About the Draft

Wish I had a source, however it was on a major news program up here. And it said the military is going to use it's huge budget to recruit the 80,000 plus soldiers it wants next year. 10,000 dollar bonus for those that enlist for four years[?] and up to 15,000 for those that have special skills the military is looking for.
The other thread on the draft is closed to only a few so the redundancy

Tut Tut

I was wondering just how many countries have a mandatory draft ("conscription" and how many don't. I found a report the U.N. complied in 2001 which contained the following data:

COUNTRIES OR TERRITORIES WITH CONSCRIPTION

Afghanistan
� Any and all men above the age of 18 for as long as needed.

Albania
� Any and all men above the age of 18 for one to three years depending on the branch of the armed forces.

Algeria
� Any and all men above the age of 19 for six months (or longer if needed).

Angola
� Any and all men from 18 to 50 (some reports put the youngest age at 16). Women of the same age ranges with "special qualifications of interest to the armed forces." Note: those over 30 serve only in the reserve force. No mandated minimum or maximum length of service.

Bolivia
� Any and all men between the ages of 19 and 21 for one year (or more in times of war).

Cambodia
� Any and all men above the age of 18 for three years, extendable by an additional six months if needed.

Chile
� Both men and women must register at the age of 18 and may be called up anytime between the ages of 19 and 30 for up to two years of service.

China
� Men aged 18 to 22 may be drafted into the army at any time; men aged 18 to 35 may be drafted into the militia, or into the army during wartime. Term of service varies from between two and four years.

Colombia
� Any and all males between the ages of 18 and 50 for one to two years.

Cuba
� Any and all men over the age of 16 and under 50 for three years.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea
� Any and all men over the age of 16 and under 50 from 30 to 36 months.

Dominican Republic
� Any and all men at or above the age of 18. No mandated minimum or maximum length of service.

Ecuador
� Any and all men at or above the age of 19 for one year.

Egypt
� Any and all men between 18 and 30 for three years.

El Salvador
� Unmarried men between the ages of 18 and 20 who are members of poorer socio-economic groups. No mandated minimum or maximum length of service.

Equatorial Guinea
� Any and all men at or above the age of 18. No mandated minimum or maximum length of service.

Estonia
� All men above the age of 18 are liable for compulsory military service, but at the age of 17 a man can start the compulsory military service as a volunteer. In the case of early voluntary service, the law gives a man the possibility of choosing the place where he wants to serve. From the ages of 18 to 27, every young man has to perform active service. Service terms from 9 to 12 months.

Ethiopia
� Men between the ages of 18 and 30, although there are reports of juveniles as young as 12 being conscripted. Obligation to perform reserve duties from the age of 30 to the age of 50. Service terms from 12 to 18 months.

Greece
� Any and all men between the ages of 18 and 40. Service terms as follows: 21 months in the army, 23 months in the air force and 25 months in the navy.

Guatemala
� Men between the ages of 18 and 30: heads of families and middle-class students are usually exempt. Service term is 30 months.

Guinea-Bissau
� Any and all men at or above the age of 18. No mandated minimum or maximum length of service.

Honduras
� Any and all men between the ages of 18 and 30 with voluntary service being permitted at 17. Service term is 2 years.

Georgia
� Unknown ages, service is for two years.

Guinea
� Any and all men between the ages of 18 and 30 for two years.

Iran (Islamic Republic of)
� Any and all men at or over the age of 18 for a two year active service with lifetime reserve service.

Iraq
� Any and all men at or over the age of 19 with voluntary service allowed at 18. Term of service; two year active service with lifetime reserve service.

Israel
� Men and women over 18, with non-Druze Israeli Arabs and Druze women exempted. Service term: three years for men and two years for women, plus reserve duty of about one month in every year until the age of 54.

Kazakstan
� Unknown ages with unknown length of service.

Lao People's Democratic
� Any and all males over the age of 15 for an 18 month term.

Republic of Lebanon
� Any and all men at or over the age of 18. No mandated minimum or maximum length of service.

Liberia
� Unknown ages with unknown term of service.

Libyan Arab Jamahirya
� Men and women between the ages of 18 and 35 for a three to four year term.

Madagascar
� Unknown ages with unknown term of service.

Mexico
� Any and all men between the ages of 18 and 40 for one year.

Mongolia
� Any and all men at or over 18 for two years.

Morocco
� Any and all men at or over 18 for 18 months.

Mozambique
� Any and all men between 18 and 30 for two years.

Paraguay
� Any and all men over 18 years of age; women of the same ages as non-combatants during international (world) war for terms of 18 to 24 months.

Peru
� All men over 18 and with voluntary service permitted at 16 years of age for two year terms.

Philippines
� Any and all men at or over 18. No mandated minimum or maximum length of service.

Republic of Korea
� Any and all men at or over 18 from 30 to 36 months.

Romania
� Any and all men between 20 and 35. Service terms are as follows; 12 months infantry, 18 months in the navy, university graduates only have to serve for 6 months.

Singapore
� Unknown age requirements. Service is for two years' ordinary military service with an additional three years' officer training (if elected).

Somalia
� Any and all men aged between 18 and 40; women aged between 18 and 30 (although in practice women are not normally drafted). Service terms as follows: two years general service (only 18 months for graduates of higher educational institutions).

Sudan
� Unknown ages with unknown term of service.

Thailand
� Unknown ages with unknown term of service.

