Conscription

[BigGaz]

The topic of the now/The latest culture war piece.

Yes yes, we know it's a bit of sabre rattling, with a pinch of distraction underneath...however I'm interested to hear sentiment on it?

I'm a British chap, 38 years old. I have an 18 month daughter and another one on the way. I'm certainly not well off but I've carved out a relatively comfortable life for my family. Whatever I've achieved, however modest, i believe is in spite of government (both parties), policies and the big business that define the political landscape of this country.

Perhaps due to that outlook, i feel no strong sense of nationalism, and a total indifference to pretty much anything beyond other than trying to keep my family happy and healthy.

Based on that, if it really did happen, I would happily rot in jail if the call did come. At least I know I could be with my family in time, rather than dying in some European backwater leaving my young family at the mercy of the spivs in Downing street.

What would YOU do, men and women of conscription age?

[claretandy]

Let's send all the fighting age men that they've imported on dinghies.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Russia won’t be in any fit state to invade/fight anyone else for a long time to come

Their “best” equipment is gone, their high ranking officers have been decimated, their leader is quite probably very ill

They’ve been embarrassed in Ukraine and if they tried elsewhere they’ll get rolled over again

I’m not worried about my boys getting conscripted anytime soon

[Quickenthetempo]

The country has gone too soft for signing up to wars.

Nobody is going to leave a 300k house to go shooting people.
Or could the country afford them too, everything is on tick, big mortgage payments every month.
Who pays all that?

[jrgbfc]

Was talking to my Mum about this earlier. Basically how mad it was that men/young lads just got told they were getting sent away to fight and the vast majority just accepted it, it's unimaginable now really.

[BigGaz]

Russia won’t be in any fit state to invade/fight anyone else for a long time to come

Their “best” equipment is gone, their high ranking officers have been decimated, their leader is quite probably very ill

They’ve been embarrassed in Ukraine and if they tried elsewhere they’ll get rolled over again

I’m not worried about my boys getting conscripted anytime soon

All fair points but indulge me. Sarge knocks on your door one day and their names are on the list. What are you saying?

[BigGaz]

Was talking to my Mum about this earlier. Basically how mad it was that men/young lads just got told they were getting sent away to fight and the vast majority just accepted it, it's unimaginable now really.

They were brave, they had a bigger pair on them collectively than most of the generations that followed no doubt, but unfortunately they were more easily led.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Thankfully we’ve got plenty of people who romanticise about the World Wars and the old Blitz Spirit so they’ll be signing up before we know it.

[agreenwood]

It’ll never get to forced conscription.

I’m sure the “anti-woke” lot will sign up in their droves.

[pureclaret]

The topic of the now/The latest culture war piece.

Yes yes, we know it's a bit of sabre rattling, with a pinch of distraction underneath...however I'm interested to hear sentiment on it?

I'm a British chap, 38 years old. I have an 18 month daughter and another one on the way. I'm certainly not well off but I've carved out a relatively comfortable life for my family. Whatever I've achieved, however modest, i believe is in spite of government (both parties), policies and the big business that define the political landscape of this country.

Perhaps due to that outlook, i feel no strong sense of nationalism, and a total indifference to pretty much anything beyond other than trying to keep my family happy and healthy.

Based on that, if it really did happen, I would happily rot in jail if the call did come. At least I know I could be with my family in time, rather than dying in some European backwater leaving my young family at the mercy of the spivs in Downing street.

What would YOU do, men and women of conscription age?

From history
if you were in prison your family would suffer severe hardship then death or inturnment them selves your daughter may well be a breeding machine from age 12 this may be before you die so you would suffer not been able to have protected them.

I do actually believe that by the time conscripts were fit to fight there would be any need as domsday clock is set at 90 seconds

[GodIsADeeJay81]

All fair points but indulge me. Sarge knocks on your door one day and their names are on the list. What are you saying?

If they’re on the list, they’re on the list
I can’t do anything to stop it, only the boys can do something about it and it would be their choice as to what they do

[boatshed bill]

Won't happen.
didn't I hear this sort of stuff at the time of the Falklands tiff?

[Dark Cloud]

Will they mail my pension to wherever I'm posted? Hope it's somewhere warm.

