Font Size

Top Stories

E-mail

Close Window E-mail This Page

Rep. Rangel: Lack Of Options Makes Soldiers Enlist

Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)

Recipient E-mail:*
- Your Name:*
- Your E-mail:*
Add a Message:
Send me a copy of this e-mail.

Type the characters in this picture:*

Click here to refresh with new letters

The information you provide will be used only to send the requested e-mail and will not be used to send any other e-mail communications. Read more in our Privacy Policy

Send E-mail

Print Share + Comments

Nov 26, 2006 10:44 pm US/Eastern

Rep. Rangel: Lack Of Options Makes Soldiers Enlist

Click To Watch Rep. Rangel's Statements

What Do You Think Of Rep. Rangel's Statement?

Click To Read Other Viewers' Reactions

by Mark Rodriguez, WCBSTV.com
NEW YORK (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: Congressman Rangel believes soldiers enlist when they do not have the choice of a decent career.

Close

numSlides of totalImages

Congressman Charles Rangel said most enlisted soldiers join the military because they do not have the "option of having a decent career."

Speaking with Fox News reporter Chris Wallace on Sunday, Representative Rangel voiced his belief that soldiers in America's armed forces join only for lack of a better choice.

He said, "I want to make it abundantly clear: if there's anyone who believes that these youngsters want to fight, as the Pentagon and some generals have said, you can just forget about it. No young, bright individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits."

Rangel also said of American soldiers, "And most all of them come from communities of very, very high unemployment. If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq."

The Congressman also continued to press for the return of the draft, saying "I have been advocating a draft ever since the President's been talking about war."

Last month Senator Kerry told students at Pasadena City College that, "you know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

His words were seen by Democrats and Republicans as demeaning to enlisted men and women, implying that they enlist because they do not "make an effort to be smart." However, the senator later apologized, calling his statement a "botched joke" on President Bush.