Re: They gave their lives....

[Robert Shaw]

From: "Gautam Mukunda"

> Britain still exists, too.  There is probably a cause and effect
> relationship between that fact and its use of conscription.  Had it
> failed to use conscription, it would be nothing more than the
> conquered province of either Wilhelmine or Nazi Germany - take your
> pick.

Conscription during war is an unfortunate necessity of modern times.
It didn't really start till the napoleonic era.

Conscription in the face of threatened war is an acceptable evil.

Conscription in times of true peace is unnecessary. Conscript armies,
which can rarely be trained to the same standards as fully professional
armies, are only really useful as a last ditch defence. Any minor social
benefits are more than outweighed by the economic costs, and if there's
a sudden demand for an army one can always be called up within a few
months.

--
Robert