who Would Jesus Bomb" flyers at the local churches. I've worked my butt off to stop this. And I want us to pull everyone out and let the Iraqi's run their own country, even if they have to have a civil war, it will be their own war and not ours.

This makes me sick. And, I know your step son is there and how hard this is on you. I read your posts.

[ComerPerro]

4. Well, no, but that is where 9/11 comes in

9/11 was a very powerful recruiting tool.

I don't want to hijack the thread, however.

So, I assume what you are saying is:

Assume that a draft would have been necessary to carry out this war.
Would it have happened?

NO. A resounding no.

The biggest reason for this is the sheer numbers. In order to necessitate a draft, the administration would have had to have been honest about the numbers of troops needed for such a military operation.

Not only would they have a hell of a time raising the necessary troops for what would look most certainly like a suicide mission, but also the public would overwhelmingly reject such a wasteful endeavor and such a long, drawn out invasion.