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The return of National Service on 19:21 - May 27 by AnotherJohn
I'm not sure about this particular scheme which looks like a rabbit pulled from a hat, but I do worry about what appears to be a widespread disdain for military service and a perception that strong defences are an outdated concept. It is as though too many of us now live is this cosy liberal bubble, in which we assume we are protected by something called the international rule-based order and war in Europe is impossible. Actually, outside the bubble there are powerful authoritarian states who don't subscribe to this liberal order, and may well seek to do us harm. In many other countries a period of military service, or at least a period of training, is mandatory because governments realise that national defence is a real issue. I don't think there is anything old fashioned about that. Nor if push comes to shove will participation be optional.
This country would be better off keeping out of conflicts and stop following the Yanks in their failed proxy wars instead of wanting our kids as cannon fodder.
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The return of National Service on 10:11 - May 28 with 1069 views
The return of National Service on 19:21 - May 27 by AnotherJohn
I'm not sure about this particular scheme which looks like a rabbit pulled from a hat, but I do worry about what appears to be a widespread disdain for military service and a perception that strong defences are an outdated concept. It is as though too many of us now live is this cosy liberal bubble, in which we assume we are protected by something called the international rule-based order and war in Europe is impossible. Actually, outside the bubble there are powerful authoritarian states who don't subscribe to this liberal order, and may well seek to do us harm. In many other countries a period of military service, or at least a period of training, is mandatory because governments realise that national defence is a real issue. I don't think there is anything old fashioned about that. Nor if push comes to shove will participation be optional.
Which is why it is so disgraceful, what this Govt has done to our armed forces since 2010.
[Post edited 28 May 10:11]
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The return of National Service on 12:55 - May 28 with 1016 views
This country would be better off keeping out of conflicts and stop following the Yanks in their failed proxy wars instead of wanting our kids as cannon fodder.
Nobody in the west wants to see children packed off to war and used as canon fodder, but there are times we have to stand up to aggressors and tyrants, you know 1939, Ukraine etc etc, if we don’t we’ll just be steamrollered in to servitude.
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The return of National Service on 15:47 - May 28 with 970 views
The return of National Service on 12:55 - May 28 by majorraglan
Nobody in the west wants to see children packed off to war and used as canon fodder, but there are times we have to stand up to aggressors and tyrants, you know 1939, Ukraine etc etc, if we don’t we’ll just be steamrollered in to servitude.
It's a very different situation now though. NATO is the tyrant and aggressor
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The return of National Service on 18:01 - May 28 with 929 views
The return of National Service on 12:55 - May 28 by majorraglan
Nobody in the west wants to see children packed off to war and used as canon fodder, but there are times we have to stand up to aggressors and tyrants, you know 1939, Ukraine etc etc, if we don’t we’ll just be steamrollered in to servitude.
Do you really think Russia wants to control Europe?? Seriously? They have the upper hand economically with oil and gas but isn’t that a reason to befriend them rather than box them into a corner? Pariah states will only ever reform when there are peaceful trade negotiations to be had.
The war in Ukraine would have been over a year or more ago had Boris not interfered. How many lives on both sides have been lost since?
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The return of National Service on 20:16 - May 28 with 887 views
The return of National Service on 18:01 - May 28 by sons_of_omri
Do you really think Russia wants to control Europe?? Seriously? They have the upper hand economically with oil and gas but isn’t that a reason to befriend them rather than box them into a corner? Pariah states will only ever reform when there are peaceful trade negotiations to be had.
The war in Ukraine would have been over a year or more ago had Boris not interfered. How many lives on both sides have been lost since?
And Kherson Lyman Izyum etc and an area of Scotland under Russian control. Germany helped build the new pipeline and it was a joint effort,
The policy of befriendment was used as leverage not friendship. Russian tried to freeze Germans into surrender. Germany told them to 'eff off'.
Russian is way to big to be boxed in. All the gates to Europe were open. Ukrainians and at least young Belorussian want to live in European style democracies but prefer not to have to fight Russia to get it.
The return of National Service on 10:11 - May 28 by oldtownjack
Which is why it is so disgraceful, what this Govt has done to our armed forces since 2010.
[Post edited 28 May 10:11]
The dismantling of our armed forces isn't' a new policy and has been occurring since the 70's ( from a 176,00), under both Labour and and the Torys watch, yes there have been cuts ( far too many) but combine this with a poor recruitment take up , a more stringent medical criteria ( ( a fat nation is an unfit nation) along with a generation who baulk at the idea of any authority being imposed on them.
"In a free society, the State is the servant of the people—not the master."
The return of National Service on 08:28 - May 29 by Boundy
The dismantling of our armed forces isn't' a new policy and has been occurring since the 70's ( from a 176,00), under both Labour and and the Torys watch, yes there have been cuts ( far too many) but combine this with a poor recruitment take up , a more stringent medical criteria ( ( a fat nation is an unfit nation) along with a generation who baulk at the idea of any authority being imposed on them.
I’m always surprised when you think about all that’s gone wrong in this country, why it’s gone wrong and who caused it, it’s young people who get the blame and are charged with sorting it out.
The vast majority of young people are hard working, positive members of society.
You wouldn’t think so from reading this website.
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The return of National Service on 09:16 - May 29 with 691 views
The return of National Service on 09:08 - May 29 by Gwyn737
I’m always surprised when you think about all that’s gone wrong in this country, why it’s gone wrong and who caused it, it’s young people who get the blame and are charged with sorting it out.
The vast majority of young people are hard working, positive members of society.
You wouldn’t think so from reading this website.
Vast.? Who says so ? I do feel for them though . Many are ignorant and insular Christ, they live by device
The return of National Service on 08:28 - May 29 by Boundy
The dismantling of our armed forces isn't' a new policy and has been occurring since the 70's ( from a 176,00), under both Labour and and the Torys watch, yes there have been cuts ( far too many) but combine this with a poor recruitment take up , a more stringent medical criteria ( ( a fat nation is an unfit nation) along with a generation who baulk at the idea of any authority being imposed on them.
The dismantling of our armed forces has accelerated significantly over the last 14 years and staffing levels are bumping along at historic lows. I know the Conservatives traditionally claim to be the party of law and order and the protectors of the armed forces, but looking at things in terms of budgets that doesn’t seem to equate with reality.
In cash terms, spending on defence peaked under John Major in the early 90’s, it then started falling back before it started to increase under Tony Blair in 1997 (£39.9bn) peaking at £73.5bn in 2007. During the Labour years, spending on defence was around 2.5% of GDP. Defence spending then fell back under Cameron/ Osborne and then May to £52bn (1.9% of GDP) in 2017 before starting to creep up.
Defence spending in 2022 was £69bn and around 2% of GDP - this is still lower than it was under Labour in 2007 and less than the 2.5% figure the Trumpster wants to see across NATO.
If Labour’s defence budget of £39.9bn from 1997 had kept pace with inflation, then we’d now be spending £76.2bn on defence per year.
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