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Germany may introduce conscription for all 18-year-olds (www.telegraph.co.uk)

submitted 6 months ago by boem@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

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[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 56 points 6 months ago

The title is not entirely correct. They don't plant to "introduce" conscription. Germany had conscription from its formation of the Bundeswehr in 1955 until it was put on hiatus in 2011 because people back then thought that Ivan was no longer a problem. So what they think about is not "introducing" but just reactivate it.

The changes will be that while before 2011, conscription was only for men, it is planned to be for both sexes, and military service will no longer the one preferred service (back then, you had to go through quite some hoops if you did not want to serve in the Bundeswehr and do your time in e.g. social services). This time, the military option is just one of several that can be chosen.

[-] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 13 points 6 months ago

That makes sense and good on them for conscription not caring about gender

[-] luckystarr@feddit.de 8 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

At this stage it's all hot air. Nobody has even started talking about how to finance it and the defense minister isn't even 100% sure he will get his requested additional funds for the next cycle. When somebody asked him about the topic he replied that he isn't categorically against it but he would have to finance (and restructure, as the necessary infrastructure for it has been degraded/scrapped) more important topics first.

[-] anticolonialist@lemmy.world 42 points 6 months ago

Preparing for world war?

[-] Knossos@lemmy.world 69 points 6 months ago

It isn't just about the military. I've not read the article, but Germany suffers from not having enough people working in social services. This problem got worse after getting rid of conscription. You could either choose military service or social work.

By reintroducing it, they hope to fill in some gaps.

[-] ed_cock@feddit.de 96 points 6 months ago

"What should we do to get more people working in the health sector?"

"Better pay and more manageable shifts!"

"Roll back privatization to shift the focus to sustainability over profits!"

"I'd just enslave the youth again."

[Employee 1& 2 get defenestrated for a change]

[-] xmunk@sh.itjust.works 8 points 6 months ago

Defenestrated? You think the German military has that large of a budget?!

[-] Zehzin@lemmy.world 14 points 6 months ago

You can use the same window more than once

[-] xmunk@sh.itjust.works 6 points 6 months ago

That's a great idea, but how much glass do you need to knock out of a window before it just becomes door.

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[-] Miaou@jlai.lu 5 points 6 months ago

Der Fenstersturzschein des TÜV ist für nur einen Fenstersturz gültig. Sie müssen die Fenstersturzmeldungstelle noch mal kontaktiert um einen neuen Schein zu bekommen, dann einen anderen Termin bei uns nachfragen. Schönen tag noch. HALLO NÄCHSTE BITTE

Apparently not :(

[-] BaroqueInMind@lemmy.one 14 points 6 months ago

U.S.A. should adopt this policy. It would humble out the nepo children of wealthy pieces of shit, and likely resolve the social issues that people complain about.

[-] xhieron@lemmy.world 43 points 6 months ago

The nepo babies wouldn't serve--same as always. And the political unpopularity of conscription has never changed. The last war draft is still in living memory, and US current military activity hasn't been an improvement in terms of public appetite.

The US introduces conscription again, and there'll be riots--and I don't mean "some kids camped at college and the jackboots locked them up" protests; it'll be government-building burning, widespread-looting riots.

If you want to do conscription, the kids have to trust the government not to kill them for oil.

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[-] Zehzin@lemmy.world 20 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Yeah rich people are known to never be able to avoid the draft

[-] lobut@lemmy.ca 12 points 6 months ago

I think making the rich mingle with the normal people more would be beneficial. It's harder to dehumanize the poor when you've met them. Can't call them lazy or stupid and just not "wanting" it enough when you see them work as hard as you and not getting as far.

Although, I think the way things are it'll never happen though. Nepo babies would dodge everything even if something like this were to occur.

[-] vividspecter@lemm.ee 7 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

There's better ways, like reducing car dependency and increasing housing density. Have people from all walks of life, live near each other and travel with each other, without being isolated in metal boxes. The ultra rich might still avoid that too, but at least the 99% will be around each other.

And you don't need to force people to go to war to achieve it.

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[-] Senshi@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

Maybe we should turn this idea around? I know tons of healthy rich old people that have nothing better to do than bicker and complain, how about we force them to do a free full year of community service? Why is their time and energy considered more valuable than the youths'?

And maybe it would humble those wealthy nepo pieces of shit, and likely resolve the social issues that people complain about.

