By Gilbert Gonzalez

The unexpected resistance in Iraq has not only led to a hollow “mission accomplished” but also presents a serious obstacle for keeping adequate numbers of soldiers available for the U. S. imperial war machine. In 1972 the Pentagon ended the draft and instituted a ‘volunteer’ fighting force (really a mercenary force), which relies on advertising and the selling of an exciting stint or career in the military to young men and women. However, deaths in Iraq are reaching 1900 (the vast majority after Bush bellowed “Bring them on!”), the wounded number over 13,000, which has sent a warning to the American public that death via the military is too likely an outcome.

The Army, which carries the brunt of fighting, has failed to reach its 2004-2005 enlistment quota needed to replace those who leave for various reasons. The Black community largely opposes the war and is not joining as they once did and the upper and middle classes are unenthused about military duty. The effects are worrying the Pentagon moving them to solve the recruiting dilemma in order to have the personnel to wage another war to sustain US global military domination. The Pentagon decided on re-invigorating a policy instituted during the Clinton administration and focused increased recruiting attention upon the Latino immigrant population. Suddenly, the Latino community, which has grown tremendously since the implementation of the neo-liberal free trade policies, has become in the words of one Army official the “Hispanic…recruiting market.”

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