[Clovius Boofus]

It won't happen. The Russians could be watering their horses at Calais and the Tory Party would still be arguing about who was going to be their next party leader.

[fatboy47]

I'll join up if Sunak and Cleverly do.

Sounds fair to me?

[CrosspoolClarets]

This whole hypothetical question takes on a whole new context if the barbarians are at the gate and our own families safety is threatened, a bit like living somewhere like Kherson today.

If that was the case (and we hope to God it never is) anybody not volunteering to serve, in whatever capacity they can do it best, is not someone I would have any time for. But not volunteering to go to some Eastern European country to fight when the link to us is more tenuous, that I can agree with.

[Rowls]

I'm exempt.

And I think it's a great idea.

Sign up all the young people.

In fact, bring back national service.

[Dark Cloud]

It won't happen. The Russians could be watering their horses at Calais and the Tory Party would still be arguing about who was going to be their next party leader.

Won't happen! The Belgians would have eaten them all!! (The horses, not the Russians)

[Enola Gay]

Just call up anyone with more than one Union Jack on their Twitter bio, and everyone who's every shared that godawful meme of Spitfires flying over the White Cliffs with the 'turn the clocks back to when this country had some balls' printed on it.

Problem solved.

Seriously though I think some people here may be conflating conscription and national service. Everything I've ever read on the subject suggests the professional armed forces have neither the resources nor the desire the accommodate the latter, and if the military situation was ever bad enough to threaten the former I suspect most people with something they cared about to defend (even if it were just their own skin) wouldn't give a flying one which colour rosette the person telling them to join up was wearing.

[Enola Gay]

Missed the Edit... It's maybe worth pointing out that National Service was long enough ago that even Keith Richards didn't have to do it, so if the boomer telling you 'kids these days need a spell in the Army!' is younger than him, you're probably within your rights to reply 'you first'.

[Clovius Boofus]

Some people need to get a grip before slagging off our young people. Have you forgotten already about Iraq and Afghanistan? 457 fatalities in Afghanistan alone, not to mention those who are now disabled for life. Pretty disgusting to say younger folk are somehow 'too soft' when so many, only recenty, sacrificed so much.

[JarrowClaret]

The topic of the now/The latest culture war piece.

Yes yes, we know it's a bit of sabre rattling, with a pinch of distraction underneath...however I'm interested to hear sentiment on it?

I'm a British chap, 38 years old. I have an 18 month daughter and another one on the way. I'm certainly not well off but I've carved out a relatively comfortable life for my family. Whatever I've achieved, however modest, i believe is in spite of government (both parties), policies and the big business that define the political landscape of this country.

Perhaps due to that outlook, i feel no strong sense of nationalism, and a total indifference to pretty much anything beyond other than trying to keep my family happy and healthy.

Based on that, if it really did happen, I would happily rot in jail if the call did come. At least I know I could be with my family in time, rather than dying in some European backwater leaving my young family at the mercy of the spivs in Downing street.

What would YOU do, men and women of conscription age?

I think you are looking at this wrong not necessarily about your country although yes that would be a factor, it would be mostly about protecting your Family surely? Not sure it will ever happen but the initial conscription would be people who are still on regular reserve there must be several thousand I finished my 22 years in 2013 I am into my 50s and I am still getting my reserves liability letter for example.

Hypothetically if we were to get to conscription of Civilians who have never served before I am not sure people will have decision to make it is likely to be enforced.

[Jellybean]

The country's globalist establishment, from those running it to the govt to the media and the general supposedly liberal do gooders, have spent years sneering at the working classes, mocking the people who dare to feel patriotic and proud of their country. And now they expect those folk to stand up and fight for their country? Not a chance.

[basil6345789]

I'd join The Home Guard, like my Grandfather did during WW2 (he fought in WW1). He guarded The Clock Face - I'd do my bit guarding The Boot.

[Sutton-Claret]

If we have to rely on the millenials of today to fight for the country we may as well throw the towel in now.

[Newcastleclaret93]

There’s no practical way this could happen. The economy would crash over night.

Second to that the prison system is collapsing so I seriously doubt they could enforce it anyway.

