Andrew Darata wants to graduate college, not go to war. Someday, however, the college freshman believes he will have no choice.
President Bush says there will be no military draft. But Darata believes Eminem, the rapper, when he says that Bush is “lying to us.”
“When you’re talking about a military draft, a lot of people listen to what others have to say,” said Darata, 18.
More than 1,800 American soldiers have died in Iraq. Recruiting numbers are sagging. National Guard troops serving in the Middle East and in hurricane-ravaged areas are stretched thin.
For those who are draft-age, the question has emerged: Will they have to trade their T-shirts and baggy jeans for desert camouflage-fatigues and machine guns?
As classes begin at colleges and high schools, nationwide a number of men and women are preparing themselves for that possibility.
Even those who doubt it say anything’s possible. Another Sept. 11 or another hurricane could change everything, they say.
“My mom is fearing it. She is always fearing that something can happen,” said Dan Librero, 22, a college sophomore. “My dad says, `If it happens, I’ll help you get out of it.’ “
Many believe it would be wrong to reinstate the draft for the first time in 32 years. An Associated Press poll in June said 70 percent of Americans oppose bringing it back.
U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel introduced a bill in Congress two years ago to reinstate the military draft, saying fighting forces should more closely reflect the economic makeup of the nation.
Minorities make up more than 30 percent of the military, Rangel said. Many of the poor are enticed by promises of employment and free college tuition, he noted.
On its Web site, however, the Selective Service System prints a disclaimer that says the House of Representatives, by a 402-2 vote, defeated the bill.
Men ages 18 through 25 still must be registered with the Selective Service, and more than 15 million currently are eligible to be drafted. Women are not required to register.