"The Draft Is Returning To Europe" Topic

"Last week, France joined the growing number of European countries reintroducing mandatory national service. Following through on president Emmanuel Macron's election promises, the government introduced a national service requirement for all 16-year-olds that will be divided into two phases.

The first phase is mandatory, and involves a month-long placement that focuses on civil culture. Young French citizens can look into teaching or work with charities, or take part in traditional military training with the police, fire service or army. The second phase is an optional placement of between three months to a year, where young people can work defense and security, or in social care, the environment, or heritage…."
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Armand

Until they remember why they got rid of it in the first place.

I'm guessing that they either don't do a very good job with just good old fashion recruiting, or European culture has devolved to the point where they can't even get enough recruits to fill out the tiny regular establishments that they currently have.

But on the bright side it drags kids off the couch and away from their technology and makes them do something useful. Maybe even impart some background knowledge and new experiences too.

I thought france was now one of the weaker european economies.
Spending a bunch of money on mandatory national service isn't exactly going to help the finances.
I can't see the point anyhow.

It'll work as a job program. Secondly for the defense.

More options than previous generations had.

France needs to remove from the streets (and crime) … many members of its former colonies … also a lot of recent immigrants … the armed forces can be a partial solution ….

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Armand

Has that really helped them so far?

Or would that just end up producing lots of angry former draftees, who later join every anti-war and anti-government movement there is, and who would rather side with anyone that wants to hurt France than to side with their own fellow French citizens?

Someone has to learn from our mistakes, if it isn't going to be us. We can't just continue doing the exact same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. That would be nuts. :)

Dan
PS. My 95-year old Dad calls that type Baby Ahabs.

Many countries have mandatory public service. It is important to instill a sense of duty and love of country in the next generation. It comes down to how the program is managed. I'm afraid that for France it may be too little too late. Birth rate statistics are no longer tracked in France, but the last trends are alarming on who is giving birth and who is not.

I don't see any negatives. A draftee can choose military/police service OR one of the civil/social service options, which even a pacifist or conscientious objector can't object to.

Yeah, as long as it's more than just military service, it shouldn't be a problem.

What was it that a lot of the Conscientious Objectors did in the US during WW2? Wildland Firefighters. Which meant that a few of them did end up responding to Japanese attacks from those fire-balloons.

I assume they already have all the exceptions in place for the children of the rich and of politicians.

*reads article*

Ah, yep. Can use "teaching", "working with charities," "social care, the environment, or heritage" instead of "traditional military service." It doesn't say who exactly gets to choose what, though, so I'm sure the old lucre still gets to have its way. It's gonna be worth watching.

It's works on the Foreign Legion!… (smile)

Amicalement
Armand