[Pearcey]

They need to stop decimating the forces and build them up if they feel the country is in immediate danger. Numbers have dropped dramatically over the years. They even attacked the pensions. It’s not a surprise that retention has been a problem over the last 10 years. Conscription just isn’t viable in modern western society.

[Burnley1989]

Perhaps due to that outlook, i feel no strong sense of nationalism, and a total indifference to pretty much anything beyond other than trying to keep my family happy and healthy.

Sadly I feel the same way, I was in the car today listening to the radio and just felt like I wouldn’t want to do anything any of the current politicians tried to force me to do.

I also know that at 34, and being a fit lad, I’d still do it if it was to protect my family

[Jakubclaret]

There’s no practical way this could happen. The economy would crash over night.

Second to that the prison system is collapsing so I seriously doubt they could enforce it anyway.

You not joking, I've 2 questions for the people that think prison is such a bad place to be in. The first question is why are the prisons full & please no crap that we need to build more we don't have enough there's plenty & the second question is if it's such a bad place to be in why do people reoffend to go back in there, surely if it's so bad it's the last place you would want to go after already experiencing it.

[ClaretAndJew]

Yes, let's all get blown to pieces for no reason.

[HahaYeah]

We don't have a country because we don't have any borders,so who are we supposed to be fighting against? Who is going to fight?

[Enola Gay]

If we have to rely on the millenials of today to fight for the country we may as well throw the towel in now.

I'm fairly certain that the older generations in the mid-1930s will have said something similar about the youth of their day.

As I've read in numerous sources they didn't seem to do too badly.

[Burnley1989]

I'll join up if Sunak and Cleverly do.

Sounds fair to me?

I’d shoot him

[bfcjg]

Most wars in the future will be fought remotely, look at Ukraine the killing in the main is long range missiles,artillery drones etc so not as much cannon fodder required. You'd like to think that young people now are more globalist than previous generations and with social media won't want to fight people they've talked with,gamed with etc and perhaps their anger will be turned on the politicians and clerics who sh1t stir but who are as far away from the battlefield as possible.
I wouldn't want my children or grandchildren conscripted unless an invader stepped foot on British soil, as for me when younger I had friends in the forces but I opted for a different career path but would have joined up if Britain but not British interests were under threat.

[Newcastleclaret93]

We don't have a country because we don't have any borders,so who are we supposed to be fighting against? Who is going to fight?

I believe the latest figures showed that 25% of this nations population are not British. I can’t imagine any of them would be willing to fight a war for Britain

[Cazaris]

I work in Frankfurt for a video game company split into two main parts, one in Frankfurt and one in Kyiv. Quite a lot of my colleagues over in Ukraine avoided joining the fighting because it isn't mandatory conscription (yet) and they were aware enough of their own physicalities to understand that they likely wouldn't be much help or might even get in the way, but quite a few of them actually volunteered (and some still do) with the territorial defense forces.

Some of the **** they've told me would make your blood run cold, but each and every one of them said they felt they made the right choice because of the "enemy at the gates" element of it. It's pretty surreal seeing a colleague, who you've known for a few years and only met over Zoom calls, joining a call and instead of wearing their trademark t-shirt and hoodie they're wearing urban camo fatigues.

I don't know how I'd react in that situation, I like to think I'd avoid fighting altogether, but then if the "enemy at the gates" comes knocking I think that's only a choice you'll ever know if you're capable of making it in the heat of the moment.

Sure as hell wouldn't do it willingly for the Tories though...

[Cirrus_Minor]

My grandfather fought in WW1 and my dad in WW2, so I was convinced I would end up fighting in WW3. But I might be a tad too old for that now at 69.

Consription like national service was probably abandoned to have professional soldiers in the past. Before conscription we might need to concentrate on defence of the UK rather than trying to police those in other countries.

[Shaggy]

Russia won’t be in any fit state to invade/fight anyone else for a long time to come

Their “best” equipment is gone, their high ranking officers have been decimated, their leader is quite probably very ill

They’ve been embarrassed in Ukraine and if they tried elsewhere they’ll get rolled over again

And you actually believe that? Because the MSM parrots the western establishments spin and deceit.

Wait and see what happens. Russia isn’t going anywhere soon. Infact a lot of analysts believe Russia are on course to re-take Ukraine. Luckily their is only has 10 month of The horrendous Biden left before Trump saves the day for everyone.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

And you actually believe that? Because the MSM parrots the western establishments spin and deceit.

