What would you say to British Conscription?

Just wondering how people would feel if the british government were to bring in conscription to fight a war in the east.
In my opinion i think that most people would not join as i dont think we are that patriotic, apart from when it comes to sport.
This isnt conscription to fight a war in britain as most people would join as you are fighting to defend your family and land. This is to go to a different country when the excuse is nuclear threats, communism the usual argument to start wars.

Would you prefer to go to jail and not fight the war or fight the politicians war and kill innocent civilians(not maliciously, but it happens in war)?

I don't think patriotism has anything to do with going off to fight.
Perhaps it's becoming all too clear to a lot of people that serving in the armed forces these days has little or nothing to do with protecting your country, but has everything to do with resource plunder of other nations and lining the pockets of big corporate interests.
The governments, bankrolled by big business, will tell us otherwise, that nation X is a threat and must be overthrown to protect ourselves, but anyone bothering to ignore what the government says and analyze things a little will very quickly see through it all.

In short, I think the current selling to us of ongoing conflict is starting to tire people, hence the low recruitment and retention figures in the armed forces.

Id get off on medical grounds but Im not stupid enough to give up my life to fight wars so rich men can get even richer.

As you said, defending your homeland is a different matter.

Well first off, a couple of points....

Patriotism means many different things to many different people. You can have a patrotic conciencious objector as well as a patriotic soldier.

I don't see how patriotism and conscription go hand in hand.

By its very essence conscription is a forced call up of people at "fighting age".

Surely a "fighting" patriot would volunteer, in much the same way that the system works now?

As for me, personally, I would fight for this country if it was directly threatened by a clearly visible and verifiable enemy, which it most certainly is not at the moment. I would also fight against any direct threat to my family, or what I percieve to be the "English" way of life, but again, I don't see that at the moment either.

I understand that you can be patriotic and not want to go to war, but by choosing not to go to war you would be branded as a coward so i,m sure those few who are patriotic would go.
However conscription is a choice but there are only two outcomes
1. You go to war
2. You go to jail

This is still a choice, however limited.

I had a conversation with someone who believed that those who would decide not to got to war would be in the minority and that most people would serve their country. However, i believe that the majority in this country would not comply with conscription and the gov. would be forced to either not go to war or come up with another way.

I too would be let off on medical grounds...

But if I was given the choice, I would NOT join up for war.

War is sick and has no place in the 21st century, except in the minds of the powerful, the greedy and the manipulative.

Shame that there's just so many greedy, manipulative and powerful people in charge.

I also agree that patriotism has nothing to do with conscription.

I think todays true patriots are ANTI-war, especially if our leaders are nothing but cowardly, snivelling wretches that order the deaths of thousands from behind their comfy little desks.

reply to post by neo2012


Thats the price of being a citizen of the country.

We arent citizens in the UK, technically we are still subjects.

Which is why if the Queen uses the reserve order, about 4 million Britons have to be at standby for deployment.

Think itll never happen? It already has... at the time of the Iraq war declaration. I was part of the 4million, air force corps trained and ready.

Yes i would fight for my country and yes i would die. If the cause is just.

Has anyone else heard that the way the Govt. would call us up would be based on your NI number? The letter that follows (A-D) would determine whether you would be called up in the first instance or when we got desperate!

It would not work pretty simple actually.

Unless they made it legal to shoot those that went AWOL on sight maybe then it would.

HAHAHA.

Take care.

Regards
Lee

reply to post by fanthorpe


Yes this is true. Im not sure how it works exactly, but im aware that the NI number is the thing they use for this lottery system.

Normal flow is :

1. Normal miltary
2. Reservists (Territorial army)
3. auxiliary (coastguard, police etc)
4. Queen's reservists (cadet force trained)
5. Ordinary subjects (based on NI number)


Interestingly, the NI card is the only form of government provided ID which is given to you without you asking for one... for everything else- even passport, you still have to apply.

interesting points about the queen and the 4 million reserves.
Also never knew about the NI number.
However i,m also think that it wouldnt work in this day and age unless the penalty for not serving would be death.
The prisons are fit to bursting anyway.
Also in this day most decisions are made if they think they will keep or gain voters, i think conscription wouldnt be recieved well and would almost certainly mean a new party being voted in(although this is why the eu constitution is confusing, most people dont want it and yet they are still going ahead with it, there must be some secret clause meaning we cant vote labour out of office or something)