Worries about resurrecting the draft have been discounted for some time, on both sides of the aisle. And then comes the new War Czar, Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute. Read this AP report about an "All Things Considered" segment:

WASHINGTON (AP) - Frequent tours for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have stressed the all-volunteer force and made it worth considering a return to a military draft, President Bush's new war adviser said Friday. "I think it makes sense to certainly consider it," Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said in an interview with National Public Radio's "All Things Considered." "And I can tell you, this has always been an option on the table. But ultimately, this is a policy matter between meeting the demands for the nation's security by one means or another," Lute added in his first interview since he was confirmed by the Senate in June.

This could be a trial balloon to gaugue public willingness, but it could also be another front in the scare tactics crusade the Bushies have seemed to perfect. In essence, they're saying "if you keep messing with us, we'll send your sons and daughters to Iraq -- whether they want to go or not!" It works well either way, from their point of view. If there's more support than they thought, then it's "more cannor fodder, whoopee! On to Iran boys." If not, it gives the middle class, whose sons and daughters by and large have opted out of the military, something else to think about before they clamor for an end to the war. Americans Against the Escalation in Iraq has presented it this way in a YouTube video Would love to hear your comments, both on the issue and on the video.