Wait and see what happens. Russia isn’t going anywhere soon. Infact a lot of analysts believe Russia are on course to re-take Ukraine. Luckily their is only has 10 month of The horrendous Biden left before Trump saves the day for everyone.

For a short/rapid invasion it’s taking an awfully long time to get it done

They’ve been embarrassed time and again

[Shaggy]

For a short/rapid invasion it’s taking an awfully long time to get it done

They’ve been embarrassed time and again

[evensteadiereddie]

You not joking, I've 2 questions for the people that think prison is such a bad place to be in. The first question is why are the prisons full & please no crap that we need to build more we don't have enough there's plenty & the second question is if it's such a bad place to be in why do people reoffend to go back in there, surely if it's so bad it's the last place you would want to go after already experiencing it.

[JarrowClaret]

If we have to rely on the millenials of today to fight for the country we may as well throw the towel in now.

Sorry Sutton but it wasn’t that long ago that the millennials well probably just before that were fighting bravely in Afghanistan and Iraq. I have heard this type of comment a lot over the years about several generations including my own but when push came to shove the right people stood up to be counted.

[Rileybobs]

If we have to rely on the millenials of today to fight for the country we may as well throw the towel in now.

Well, the average age of someone in the British armed forces would be a millennial, so you are already relying on millennials to fight for the country.

[Swizzlestick]

You not joking, I've 2 questions for the people that think prison is such a bad place to be in. The first question is why are the prisons full & please no crap that we need to build more we don't have enough there's plenty & the second question is if it's such a bad place to be in why do people reoffend to go back in there, surely if it's so bad it's the last place you would want to go after already experiencing it.

Can you volunteer to stay in prison for a few months? You’ll be able to enjoy the cushy lifestyle and it’ll be an added bonus for us, everyone’s a winner.

[Quickenthetempo]

Thinking about it, tge younger generation will be superb I'm modern warfare, thanks to years and years of cod.

Flying drones etc.. Will be a piece of cake.

[Anonymous Claret]

Let's send all the children of the arms dealers, the politicians, the Royal family, the nobility, the billionaires and all the scumbags in the media to the front line of any war. Let's not have them in a tokenistic role or miles away from any action directing operations, put every single one of these evil scumbags children on the frontline. I guarantee there would be no more wars if this was the case. I have no beef with any citizen from China, Russia, Iran, Syria or wherever they want to send our young men and women to be slaughtered. I am sure that the vast majority of people in these countries also feel the same no matter what the lying politicians and media tell us.

We are ruled by psychopaths and it is about time we stood up and told them to do one

[TsarBomba]

Russia won’t be in any fit state to invade/fight anyone else for a long time to come

Their “best” equipment is gone, their high ranking officers have been decimated, their leader is quite probably very ill

They’ve been embarrassed in Ukraine and if they tried elsewhere they’ll get rolled over again

I’m not worried about my boys getting conscripted anytime soon

The Russians have gone towards a military economy. They’re churning out equipment at an ever increasing rate, and they’re not getting dislodged from Ukraine anytime soon.

If Russia are victorious in Ukraine then they will likely move on to the Baltics. Lose, and they are arguably even more dangerous. There’s no easy way out of this, and we must be ready for what the next 2-5 years bring.

[claret2018]

My thoughts

[Funkydrummer]

I believe the latest figures showed that 25% of this nations population are not British. I can’t imagine any of them would be willing to fight a war for Britain

We wouldn't see a lot of them for dust.

[mdd2]

We are repeating all the errors of the 20 th century
I’ll prepared for what may be coming
Ours and Europes armed forces have been reduced over the years
In our case if the Argies took the Falklands again we couldn’t repeat what we did 40 years ago
Next year we may have a real mad man in the Whitehouse again
The republicans are quite prepared to throw Ukraine under a bus
We are so prepared for war that the Army does not have enough live rounds for training purposes as we have sent a load of weapons to Ukraine
You can never argue a case from weakness and that is where we are
Oh and with a National debt of £2.7 trillion
Our liberty has always come at a price
If we are not collectively prepared to pay for it then be prepared for dictatorship which will be far from benevolent