Sweden could bring back conscription in 2019

[Mr. Goobii]

Sweden could see a return to compulsory military service, this time for men and women, less than a decade after
the policy was scrapped, Swedish media report.

Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist has previously said that the government is considering reintroducing
conscription to beat waning staff numbers in the military.

On Wednesday the Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) newspaper reported that an inquiry launched by the Social Democrat-Green government
is soon set to propose a return of the draft for both men and women in 2019.

The final report is expected to suggest that all 17-year-olds in Sweden should next year fill out a questionnaire for future
recruitment to the Armed Forces. The following year those teenagers who have been selected will be instructed to enrol.

The new model will be a lighter version of Sweden's former conscription system. This time only a few thousand people
from each year group will be drafted into compulsory service. People will still, as is the current system, be able to volunteer for military service.

Former member of the defence committee in Sweden's parliament Annika Nordgren Christensen, who is leading the inquiry,
declined to comment on the proposals before they are presented in September, but said she had been given “specific” directives.

“The task is to find out how we can create a system which continues to be based on free will and how to combine that with
service duty as they do in Norway and Denmark,” she told SvD.

Conscription for all males was introduced in Sweden in 1901, but in practice it had been winding down for years before it was
formally ditched by the then centre-right government in 2010.

During the height of the Cold War nearly 85 percent of Swedish men carried out military service, with some 50,000 drafted out
of an age group counting 60,000 men.

A survey carried out earlier this year by major pollsters Ipsos on behalf of the Dagens Nyheter newspaper suggested that 72
percent of Swedes would throw their support behind conscription. Only 16 percent of respondents said they believed it was a bad idea.


http://www.thelocal.se/20160831/sweden-could-reintroduce-conscription-by-2019

[Daco]

Aren't you guys neutral and all? Seems all pointless to me.

[Mr. Goobii]

Aren't you guys neutral and all? Seems all pointless to me.

Being neutral needs a huge army in order to defend yourself without assistance from other countries. That's why Finland still have a overall bigger army
and conscription in action.

I'd not say we are surely neutral since we cooperate with NATO and is participating in the army osculation of European Union. We are a part
of the Nordic Battlegroup with is an defense alliance between the Nordic countries(Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway).

84 percent of the people wants conscription to be introduced back so they have a majority in the question and ever since it got scraped back in 2010, it has
been something people have wanted to still have, however the government didn't see any reason to keep it, since the cost is a matter of billions.

With a growing insecurity in the Eastern Europe and a demand of increasing the military spending(which we had a increase of 2 billions in budget proposal last year)
the Social Democrats and the Green party is proposing the change of introduce it back in September this year, however it will take a few year to have it in action.

[Daco]

Being neutral needs a huge army in order to defend yourself without assistance from other countries.

And not being neutral more or less implies the same thing. So it doesn't make much of a difference overall mate.

I'd not say we are surely neutral since we cooperate with NATO and is participating in the army osculation of European Union. We are a part
of the Nordic Battlegroup with is an defense alliance between the Nordic countries(Sweden, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway).

>Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
>Nordic
lol

84 percent of the people wants conscription to be introduced back so they have a majority in the question and ever since it got scraped back in 2010, it has
been something people have wanted to still have, however the government didn't see any reason to keep it, since the cost is a matter of billions.

With a growing insecurity in the Eastern Europe and a demand of increasing the military spending(which we had a increase of 2 billions in budget proposal last year)
the Social Democrats and the Green party is proposing the change of introduce it back in September this year, however it will take a few year to have it in action.

I understand your fellow countrymen have become increasingly worried about being left stranded with no real military to fend for its borders in case shit hits the fan. Totally justified, although I think it's a total waste of money since it'll never see live action any time soon.. your country being Sweden and all.

[Khm]

This is really good actually, weather it's critical time or not, some training in using weapons, making tactics, how to work in a team, self defense etc.. is a must. We never know what the future holds.

[Mr. Goobii]

And not being neutral more or less implies the same thing. So it doesn't make much of a difference overall mate.

We can not guarantee the help of assistance from other countries, therefor the implying of a larger more functional army is
required.

>Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
>Nordic
lol

The name Nordic Battlegroup referring to the Nordic part of Europe, it's a task from European Union. 

