New York Daily News – http://www.nydailynews.com
VA boss likes draft – till White House blows it off
BY LISA COLANGELO in New York
and RICHARD SISK in Washington
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Friday, December 22nd, 2006
Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson gave qualified support
yesterday to renewing the draft – a suggestion that rattled the White
House.
“I think that our society would benefit
from that, yes, sir,” Nicholson said of replacing the all-volunteer
force with a tough draft purged of the deferments that allowed many to
avoid service in Vietnam.
“I think if we bring back the draft, there
should be no loopholes for anybody who happens to be drafted,” he said.
“If it’s a random system, it ought to be an honestly random system.”
Nicholson’s remarks came a day after
President Bush said he was seeking new recruits to expand the Army and
Marine Corps, and the secretary was quickly reined in by the White
House.
“The administration is not considering reinstating the draft,” a White House spokesman said.
Nicholson later said his remarks had been
“misconstrued,” and he issued a statement saying, “I strongly support
the all-volunteer military and do not support returning to a draft.”
Nicholson spoke on the draft in answer to a
question at an event with Mayor Bloomberg at the Borden Ave. Residence
Center in Queens, where they announced a program to put 100 homeless
vets in housing in 100 days. They also said a task force would be set
up to boost services to vets.
Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Harlem), an Army vet
who served in Korea, has introduced a resolution in recent years to
bring back the draft and has said he will introduce another in the new
Congress next year.
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