Tunisia
� Any and all men over the age of 20 and with voluntary service permitted at 18, unknown term of service.

Turkey
� Any an all men between 20 and 65 (in practice men over 46 years of age are no longer called up) for 18 months.

Venezuela
� Any and all men at or over 18 for two years.

Viet Nam
� Any and all men at or over 18 for three years.

Yemen
� Unknown ages for terms of two to three years.


COUNTRIES OR TERRITORIES WITH NO CONSCRIPTION

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Botswana
Brunei Darussalam
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Canada
Costa Rica
Djibouti
Fiji
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Haiti
Hong Kong
Iceland
India
Ireland
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan
Lesotho
Luxembourg
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Mauritania
Mauritius
Monaco
Myanmar
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Qatar
Rwanda
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Suriname
Swaziland
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Zambia
Zimbabwe


hri.ca...

IMHO having a draft in a democratic society is an oxymoron. A democratic system should reflect the wishes of the majority, so if there is a war there should be more than enogh volunteers. Unfortunatley a draft is another case of the old sending the young off to war. John S. Mill wanred against tyrany of the majority!

Originally posted by vapor
IMHO having a draft in a democratic society is an oxymoron. A democratic system should reflect the wishes of the majority, so if there is a war there should be more than enogh volunteers. Unfortunatley a draft is another case of the old sending the young off to war. John S. Mill wanred against tyrany of the majority!

Agreed. Having a draft in my opinion is a violation of freedom.

Originally posted by bzap

Agreed. Having a draft in my opinion is a violation of freedom.

If it weren't for the draft the few times it has been used, you wouldn't HAVE the freedoms you enjoy right now...you'd be speaking German or Japanese....

The problem with the draft in my opinion is you get people who are most likely unfit for duty. Drug habits, criminal records, objectors to war, etc. I think that was half the problem with the war in vietnam. Now i am an extreme patriot and would die for my country and the freedoms it represents. An I do not intend to infer that all draftees posess the above traits. I mean no disrespect to the soldiers who have honorably served and died for our country.

Originally posted by s8nlovesme
The problem with the draft in my opinion is you get people who are most likely unfit for duty. Drug habits, criminal records, objectors to war, etc. I think that was half the problem with the war in vietnam. Now i am an extreme patriot and would die for my country and the freedoms it represents. An I do not intend to infer that all draftees posess the above traits. I mean no disrespect to the soldiers who have honorably served and died for our country.

With the screening methods used today for drugs, that is one problem that is eliminated 100%. Malcontents are another story, and are a problem at times even in our all volunteer service of today. It takes people management skills to deal with it, and the military has many tools at it's disposal to deal with such persons....it's a problem, but not a big one...

Thanks for your insight. Do you think there would be a difference in troop attitudes if we had mandatory conscription rather than a draft? I believe if you enjoy the fruits of this country, you ought to put in some time. Now maybe mandatory military conscription isnt the answer, but I think it may be a better alternative.

Originally posted by s8nlovesme
Thanks for your insight. Do you think there would be a difference in troop attitudes if we had mandatory conscription rather than a draft? I believe if you enjoy the fruits of this country, you ought to put in some time. Now maybe mandatory military conscription isnt the answer, but I think it may be a better alternative.

I think that mandatory military conscription is not the answer for the USA. Not that I don't think that it isn't good because many countries use it successfuly. IMHO, mandatory service is not the answer for the US.

My Family has been the military in one form or the other since we came over in 1625 and fought for the clans before then.

Still yet I am against the draft.

No one should be forced to do anything against there will.

It is little different than slavery IMO

Originally posted by s8nlovesme
Thanks for your insight. Do you think there would be a difference in troop attitudes if we had mandatory conscription rather than a draft? I believe if you enjoy the fruits of this country, you ought to put in some time. Now maybe mandatory military conscription isnt the answer, but I think it may be a better alternative.

Conscription is not the draft. Two totally different things. Conscription is mandatory service such as Poland, South Korea, and other countries have where a term of military service is mandatory, usually two years.

The draft is used only at time of great need, such as during the world wars, Korea and Viet Nam. Each draftee is different. Some do well, others do not.

But do not worry, there will never, repeat NEVER, be a peace time draft in this country. The youth of today are too soft, therefore it would never fly. Besides, the Air Force is actually decreasing it's numbers this year...they are banging at the doors to get in. The Army is a little short, but that won't last long...they will there when they can't get into the AF....

I hope you are right about never having a peace time draft. It would raise much chaos and concern about the true nature of our government, not to mention very bad for getting votes if you are the president.

Originally posted by bzap
I hope you are right about never having a peace time draft. It would raise much chaos and concern about the true nature of our government, not to mention very bad for getting votes if you are the president.

What you are forgetting is that it is CONGRESS that institutes the draft, not the President...

Originally posted by Affirmative Reaction
What you are forgetting is that it is CONGRESS that institutes the draft, not the President...

But for better or worse the President gets the blame or glory as it may be, for the things that happen on his shift

Originally posted by Affirmative Reaction

Originally posted by bzap

Agreed. Having a draft in my opinion is a violation of freedom.

If it weren't for the draft the few times it has been used, you wouldn't HAVE the freedoms you enjoy right now...you'd be speaking German or Japanese....

You mean like Vietnam? We lost the Vietnam war and we aren't speaking Vietnamese? Are you saying the draft is always good? I'm not trying to be rude. I'm just asking.

[edit on 9-8-2004 by mrmulder]