Should Ireland have conscription?

AnGaelach

Just wondering what people think about it. Say spending a year in the military and then spending x number of days per year training.

Your vote won't be public.

Rory28

As someone past the the age of conscription so it wont affect me, I say yes.

Mr. Incognito

It shouldnt but the way the world is where the right is on the rise another war is inevitable and we as Europeans will be dragged into it unfortunately

Gatling

AnGaelach wrote: »

Just wondering what people think about it. Say spending a year in the military and then spending x number of days per year training.

That's not conscription ,

But we should have civilian emergency relief training

schizo1014

Imo I think the training would be invaluable to everyone and might be just what this generation of snowflakes need to harden the feck up!

frag420

AnGaelach wrote: »

Just wondering what people think about it. Say spending a year in the military and then spending x number of days per year training.

Your vote won't be public.

Doing what exactly? We would be better of spending the year learning to code or learning a new language like Mandarin than learning how to light a fire in a strong wind or making a shelter out of twigs and fresh air!

AnGaelach

OSI wrote: »

To what purpose?

To learn how to arrange their linen immaculately... What purpose does any country have conscription for? Finland, Austria and Sweden all use conscription as neutral countries.

Renegade Mechanic

As someone who would be laughed out of a conscription office, it would be hypocritical of me to say yes when the decision would not affect me.

pumpkin4life

I'm young enough to be conscripted.

The idea of some mandatory military service for men wouldn't be that bad an idea though. Something like the Swiss have. I know two lads involved in the Reserves; talking about the skills, confidence and discipline that they gain, all of that.

I'd love to blow up something big and expensive with a rocket launcher. That too.

Digital Solitude

AnGaelach wrote: »

To learn how to arrange their linen immaculately... What purpose does any country have conscription for? Finland, Austria and Sweden all use conscription as neutral countries.

I can make my bed just fine.

Why do you think we should or shouldn't have it?

I personally would deem it a silly idea, out current armed force is less than 10,000 strong and is doing pretty fine, up on 70,000 people sit the leaving every year, so we'd be putting that number close to 50-60,000. An increase in the reserves to help AGS would be no harm but conscription makes no sense IMO

endacl

No. stupid idea.

TheQuietFella

The Defences Forces top brass wouldn't want it but the answer is no!

Look at what conscription brought to U.S. and U.K forces!

Sonics2k

Not so much conscription, but I really believe young people should be encouraged to at least join the reserves.

I did two years in the reserves when I was young and it was absolutely fantastic, made a lot of great friends, learned some good skills and enjoyed it. Plus the pay was quite good at the time too.

AnGaelach

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Why do you think we should or shouldn't have it?

It brings people together since you've something more in common, it builds confidence and competence, and it's something productive.

selwyn froggitt

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Look at what conscription brought to U.S. and U.K forces!

"We the unwilling, led by the unqualified, to kill the unfortunate, die for the ungrateful'

TheQuietFella

Sonics2k wrote: »

Not so much conscription, but I really believe young people should be encouraged to at least join the reserves.

I did two years in the reserves when I was young and it was absolutely fantastic, made a lot of great friends, learned some good skills and enjoyed it. Plus the pay was quite good at the time too.

Spent quite a few there myself but I think times now are a little different?

I can't see the Government shelling out for new uniforms and all the logistics that come along with it!

AnGaelach

TheQuietFella wrote: »

The Defences Forces top brass wouldn't want it but the answer is no!

Look at what conscription brought to U.S. and U.K forces!

You can't really compare Ireland to the UK or US, our goals and aspirations are nothing alike, nor our resources or capacity. Compare Ireland to similar sized non-aligned/neutral countries instead.

Del2005

AnGaelach wrote: »

Just wondering what people think about it. Say spending a year in the military and then spending x number of days per year training.

Your vote won't be public.

We won't buy the equipment are currently tiny military needs, so adding thousands more personal would reduce the effectiveness of our armed forces instead of improving it. Then the fact that a large proportion of the people conscripted not wanting to be there could lead to a huge disciplinary issues.

TheQuietFella

AnGaelach wrote: »

You can't really compare Ireland to the UK or US, our goals and aspirations are nothing alike, nor our resources or capacity. Compare Ireland to similar sized non-aligned/neutral countries instead.

I wasn't comparing Ireland to the U.S. or the U.K. but making reference

to what represented both countries during times of war. I know that war brings

out the worst in everyone and who am I to damn the damned!

cajonlardo

People who really want to enlist cannot get in.

I was stuck in hospital for a while. A young lad I met there had applied 3 times and not got in.
I'm an ex army nco. Imo this lad would have made a good soldier. All I could think was how lucky I'd been - back when I enlisted they couldn't get enough people to join. I walked into a barrcks, enlisted and started training 2 days later.

On another point, professionals are unlikely to want to be next or near conscripts.
The chance of being forced to rely on someone who doesn't want to be there, is not cut out to be a soldier - that is an extra variable you just don't need.

So in short - it is a non question. There is no place in the pdf for conscripts.

topper75

selwyn froggitt wrote: »

"We the unwilling, led by the unqualified, to kill the unfortunate, die for the ungrateful'

Nobody is paying you to think soldier. I want those boots of yours like mirrors.

Commotion Ocean

Yes, but only if it applied to girls as well as boys ..... But the National Women's Council wouldn't like that ... That's too much equality for them.

osarusan

Only for people I don't like.

Yes, I would love to be conscripted into an army on behalf of some fat establishment parasite like John Redmond/John Bruton. Let these fúcks offer their own lives up first and come back to me then.

riffmongous

I know people who did it in Austria and said it was a complete waste of time, after the few weeks of basic training there is ****-all to do.. just sitting around playing cards or whatever.

I would support some sort of 6 month civil 'volunteering' though, at least people are contributing to society then

Chancer3001

We should have it to whip our teens into physical shape.

Daily exercise. High levels of fitness. Make us a healthier country eventually.

Make people older and wiser going to college and the same starting their working lives.

Cant think of many downsides

Widdershins

Conscription, civilian emergency relief training, or some other kind of service work would be a good thing for everyone (who's able) to do. Maybe a half a year working for elderly people or the community in some way.

Grayson

Compulsory service might not be a bad idea. Give people free college/education if they spend a year afterwards working for a charity, NGO or in government service in some manner. It's a handy way for them to get experience. I wouldn't make it compulsory military service. The military isn't for everyone and it's best to allow people to serve in a manner which benefits both them and the country.
It's a simple enough system but it would be a nightmare making sure it's not abused and that it's implemented without being too much of a bureaucratic nightmare for everyone involved.

Del2005

riffmongous wrote: »

I know people who did it in Austria and said it was a complete waste of time, after the few weeks of basic training there is ****-all to do.. just sitting around playing cards or whatever.

Isn't that what soldiering is. Days of complete boredom followed by minutes/hours of intense action/fear, then back to the boredom.

riffmongous

Del2005 wrote: »

Isn't that what soldiering is. Days of complete boredom followed by minutes/hours of intense action/fear, then back to the boredom.

Well what, a few weeks of action and then a year of boredom as conscripts don't usually get to do very much? Why should people be forced to do it, if you want to do it fair enough

Joshua J

Forcing people against their will to learn how to kill other people?. This is the best use of our time here on Earth?.