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| Europe | ||
| Germany to Abolish Draft? | ||
| 2004-01-13 | ||
| EFL German politicians have long been debating plans to abandon the draft in favor of a professional army. A professional military works pretty well in America.... But getting rid of conscription would also entail an end to its alternative — community service. Oops. According to reports in the Financial Times Deutschland, this would be the first step towards a phase-out of both military and community service by 2008. A government spokeswoman declined to comment on the reports ahead of a meeting on Thursday, when the Minister for Family Affairs Renate Schmidt, is due to present her report on the future of community service. Around 90,000 young German men are registered yearly for community service, and approximately 80 percent end up working in hospitals or senior citizens’ homes doing essential work such as driving ambulances, caring for the disabled and elderly, and delivering meals. Holding onto compulsory community service once military service is abolished would be unconstitutional in Schmidt’s view.
Gotta be ready to defend France....heaven knows the French won’t do it! | ||
| Posted by:Desert Blondie |
| #6 Germany Announces Military Cuts http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1432_A_1088018_1_A,00.html Military bases will be closed and troops will be cut back in an effort to save €26 billion. But the future of the country's compulsory military conscription remains uncertain. German Defense Minister Peter Struck said Tuesday that he will shut about 100 military bases and cut troop numbers in an effort to slash €26 billion in military spending plans and make the armed forces more professional..... |
| Posted by: GR 2004-1-13 9:03:16 PM |
| #5 In Germany there is no such thing (at least in theory) as a free "option" between military service and community service (Zivildienst). Military service is obligatory, but the constitution says that you can refuse it as a "conscientious objector". This regulation certainly made sense in 1955 when it was introduced (only 10 years after WW2). In the 70s and 80s interogations to find out whether you qualified as a conscientious objector could be very tough, in the 90s they eased a lot because the Bundeswehr didn't need all the young men and the state was actually happy with everyone who preferred community service, which never had enough people. Community service is compulsory only for those who refuse to serve in the military... hence if you abolish the draft there goes obligatory community service. It would require to change the constitution (2 /3 majority in parliament needed) to install a compulsory community service without the draft. It is not true that community service does not require discipline. Let's say if you do service in the Red Cross (ambulance etc) you will be required to wear uniform, follow regulations and orders like in the military (if you don't disciplinary measures can even land you in prison in extreme cases). Sure you don't find much of the military "Sir, yes Sir!", but you do learn to assume responsibilities. Many community service people are very dedicated to what they do. It is often believed that they just take the easy road, but actually in most cases this is not true. Community service is always a bit longer than military service and military service usually means that you face very rough first six weeks of "basic training" (Grundausbildung), but after that things can be quite easy. Community service can be very hard, for example when caring for severely physically and mentally handicapped people. In the 70s and 80s mostly leftist took that road but today politics are not the big issue anymore. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2004-1-13 7:29:46 PM |
| #4 I think if everybody had to put in 18 to 24 months in a disciplined enviorment we'd be better of as a nation today. Yes, but compulsory national or community service won't do it. Most of the "agencies" that handle community service (Red |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-1-13 6:36:46 PM |
| #3 The idea of a draft in which you my not end up in the military but do end up doing some community or national service work is the primary thing that was wrong with the draft in this country. It should of been everybody with the exception of the mentally and severely physical handicapped. If you were in a wheelchair there was no reason that you couldn't do some clerical work. There were plenty of jobs that could of been done that would benefit the country as a whole. Plus I think if everybody had to put in 18 to 24 months in a disciplined enviorment we'd be better of as a nation today |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-1-13 4:16:56 PM |
| #2 ...to prepare it for new strategic objectives within the NATO alliance... Don't they realize that if NATO is 'restructured' is will probably mean that there will be FEWER US troops there, not more? Who do they think will take up the slack? |
| Posted by: rabidfox 2004-1-13 2:09:45 PM |
| #1 European rapid response force Will this be implemented before or after they agree on a European constitution?? |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-1-13 1:21:05 PM |