Germany 'to abolish mandatory military service'

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Telegraph

Germany 'to abolish mandatory military service'

Germany will likely abolish its mandatory military service as part of a wider reform of the armed forces and in a bid to save money, according to the country's defence minister.

Published: 6:04PM BST 13 Jun 2010

The military service will likely be abolished in 10 years time, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg told weekly news magazine Der Spiegel.

In the issue to be published Monday, he calls for fully professional armed forces, saying it was inconceivable that a military of 252,000 soldiers was at the limit of its operational capacity with only 8,000 deployed abroad.

The implementation of structural reforms "has simply been accelerated by the need to save money," he was quoted as saying.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right government has pledged to trim its budget by ¤80 billion ($97 billion) by 2014.



Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/7825275/Germany-to-abolish-mandatory-military-service.html

[beachmom]

1. You could already get out of military service and do community service instead.

And to be clear, the German Army mostly does civil projects like telecommunications infrastructure, et. So overall, I am not sure this is a good thing.

[Goldstein1984]

2. Pure genius...

Peace as a cost-cutting measure.

We use a different approach in the US: We let the rich folks starts wars and destroy the economy, then economic refugees enlist in the military to feed themselves and go fight for the "vital national interests" of the rich folks.

[DetlefK]

3. I hope, they somehow keep the mandatory civil service...

The salary is crap, but it really shapes the character. Working with old and disabled people changes your perspective on life and on your environment.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. I wish we would adopt a plan like that. 2 years in SOMETHING--

Peace Corps, Americorps, Civilian Conservation Corps, whatever.

[liberation]

5. But that would go against the Christian principles upon which this country was founded...

... don't cha know?


(sarcasm)


This country has been for the most part all about every person for themselves. I doubt people want to change that now after a few hundred of years those are the only dance moves they know...

[B Whale]

6. i don't know, i'm againts anythng that forces people to do something...

particularly once they become adults. obviously we've reached a stage where school is compulsory, however two years 'service' in whatever i think is very much against my commitment to freedom of the individual (even though i think it would more often than not shape character, as you say, its just, should the state be shaping character? and in what agreed manner is it shaped?)

[Vincent441]

7. uh oh you just expressed a libertarian point of view

you can't do that around here

[MellowDem]

8. I think if there are a lot of options, it's not a bad idea...

nor an affront to individual freedom and liberty. We only have so much freedom as individuals as is. Everyone HAS to pay taxes. You can't get around it. But taxes pay for things that everyone uses. We live in a society. Programs like this reflect that reality. I say that mandatory service of some sort or other would be a huge benefit to society and to the individual. We can't have a tyranny of the individual anymore than a tyranny of the state. If we pretend we live in an anarchist state where the individual rules above all, it shouldn't be a surprise when our society starts falling apart.

[B Whale]

9. i'd like neither the tyranny of the state nor the tyranny of the individual, i just think

that mandatory service is illiberal (in the european sense of the word)

not a libertarian view point, but mandatory service of some kind assumes the state providing it is either inherently good at deciding or at the very least neutral.

If a right wing conservative government was forcing my kid to do some kind of service i'd be concerned as to the content that had and the 'values' that were being instilled.

I believe that economically the state has its role in promoting equality and fairness, and standing up to the tyranny of capitalism and business elites but socially i would be concerned if my children were forced into something like this...

[MellowDem]

11. Well, that's why I think the more options the better...

so that one may join a program that they agree with. As it is, we already pay taxes for things we don't necessarily like. At least there would be an option with this. And I think all of the options should be rather "politically neutral", that is to say things that aren't incredibally contentious, controversial, or partisan in society at large. There is a lot of service out there that most everyone would agree is needed.

It would also get young people politically involved and active much earlier I suspect, as what the government does will have a big impact on them. That's why I think universal conscription does more good than bad. Unless, of course, you have much fairer election laws and incentives to vote. Which we really don't.

[Ishoutandscream2]

10. That damn Treaty of Versailles keeps getting in the way!!

[Mudoria]

12. Of course they can..

they know if it comes down to it we'll defend them. And spend our money doing it.

[proteus_lives]

13. +1000

If the US pulls back to isolationism, the these notions will change quickly.

[Libertas1776]

14. BINGO

we have a winnah!

[Socal31]

15. Exactly. So much of European policy is based off our previous century bases.