A warning that bringing back the military draft in the United States is still a real possibility, which would be bad news for young Americans and anyone hoping the current wars stay small.

• Claims that conscription is off the table are false — the legal and administrative machinery to restart a draft is already in place.
• Britain is further down this road, with leaders pushing toward confrontation instead of fixing conditions at home.
• The political motive is partly domestic: a war gives governments cover to roll back civil liberties and suppress public anger.
• Attacks on refineries around the world are a sign the conflict is already widening, not winding down.

Outlook: Expect more pressure toward war abroad and tighter controls at home, with a draft staying on the table as the fighting spreads.