I understand your fellow countrymen have become increasingly worried about being left stranded with no real military to fend
for its borders in case shit hits the fan. Totally justified, although I think it's a total waste of money since it'll never see live action
any time soon.. your country being Sweden and all.

Well, the army today does not function correctly since it lacking personal, ever since conscript got removed it have been criticized
for not having personal in different logistical areas, support situations and well known lack of national security. The government
proposal means that a smaller conscription is being put in action that can help increase the overall quality of the current paid army.

It's much needed by the army.

In fact overall citizens including my own relatives have said that the conscription has been a big asset for them in life, as it gives education
on survival, handling self defense weapons and tactics and getting new friends for life in a more early stage.

[Daco]

We can not guarantee the help of assistance from other countries, therefor the implying of a larger more functional army is
required.

The US has got your back man, relax.

The name Nordic Battlegroup referring to the Nordic part of Europe, it's a task from European Union.

Geographically speaking you're correct. But calling them Nordic is a huge leap lol.. they're eastern Europeans at best.

 
Well, the army today does not function correctly since it lacking personal, ever since conscript got removed it have been criticized
for not having personal in different logistical areas, support situations and well known lack of national security. The government
proposal means that a smaller conscription is being put in action that can help increase the overall quality of the current paid army.

It's much needed by the army.

Yes I know. But it's just my humble opinion; armies are so 20th century.

 
In fact overall citizens including my own relatives have said that the conscription has been a big asset for them in life, as it gives education
on survival, handling self defense weapons and tactics and getting new friends for life in a more early stage.

Quite right, the army forges men. And no offense man but your country is kinda short on manliness these days...

[Allison]

Yes I know. But it's just my humble opinion; armies are so 20th century.

In a way. Large forces of men and women are more so outdated compared to advanced technology and smart use of said tech (i.e drones, smart munitions, etc).

[Marcell]

In a way. Large forces of men and women are more so outdated compared to advanced technology and smart use of said tech (i.e drones, smart munitions, etc).

Tech won't do you much good given detonating a 10 kiloton nuclear missile slightly above the country would fry electronics in a large region. It's just that it never happened in practice yet

[Allison]

Tech won't do you much good given detonating a 10 kiloton nuclear missile slightly above the country would fry electronics in a large region. It's just that it never happened in practice yet

That's true. Though if that were to ever actually happen, everything would change regardless.

[Daco]

In a way. Large forces of men and women are more so outdated compared to advanced technology and smart use of said tech (i.e drones, smart munitions, etc).

funny coming from someone enlisted in the army. lol

[SkyHawk]

funny coming from someone enlisted in the army. lol

I fail to see the humor in this, Allison has a valid viewpoint.

[Daco]

I fail to see the humor in this, Allison has a valid viewpoint.

K

[Mr. Goobii]

The US has got your back man, relax.

Nothing can be guaranteed. We are not a part of NATO, even though we are participating in
NATO's Peace Program we are still not a member and does not pay any fees in membership.

Geographically speaking you're correct. But calling them Nordic is a huge leap lol.. they're eastern Europeans at best.

Geographically it's wrong, basically it would be a better name to call it something with Baltic countries, even if Sweden
are not a baltic country by defined history, it has the most land connected to the Baltic sea.

Yes I know. But it's just my humble opinion; armies are so 20th century.

The Swedish Government wants to participate more in peace keeping missions around the globe. Having a conscription
is a way to get more military personell in the army in a shorter time. It also have a purpose in different areas that requires
personell to be put.

Quite right, the army forges men. And no offense man but your country is kinda short on manliness these days...

Yes, it's small and for a reason. Sweden are not able to extract more people to the army or they lack the abilities to join, we are currently in
a huge deficit and have always been since 2010 when the conscription got removed.

Since it's a professional army, you don't employ anyone, you want only the best and those who really could handle stressful and situations that
can happen in the army. Sweden have really hard to get the right people to join and that makes the deficit of people really high.

For example; Sweden currently have 120 Battle tanks, but only 40 can be used in direct battle since we lack personell to handle the other 60 tanks
currently in our arsenal.

All the other Nordic countries have conscription to fill the gap that requires to be filled with employees if not the conscription can do it instead, for example
a conscript could be better suited for jobs like food supply, logistic, transportation or reporting in different situations than a professional paid military guy
that actually should be on the battle and not in a complex cleaning the floor.

[Lustigkurre]

feel no fear, lustig is here