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[-] Tryptaminev@lemm.ee 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I had a class mate who spent his holidays hiking in Nepal and places with his parents. When he was born a doctor close to his parents discovered a serious heart issue that made him ineligible for being drafted. I mean sure. You have a heart issue that you can't run 30 minutes, but you are doing week long hikes in 5.000-6.000m altitude.

[-] Miaou@jlai.lu 3 points 6 months ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortunate_Son

It's funny because it's an American song.

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[-] febra@lemmy.world 12 points 6 months ago

Yeah, instead of actually fixing the system and paying people normal wages, while also fixing the stupid education/certification system that social service workers need to go through, let's just throw a bunch of teenagers at it, it will surely fix our problems!

[-] psmgx@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago

You could either choose military service or social work.

Also some hospital work. Bedpan cleaning, etc.

But it kept you out of the army, and took the strain off of hospitals and social services.

[-] catloaf@lemm.ee 37 points 6 months ago

Sometimes open war comes upon you, whether you risk it or not.

[-] TransplantedSconie@lemm.ee 12 points 6 months ago

You'd be a fool not to at this point.

[-] alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml 6 points 6 months ago

What if instead we just didn't do world war 3?

[-] lurch@sh.itjust.works 18 points 6 months ago

I love that idea. Quick, tell Putin and Bibi!

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[-] Gormadt 10 points 6 months ago

Unfortunately sometimes war is unavoidable

[-] boredtortoise@lemm.ee 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Historians might look back and see that we now have already been in WW3, Hybrid Warfare / New Generation Warfare has been running rampant for a while between the global superpowers

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[-] hungryphrog 4 points 6 months ago

Probably that, and also gender equality. I'm not really in the favor of drafting, but it's unfair that men have to go and women don't.

[-] boredtortoise@lemm.ee 37 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

That is so sad, these kinds of times should already be over in humanity's history. Why doesn't anyone have a solution? Are the war mongering powers just waiting for the new nuclear deterrent? Future AI terminators pls just go straight to Russia/China/USA leadership and let the humans be

[-] venusaur@lemmy.world 25 points 6 months ago

It’s because the leaders aren’t the ones fighting the battles or being targeted. They’re playing chess somewhere far from the violence.

[-] hungryphrog 7 points 6 months ago

We should just solve conflicts by throwing the presidents or monarchs of the opposing countries in an arena to fight to death.

[-] power 14 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I think it'd be better if we disregarded highly authoritarian leaders in general and embraced socialism. Back in the day, kings and emperors fought their battles, but it didn't make their feudalism any less... feudal.

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[-] samus12345@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

[T]he ministers and generals of the two countries, dressed in bathing-drawers and armed with clubs, can have it out among themselves. Whoever survives, his country wins. That would be much simpler and more just than this arrangement, where the wrong people do the fighting.

- Kat, All Quiet on the Western Front

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[-] IndustryStandard@lemmy.world 16 points 6 months ago

[-] samus12345@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

[-] Amoxtli@thelemmy.club 10 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Germany needs to draft soldiers to go to Ukraine as soon as possible and help the Ukrainians, because it is the right thing to do.

[-] ElmarsonTheThird@discuss.tchncs.de 19 points 6 months ago

Draft soldiers of Germany are not allowed to operate outside of our own borders and are used to fill the gaps that stem from professional soldiers working abroad. The Bundeswehr and especially the draftees can only be used for peacekeeping, humanitarian aid and defense.

[-] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 12 points 6 months ago

As much as I would like to see Russia get shitmixed by a proper first world army (not that Ukraine hasn't been doing phenomenally), I think that might actually put putin in a corner.

Ideally we'll just keep giving Ukraine equipment and propagandize how hard they're kicking russian ass and sanction the hell out of Russia until the people and oligarchs lose their appetite for Ukraine.

[-] febra@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago

How about our military stays between our own borders. Let those that want to go go. But don't force a bunch of our youth to go fight someone else's war.

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[-] Syntha@sh.itjust.works 4 points 6 months ago

Only if you're among the first wave

[-] cupcakezealot 10 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

i don;t like conscription into the military but i've always felt some sort of manatory non-military civil or social service or peace corps participation would do a lot for encouraging civic participation in exchange for some sort of universal educational system or some form of reimbursement for secondary education.

[-] PrettyFlyForAFatGuy@feddit.uk 6 points 6 months ago

in exchange for some sort of universal educational system or some form of reimbursement for secondary education.

That's supposed to be the taxes you pay for the rest of you life

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[-] lemmytellyousomething@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 6 months ago

Well, the main opposition party wants that... Sooo.... Maybe in the future, maybe not....

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this post was submitted on 12 May 2024

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