Conscription -should UK initiate?

Why cant politicians sort things out round a table...instead of sending other peoples sons to do their dirty work.My granny always said it was young men who fought old mens wars and didn't benefit in any way from doing so.Time the old boys fought their own wars ...aren't they supposed to be wiser with age?

And Austria, Estonia, Finland, Greece plus, surprisingly, Switzerland which negates the remarks about cannon fodder etc. as Switzerland has a policy of neutrality.

It's about defence, not attack.

I just had a quick look online and the following countries now have some form of national service - France, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden. Why the almost hysterical response from some on this thread? No sane person wants to think of their country going to war, but with threats from Vladimir Putin almost daily, the UK ought to take steps to prepare its population.

Crossed post Greta. I agree.

Sorry, that was to Greta.

Some people are going to have a big shock with such a head-in-the-sand attitude.

grandtanteJE65 That's very thought-provoking. Thank you, I was trying to get somewhere close to saying the same with what is being proposed by Macron in France.
Mainland Europe seems to be pretty switched on to these ideas. I remember when we were in Amsterdam in January this year, and learning about the occupation, it was explained to us that The Netherlands, which no longer has conscription, is taking the threat of a war seriously and preparing for it. We were told that all 17-year-old citizens were being sent a formasking about their willingness to serve in the Dutch army in the future.
That's why I can't quite bring myself to say Never in this country.

I think the Scandinavians follow similar models of conscription. What I lack in the UK is an open and frank discussion; nobody is saying we must do what others are doing. I just find it odd that there is no discussion at all. Are we thinking that we are immune?

Interesting, well-balanced post, grandtante.

There are a lot of misconceptions on the thread and perhaps if other posters read your post, they might understand more about conscription and what other countries do.

In Denmark where we do have conscription, it is most assuredly not only for those who are out of work, or seen as an answer to social problems.

In theory anyone of the male sex can be summonded to a Medical Board as soon as he is 18. Far from all young men have to do national service, as there is a system by which even those who are declared fit can draw an exemption card.

Right now ( at long last) there is talk of conscription being for women as well as men - my generation started pointing out the unfairness of it only being for men in 1969.

Concription in a democracy does not mean that soldiers will necessarily be involved in wars that they object to, as concienscious objectors are respected by law.

And from the age of 18 all citizens have both the right and the duty to vote,

It might be well. if countries that still have conscription, and many do, although there are no adequate lists of how many countries available, considered not only giving their young citizens the choice, as they have here, of army, navy and air force, but adding ambulance service, fire brigade and military nursing to the form of service one can choose between.

We also have schemes for interesting school leavers in going into the regular services and doing officers' training.

Those who have started studying to become doctors, lawyers, dentists or clergy before their conscription date can apply for exemption with a view to doing their conscription service once they have their degree and serve as chaplains, doctors, dentists in the forces, or lawyers in the Judge Advocate's dept.

Conscription cannot provide the amount of wel-trained.soldiers necessary either to defend our countries at need, or provide a sufficient deterrent to those looking enviously across our borders, but could and should provide, as does the Home Guard as reasonably well-trained reserve.

Absolutely not. We have - and need - professional armed services. What unemployed young people need are opportunities to do meaningful work for a living wage, or educational opportunities that don't leave them tens of thousands of £ in debt.

24JacquiG
What do we do about the Fathers raising their children?

No thank you,we treat our ex military very badly in this country.The number of PTSD veterans is very high.

I don't think "the experts" mentioned poor upbringings, so, include the well bought up to be conscripted, too.

It's just the media winding people up, take no notice they are messing with people's heads.

nope. Why should the army solve poor upbringing problems?

Just no.

would we end up with a lot of strong fit thugs?

No.

Absolutely not. I would not be willing to fight and would be horrified if my three children were conscripted as I know that they wouldn’t either. Happy to help in another way.

No way. Why should these warmongering ‘elites’ (hate that word) have the right to commit sons, brothers, husbands as cannon fodder with a high risk of being killed or injured whilst they sit, protected in their ivory towers. War is a way of making billions of $$$$$$ for the few.

No

Under no circumstances. I am in favour of something like a trained Home Guard to which would need training. Also, anybody claiming benefits and not working should need to work in some positive social capacity, and be paid minimum rate for it. A properly managed service with trained leaders, training for the participants, funding etc. Only exceptions for mothers raising children and family, the disabled, carers, etc.

By all means let's have conscription . . . for anyone under 90 who's fit, for their age, and 'unemployed.
One month would do. I would quite like a posting in southern Spain, or France.

Couldn’t afford it.