NYT Columnist Krugman Calls for Draft

In an editorial published today, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman has called for a national draft.

A draft is needed, the column implies, to restore the capacity of the US military to "respond to real threats," shore up its "deteriorating" strategic position, and "take care" of problems with the US occupation of Iraq. The column concludes "We either need a much bigger army - which means a draft - or we need to find a way out of Iraq."

Support for such a measure in the senate is expected to be strong, according to Pentagon officials, who commended Krugman's "clear-sighted thinking." Of course a withdrawal from Iraq would be logically impossible, added the officials.