Conscription

He’s 58y. Born in Oldham just up the road from us. Talks a great deal of (measured) sense. If he’s concerned, then I am.

Sorry, Sir Tony Rad*a*kin

I should know better

SueEH, I suppose the gung ho and whole villages joining up is connected to propaganda. Since we no longer have a free press, it would be very easy to manipulate the population.

Yes, Sir Tony Radikin is certainly someone to take heed of.

We live in very worrying times.

Last month the chief of the defence staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, spoke of living in “extraordinarily dangerous times” and asked: “Is the machinery and thinking deep within the British state truly calibrated to the scale of what is unfolding?”

I really admire this man. I’m more concerned now about the prospect of WW3 than I was a couple of weeks ago. We have enjoyed peace on our island for so long I think we perhaps don’t take the early signs seriously enough.

Plus we have taken our eye off the ball with regard to defence spending. Making hay while the sun shines a little too much?

As far as conscription goes I doubt if there is any way it would work. Should it be in the social work/caring /support sector there would need to be huge amounts of DBS checks and a system which is already groaning would simply cease to function. In the area of the armed forces I think most people know that it is not the "cannon fodder" that a modern army requires but educated and technologically wise individuals. Most of whom would find a way not to serve. Finally wars need weapons and whilst there may be dangers it is in the interests of arms manufacturer to have places where they can develop and manufacture their goods. That requires a certain degree of stability. They may supply arms to further small and area specific wars. They do not want any war to interfere with arms manufacture and their profits.

growstuff

Gwenisgreat

When we had National Service, it gave the young men something to fall back on, it gave them training and career possibilities - It was a mistake to abandon that.

What about the young women? I assume would be conscripted too.

What if you identify as a pigeon? Im not joking.
If ( a small if) conscription is started again someone is bound to pull this stroke

I think that National Service did give young men a new experience of life, new skills and people.. it could be used nowdays as a form of Peace training in a variety of work settings and of course include women.. However I would prefer if it was voluntary..

I don't know what is the matter with this World. All this aggression and nastiness and in the name of what? Let us just hope for peace - long term. I know I'm dreaming but it scares me that our children and grandchildren may have to do something that is beyond comprehension

Gwenisgreat

When we had National Service, it gave the young men something to fall back on, it gave them training and career possibilities - It was a mistake to abandon that.

What about the young women? I assume would be conscripted too.

Pensioners do pay tax in the UK grandtante

nanna8

I could just imagine an army of OAPs who don’t pay tax. I used to love Dad’s Army back in the day. I assume pensioners don’t have to pay tax of course.

Indeed? Well if pensioners don't pay tax in the UK they are very lucky.

We do in Denmark, and as far as I know most other countries as well.

If the war in Ukraine escalates into WW3 you can bet your bottom dollar conscription will be necessary everywhere. No country I can think of has a standing army, navy and airforce of the dimensions that will be necessary, to say nothing of services such as the Fire Brigade, Ambulance Service or Hospitals.

And every single country in Europe will have to get cracking on making munitions.

Hahaha! Have you looked out of your window recently?
A conscripted army? A shower of sh*te more like. I had a very good friend who was a Royal Marine, they don't make them like him anymore.
RIP Peter X

Money is always found for war, but not for what the citizens of this country really need.

When we had National Service, it gave the young men something to fall back on, it gave them training and career possibilities - It was a mistake to abandon that.

If conscription were introduced it would further exacerbate staff shortages in the NHS and other public services as well as reduce apprentice, etc., recruitment in the private sector. Bad idea.

Pensioners are assessable for tax in the same way as everyone else, and the State Pension counts as taxable income.
Even if one’s income is below the Income Tax threshold, we all pay VAT and duties in things like alcohol. And we’re all assessable for Capital Gains and Inheritance Tax.

Don't spoil OUR Sunday talking about WAR.

It’s dreadful idea. I would never have volunteered to fight; I’d have been an objector. I have never understood the gung ho attitude that convinced whole towns and villages of young people to join up together and I do not think that it would happen in this day and age. And mandating people to join the forces instead of prison or community service etc… if you were a regular soldier etc would you really want your life in the hands of someone who really does not want to be there?

Oh yes Lizzie. I can remember what a relief it was when it ended.
Early 1960s?
There's plenty of opposition in Denmark, some of it aimed at the gender imbalance. It's only males.

If volunteering was compulsory, it would feel like slavery.

I find it hard to think of compulsory national service. I have a vivid and upsetting memory from the early 1950s when I was about 10. My mother was talking over the garden fence to our neighbour. The neighbour was crying because her son had just received his call up papers for national service. I can't bear to think that it could be a possibility for today's young people. It would certainly have to be a very different kind of service given the nature of warfare in today's world. I shall now disappear to bury my head in the sand...

There is compulsory national service in Denmark for all males aged over 18. It's between 4 and 12 months but can be postponed to allow for studies.
It can be community or military service.

My nephew did it and was in the military. Several of his contemporaries were sent to Iraq in the war. I seem to remember that he liked it.

One of the places I volunteer is a community shop & café. There are over 70 volunteers "on the books" all ages from 14 to 87.
The youngsters sometimes come as part of their Duke of Edinburgh challenge. The oldies like me like being part of the project and meeting people.

National service is isn't a bad thing imo. 🤷.

Retired people on pensions do pay tax Oreo

GrannyRose15

Doodle dog. Most 70year olds I know already do many of the things you suggest without being conscripted.

I'm not advocating conscription for 70 year olds - that was someone different.

If there were to be conscription, those with track records could choose whether or not to get involved - it would only be those who have never contributed to society outside of their own homes and families who might be 'called up' in my hypothetical scenario.

There was a question about this on last night's Question Time, and the majority of the panel dismissed it out of hand, whilst agreeing that we are closer to war than for many years, and that the armed forces are currently underfunded.