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Strained Military Resources in Iraq Lead to Fears of a National Draft, 10/13/04 Reading Comprehension Questions: 1. When can the U.S. government require its citizens to sign up for military service?
2. When did the peacetime draft end?
3. Why are some people worried that a draft may be re-instituted?
4. What is President Bush's proposal for finding the troops to fill the gap in Iraq?
5. What is Senator Kerry's proposal for getting more troops to Iraq?
6. How would the draft work?
7. Are non-U.S. citizens exempt from the draft? Discussion Activity (more research might be needed): 1. Do you think a draft should be used only when another country invades the United States or should it be used when the U.S. takes preemptive action? 2. Should women continue to be exempt from the draft? 3. If there were a draft, would you fight or would you be a conscientious objector? Why? 4. Do you think conscientious objectors are unpatriotic? Why or why not?
Write a 500-800 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org]. Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site. |