To wonder why people aren’t worried about this??

[Mummytotwonow]

https://news.sky.com/story/time-to-think-the-unthinkable-and-consider-uk-conscription-says-britains-former-top-nato-commander-13056148

Sorry if I’ve missed any threads on this.

It’s not just sky news reporting this but for days now in the media this is being raised.

AIBU - to be extremely worried and concerned about this?

Is anyone else not worried?? Are we being prepared ready as “the higher up” know more and the threat is bigger than we’re told.

what age would it be from and to??

l‘m so scared for the world our children are growing up in 😢

The only person who has even mentioned this to me is my 13 year old child. I find it absolutely bizarre that not one adult person I know has mentioned it . Are we pretending it’s not happening?

Horrifying, poor people. We have been lucky

If China/Iran get involved it could get messy though....

Do you think some people in the government take a look at mumsnet threads like these to get some understanding of the public sentiment around these issues? I bet they do!

Given that the Russians ARE actually recruiting rapists and murderers from prison to fight in their scummy army, then the age relevant people in my family wouldn't think twice about fighting back

The alternative doesn't bear thinking about

Yes. The plight of people in many other countries is just on a different level to the things we worry about.

I said this on another thread...
Had a discussion with a kid at work, he was full of 'I ain't fighting for noone' My response was they would need motivated, skilled people, you work 2 days a week and live with your mum at 21. Can't see them wanting you!.😂

Honestly, I can't see it ever happening here again.
Can you imagine the AIBU on here from mumma bears at the thought of their dress wearing, non binary, they pronoun 6ft 3"bearded 21 yr old being called up? 🤣

War these days is more technical. There is less need for cannon fodder.

‘Menfolk could just do the right thing’
That's an extremely old fashioned and sexist turn of phrase and attitude

It’s blindingly obviously not going to happen. Nobody is going to win a modern war with sheer volume of troops, particularly less skilled ones. Modern warfare is all about targeted, specific attacks on key things like power grids.

Out of interest when people say they’re constantly worried about these things…what does that mean? If it’s literally the case I don’t understand how people get through the day.

Agreed. Not fighting back is kind of a luxury in that situation. It's a bit like standing there and letting an assailant punch you in the face whilst you explain the benefits of pacifism.

FWIW, I barely get through the day worrying about stuff like this. It's crippling.

Unfortunately, lots of people on here seem unable to understand that 😐

When I read the article I assumed that the army chief making the remarks was speaking in the case of the UK being directly attacked or a severe attack not far from its shores. Normal life would come to a standstill anyway.
I also assumed that ordinary people would not be expected to take part in combat but become part of the supply chain for professional armed forces who have highly technical training. eg supporting health care, food supply, reporting fires etc. My grandfather was actually a conscientious objector in WW1 and he was put to work on the land. In WW2 as a married man with 6 kids he became a fire spotter in London. So there is plenty to do even if you don’t believe in killing.

Much of it is down to Putin. Insidious interference in Western European and US elections. Courting politicians to deter a strong pushback against his behaviour. People need to take a long hard look at the situation and realise that we are in effect already in a form of conflict with Russia under Putin; we just haven’t realised it.

As I understand it, the Russians have stolen several hundred thousand Ukrainian children and are bringing them up as Russians.The United States Department of State estimated that at least 900,000 Ukrainian citizens have been forcibly relocated to Russia. You may strongly disagree with conscription but it could be your children and grandchildren taken and told lies about those who love them.....My father in law was an only child and fought in the 2nd world war. His parents would have been desolate when he went - but they knew what would happen if Hitler had won the war.

not a dictatorship
You weren't here for 2020 were you?

Emergency powers go a very long way when they have to, and we have seen what they did in response to a fancy version of the flu.
If they want something to happen, then it happens.

How do I know? They did it in Canada a couple years ago when some truckers were protesting in the cities. The government seized their bank accounts until they gave up.

Make no mistake: "Democracy" means the square root of fuck all when push comes to shove. They are all as bad as each other.

I understand the "not wanting to fight someone else's war", but if Putin were to attack the UK we have an agreement that many other countries will send their sons to fight ours. Presumably that's ok?

Putin invaded Ukraine. I remember being told as a kid that it takes two to make a fight, but of course that's nonsense as anyone who has been mugged, beaten or worse knows.

I seriously doubt he'll invade us, but if it happened everyone would fight whether they liked it or not as Russian soldiers would be shooting at you and there'd be no option to say "excuse me, but I don't want to get involved"

Saying "I didn't vote Tory so this has nothing to do with me" won't save you either.

I did smile at the idea that being occupied by Russia would be nicer than living under the tories. Especially as (and people seem to forget this) the current government was chosen by the voters.

We've made our country as gentle and civilized as possible and that's a good thing except that there's a big harsh world out there and a lot of people would get a terrible shock.

Covid has shown us that people will comply out of fear, and, shame others if they don't go along with it

I remember all the threads of 'am I really that selfish to sit on a park bench with my friend?' OMG yes OP! You clearly don't care about people dying. It's 'within your bubble' for a reason

Yes, we can now see what the government did to fool us, etc. Yes we might be more aware of nonsense - but, we will probably comply with conscription because people will be called out for being selfish otherwise

If, at any point in the last several centuries Britain had gone to war with Russia, we'd have needed conscription. Russia has an enormous army - notoriously so. It's part of the reasons why European countries formed alliances and why NATO was created.
There is a very serious threat from Russia - more serious than at any point since the end of the Cold War.
However, if you're over about 40 you'll have lived through times with an even bigger threat from Russia (or the USSR as was). Despite growing up knowing we were however many seconds to midnight and watching Threads we just muddled on. Because what else can you do?
Should we be concerned? Yes.
Should we lose any sleep over it? No. There's literally nothing you or I or anyone on this thread can do about it (other than voting for political paries who don't take an isolationist/nationalist view).
To worry unduly now would be to either worry unnecessarily (no war) or to worry twice (now and during a war).
Fortunately for me, I'm fat and old so I'll be bottom of the list.

Why would Putin attack us? What do we have that Russia wants?

Anyone that thinks entering into a ground war with Russia is certifiably insane. As others have said, send the gung ho Military and Politicians first.

Dark blue passports..😉

I don’t think our government is squeaky clean either, they know Putin is a problem and should be protecting the nation from things like this.

Are you.....suggesting that Boris/Rishi are actually going to go out there and kick some russky arse in our defence? 🤣🤣🤣

Generally, the peoples' of a country need to fight when things get serious. This is what happened in the WWs and is currently what's happening in Ukraine.

Not that realistically Russia is going to stand a chance against NATO.

All of this

I'm fat and old too. No point worrying about things you can't change