The draft is coming. Last year in a Black Studies course I took Professor Madison had our class write those four words on our midterms to ensure our bluebooks were not written on prior to the exam. I just chuckled at the gesture at the time, but now I strongly believe it.

Let me to tell you why, from a historical standpoint. The U.S. foreign policy position in the Middle East has always been, and still is, committed to the state of Israel, but it has also equally committed itself to maintaining a fruitful relationship with Arab leaders. We all know why this is, and if you do not, you should.

The U.S. government has historically been supportive of the Zionist movement and to this day still links its ongoing relationship with Israel as an allegiance to shared religious and political principles. On the other hand, the so-called “last great superpower” has equally sustained an interest in Arabs – those people over there in control of massive amounts of oil. This position has created a tension in the Arab world because the goals of Israel and the goals of Arab leaders have been contrary to each other since the creation of Israel in 1948.

Therefore, the U.S., as the deciding foreign power, has perpetuated the tension within the Arab world and, in a global context, against the West, in exchange for profits in oil and spreading its ideals. The U.S. has attempted to, as the saying goes, “have its cake and eat it too.” Its own self-serving plans for sustaining oil profit, or, how the government chooses to put it, “instilling democracy” and a “just peace,” have contradicted themselves hitherto, as pain and suffering seem to have grown in the regions discussed.

Palestinians are now under the Parliament controlled Hamas, a radical Islamic faction who stands firm on putting an end to Zionist expansionism and ending the occupation by the Israeli army in all of the West Bank and Gaza. The U.S. and the European Union refuse to work with Hamas until it formally recognizes Israel, putting a burden on the Palestinian people who depend on foreign aid for basic, everyday survival.

Among all of this, the war in Iraq is becoming increasingly violent with the increase in Iraqi sectarian political strife. The U.S. military’s morale, and moreover the American people’s support – both Republican and Democrat – along with its respective leaders, are beginning to dwindle in the face of what seems to be a neverending war.

Iran continues to increase its nuclear energy programs, which with enough time could allow the country to enrich enough uranium to make a nuclear bomb. To add to the cake, Iran openly admitted months ago to ending Zionist ideologies and destructing the state of Israel. And according to the most recent computation by the Oil and Gas Journal, Iran houses the second largest untapped pool of oil reserves in the world, an estimated 125.8 billion barrels. What hurts U.S. decision-makers even more is that they cannot stop a fearless Iran from furthering its enrichment program through rhetoric and economic sanctioning threats, arguably as a result of the U.S.’s dependence and “obsession” with oil.

So, what’s next? Well, with the recent illegal change in U.S. wartime strategy, and moreover international law to preemptive action, it should be no surprise to the American public that the Bush administration is going to invade Iran under the same justification it did Iraq: “to stop a nuclear threat before it strikes.”

The Bush administration will use Iran’s dogmatic position to create nuclear weaponry to in turn justify their mindless hunger for geopolitical power and oil. By doing this, the U.S. could thrash Iranian military strength before it becomes more powerful and capable than what it would like it to be. So, you may ask: If North Korea poses the same threat, then why have we not invaded them? Maybe its because North Korea is geographically located in the most lucrative and politically unstable region in the world.

But who will march in to occupy Iran on the ground? Iran is a country almost three times the size of Iraq. It will be you and me – those of you reading this newspaper right now between the ages of 18-25. Get ready boys and girls. The draft is coming.

Mike Nally is a junior sociology major.