Conscription -should UK initiate?

It's a big No from me. The eldest of my French cousins was going to come over to England to stay with our grandmother just before the Algerian war ended sometime early '60s, even though he avoided that, I think he still had to do conscription France kept that going long after Britain had shelved it.

MissAdventure

I don't want my grandson turned into cannon fodder.

I'm very proud of my son and his service, which included tours of Afghanistan and Iraq. I would never stoop so low as to describe him or his fellow soldiers as 'cannon fodder'.

Of course you're proud.
Anybody would be.

I wasn't referring to your son, specifically.

It's a broad and well used term.

No.

My pilot Uncles never returned from WW2, flak in the sky.

I think Zakouma56 was being SARCASTIC.?

I'm not saying that maybe some of the thugs with ASBO's could not benefit from National service returning- maybe they could- but conscription itself in general, for Every young person would be a terrible idea..In particular what about the growing number of young people who are on the autistic spectrum, or suffering from anxiety? How would they deal with those? Or the 'mildly' disabled who can still function? I doubt a ten minute check by an M.O could be enough to dismiss them from duty.It could all be a disaster, for them, their parents, and their country.

Maybe to train some as doctors & nurses free of charge? I would imagine it costs quite a bit to do years of training even in medical college.

I bet when higher education was totally free to all in Britain there were more young peopke signing up for medical degrees/nursing training.Now they simply cant afford it probably.

Same with dentistry- which has now become a BIG problem for this country.

*people

MissAdventure

Of course you're proud.
Anybody would be.

I wasn't referring to your son, specifically.

It's a broad and well used term.

It may be well used, but in my view, it's a term which says more about the person using it than those to whom it is supposed to refer.

Your prerogative.
I meant no harm, but take it as suits you to.

DS is serving in the Royal Navy. He is doing an engineering apprenticeship, travelling the world, having fabulous experiences and being paid for it. Yes it is disciplined and he could be put in harm's way but he loves it.

I don't think that a couple of years in the military for those who have nowhere to go at 16-18 is a bad thing. The first few months sorts out the wheat from the chaff.

Conscription is not the right word though. I see it more as further education.

Of course, I don't advocate bringing back the birch. Sorry for any confusion.

What a hideous idea, conscription to sort out the wheat from the chaff. The wheat won't be signing up anyway.

zakouma66

Maybe we could bring back the birch while we're at it?

That'll learn them.

I read this as tounge in cheek. Shame someone missed that and tried to ridicule you

No, it violates free will, so technically a form of slavery

Misinterpreted, Sonyou should be proud if your son, I thank goodness for people like him and those in RNLI. They do it because they are good people and genuinely want to help. However conscription would not work, so many different religions, different heritage who wouldn't want to be there, it wouldn’t work, it’s all or no one,

Allsorts Please can you explain that further about different religions and heritages? I didn't understand

Surely some kind of military service would bring about social cohesion regardless of religion and heritage? Although of course there has to be a will amongst the participants to make it work.

Staff in a Hospital can not make a patient on a Hospital ward have a shower or a wash if they don't want one, as its against their Human Rights, so getting a young person into the services against their will? Not a hope.. Good.. Crazy idea!

And yet, 30 years or so ago 80% of young people (FR) accepted doing military service as a foregone conclusion.

In fact, I believe Macron has recently introduced a new form of military service for young people, maybe a stint of a couple of months? (I'd need to check when it was introduced). I think it may be optional to start with, but moves to reintroduce some kind of service militaire were muted. So not totally crazy, though I've said earlier, I am not necessarily in favour.

Ilovecheese

Military personnel are professionals. The services are not there to solve a social problem. They deserve more respect than that.

Yes, this 👍

Has anybody asked the British army if they want them?
Other options are available if it did become compulsory.
Which it probably will not.

Joseann 30 years ago is a long time and the changes in the training needed to operate modern high tech equipment has changed beyond recognition.

It also varies with each individual countries attitude towards its armed forces. Some countries believe in having huge armies - and conscription and have barracks stuffed with young untrained and unmotivated soldiers with nothing to do.

In this country our armed forces are almost anorexic. They are so designed to get the maximum value from minimal staffing and they do not have the time or resources to keep young unqualified people off the streets for a couple of years and then send them out again.

Joseann

And yet, 30 years or so ago 80% of young people (FR) accepted doing military service as a foregone conclusion.

Conscription ended in 1960.

Was there a poll in the 1990s?