How do you feel about this for National Service/Conscription?

[monrymeadows73]

A lot of European countries, most notably Germany are moving towards the reintroduction of conscription. Right now, Germany has introduced a volunteer system, whereby all men born in 2008, who will turn 18 in 2026, have to undergo an assessment to test for their fitness for military service with the intention of incentivising German men to join the German military. However, if there are not enough recruits, then Germany may mandate conscription. But, this is just for men; not women.

In some other European countries, conscription is mandatory for only men; while in others like the Scandinavian countries, women are also obligated to take part in military service.

I know that some may oppose conscription/military service in the UK outright; but if, for whatever reason, it was re-introduced, how would you feel about the following points:

1. Should British women aged 18 and above be forcibly conscripted along with British men; or just British men?
2. Should women have to undergo the same processes in the military like have to have their heads shaved like men do?

I wonder how this fits into feminists' views of equality. Again, before some people start suggesting that they are opposed to conscription for everyone, what I'm asking about is if somehow it was implemented, regardless of how you feel about it, how do you think it should be promoted i.e. for both sexes and both having to undergo the same processes or just for men?

Because they wouldn’t be fighting ‘for the country’ it would be ‘fighting not to be invaded/bombed/starved’.

Whatever grumbles they have about wages and pronouns would pale in significance when they realise the above.

I’m a Millennial and absolutely would do whatever was asked of me. You’re caught up in irrelevant grievances.

Unless a top ranking military person turns up on the thread, we are all clueless regarding military strategy and what may or may not happen. The people in the know are concerned, so forgive me if I don’t feel reassured by some random online novice trying to convince everyone there’s nothing to worry about.

Except the poll tax riots that brought Thatcher down.

Oh and the Suffragettes. And the National Strike and the CND demos. And the anti Trump demos and the current demos against Tommy and co, which don’t get air time because TR is more important in our media.

And the failed 1 million marching to Stop The War?

< patiently>

They can’t invade us. A nuclear war wouldn’t need conscripts. How would they starve us?

I’m not caught up in any grievances. I’m neither a Millennial or Gen Z.

You keep drumming your little war drum though. Based on nothing. It’s highly amusing.

They can’t invade us. A nuclear war wouldn’t need conscripts

One problem with this debate is too many people are thinking binary...land invasion or nuclear, and not realising in extremis, other options might be available...

I think I’ve already mentioned those upthread twice.

I take it you don’t have sons 🙄

Women don't shave their heads for the British forces.

If we have forced conscription, it should be for all ages. Including us adults. Maybe that's less palatable than sending off our kids.

I hate war and violence. I hope this never happens. I'd never had kids if I thought this was a possibility. Also, I might have to fight. You might have to fight. We might be bombed by drones like in Ukraine. It's hardly the idyllic idea that Mil keeps banging on about "kids nowadays." The reality would be that her grandkids guts all over the pavement. It's not going to sort them out. it's enforced slaughter for these kids in Russia. They are someone's beloved sons full of hopes and dreams raised by love. Such a waste. I hate humanity sometimes

If they conscript the entire population, then they’re be no doctors, nurses, teachers, retail staff etc

Yeah I mean it’s only based on the opinion of senior military leaders and Europe. Silly Germany, silly Poland, silly France, silly Sweden. Silly silly Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton. Who needs all those nitwits when we have @ArseInTheCoOpWindow to advise us?

I don't doubt it..but it's maybe a point worth making again.

Too many posters seem to be of the view that there's almost no point in the UK doing anything because it'll be over in a literal flash or the Russian tanks will stop at Dunkirk.

We've already seen Russian sponsored ops on UK soil (Salisbury and possibly some arson attacks in the last year or so), and it's maybe worth considering that the civilian population of some Ukranian cities has been suffering badly from the effects of long range conventional weapons.

All of whom have a vested interest in upping the rhetoric. And who specialise in war mongering speeches. All older white men happy to use their country’s Young people as cannon fodder.

Skmeone said on here send the flagshaggers. Absolutely. They should be the ones to go.

I don’t think l ever said there wouldn’t be a war. But conscription seems pointless.

You could say anyone has a vested interest in anything, but if we don’t listen to them who do we listen to? You, an internet randomer with presumably no inside knowledge and a bizarre outlook that losing a war wouldn’t be cutting off your nose to spite your face? You seem desperate for people to hate this country enough to refuse to serve it, yet presumably you and your children have been hosted and propped up by it all these years?

@HoneyParsnipSoupwill you be volunteering yourself as cannon fodder or do you have an excuse as to why you can’t and just want others to send their children off happily?

Myself and my children were born here. I’ve paid taxes all my life to ‘prop’ up my children and myself. We are British citizens. I’m not at all patriotic and think Britain is a sad little country full of grandiose ideas.

You really need to take a look at our younger people. They aren’t going to serve. And they not need to. Any war would be cyber or not need recruits.

I don’t believe in older white military men recruiting young cannon fodder. I think it’s disgusting. Old men make wars that kill young people and children.

Send the flagshaggers first. I’d support young people doing community stuff but not fighting. Send the old military hawks in first.

There may or may not be a war. But I’m not jumping because some dickhead general is trying to beat the war drums. Why do they have to say anything at all? It’s a wet dream for them having conscripts.

Actually I’m patriotic about somethings. But I’m not jingoistic, and would be never fly a flag.

The frequent claim that any war will be cyber doesn't really stand up when you look at very recent history, but it's attractive to those who don't like spending on ordnance/personnel or think somehow the UK can have a victimless war with nobody's son, daughter, father or mother coming to harm.

What very recent history?

Cyberwar couldn’t have happened 10 years ago.

I think you are deliberately being goady - should men be allowed to be gynae doctors as they will never know what its like to give birth, should people with all their teeth be dentists as they dont know what its like to wear false teeth, and doctors who have never broken an arm, should they be able to treat them, and women should not work in mens clothing shops as they don't wear mens clothing?

(I have reported your post as I do not believe you to be genuine)

Ukraine...

For example the Ukrainians, who are not backward when it comes to tech and are in a fight for their lives have been trying for some time now to hobble the Russian economy in part by clobbering Russian oil refineries in various of the oblasts.

Now some of the cyber warriors would I'm sure tell you that you could shut the plants down remotely. Reality is the Ukrainians have been shutting them down the old fashioned way, with large amounts of HE delivered by long range stand off weapons and sadly probably killing civilians in the process.

Given also Russian telecomms, air traffic and the domestic banking sector is still operating fairly normally just maybe cyber isn't the universal solution some claim it is...

It's a useful tool, no.doubt about it, but it adds to existing capabilities, it doesn't replace them.

Russia wouldn’t have attacked if Ukraine had nuclear weapons. And if they had it would have been a nuclear war.

Probably true, we don't know...but in that specific post I was trying to address the claims about cyber...

Wrong.

But the war with Ukraine isn’t an example of why they wouldn’t do a cyber war. Ukraine is non nuclear, therefore Russia went in.

Is Putin really dumb enough to attack a nuclear power? I doubt it, so what other options does he have? Cyber is the only other option.

Not sure even men get their heads shaved, used to be short back and sides and I've seen women in the British army with long hair. Not sure where shaved heads came from at all, maybe nits in the 1st/2nd world wars? Or old war films?

I assume the OP is talking about national service, a fairly short period of army/navy/airforce life before getting a proper job. I think a lot of 18 year olds would actually quite enjoy it. And at least we would have a population that would know how to be soldiers if the need arose later. And women as well as men, why not? There have been the female equivalents of the armed forces for many years.