Because National Service would be a training plan, basically to instill discipline and team spirit. You can force people to be trained but you shouldn't force them to go to war if they don't want to.
Becky

My son went through a real lazy time lately.He thought because he worked a few days a week he was doing his bit.I for one would rather he did something worthwhile and achieve something from the forces than sit on the dole.As for the cannon fodder remark that was made, it's no wonder our boys morale dips.These are brave,brave lads who are out there putting their lives on the line for you and I and it's high time people appreciated them.

Well said.

It's about time the youth of today learnt what the meaning of the word respect is.

When I was a kid back in the 60's, if I messed about in class I would get a blackboard rubber thrown at me, or a ruler across the knuckles, but now that this country has all this PC crap the kids just think that they can get away with everything.

Can anyone really tell me what harm it would do to any of the youth of today if they had to join the arned forces and learn some discipline for once in there lives.

The prison are overflowing, we have teenagers on drugs, hardly any of them want to work.

I best thing for them is to teach them a trade.

Shame on you. Don't you know that we now live in more "enlightened" times? At least that is what the softly-softly brigade will tell you.

Drugs are the scourge of our society,i've been saying for years that they have been planted in our countries for years for one reason and one reason only.It's very clever actually get millions of the youth hooked on drugs,mentally damage them so they wont be capable of fighting if they were needed to defend our countries.
I still say our lads are out there fighting and as long as they are out there they have my backing and who am I to say they should be brought back.Thats whats wrong with this country,too many people interfering with things they know sfa about.We were a nation who were proud to be British and had backbone,young lads were proud to be out there fighting even lying about their ages to sign up.Nowadays most of the youth of society want to do is sit and be given hand and foot,hang about street corners doing drugs, in general get wasted.
Sadly too many young lives are lost in this country,whether it be through drink,drugs,shootings,stabbings and the list goes on and on.I don't speak for everyone but I can assure everyone I love my son dearly and he is my only child.However I would rather loose my son to fighting for his country than any other afore mentioned,because I would be proud of him.

I agree with bringing back national service because it would teach some of the little gits out there discipline and respect,but not to send them to war.

The British army is the envy of the world because of the training they receive and the fact it is voluntary which is why they are always asked to be peace keepers.Conscripts will never have the same dedication to fight because some may not want to be there while volunters made the conscious descion to be part of it.

As for bringing our troops home-nope.Iraq was always going to be an unstable country without its tyranical leader and we owe it to the people there to stabilise it.I agreed with the war when it started and still do now-Saddam Hussein was a butcher and needed to be removed.How would the world have evolved if England had not declared war on Hitler in 1939 when he invaded Poland etc?

Well - a few interesting posts - i've just come across this section and thread and i'll apologise in advance if i p*ss anyone off.

Anyone who has NOT served imo has absolutely no right to comment on how they wouldn't like/shouldn't send people to war!! War is NOT voluntary, it's a bl**dy **** time where you have to rely on your comrades to watch your back and hope they are as vigilant as you are being with them.

CANNON FODDER - How dare you?????? I'm sure my parents would have appreciated that whilst i was away and the same for any other person who has relatives/family serving overseas.

VOLUNTARY - is it voluntary for people to be carrying out patrols and passing by bodies which still stink as they have been burnt? How about driving along the roads which are only just wide enough - knowing that if you deviate there is a good chance you will be in a mined area? How about the fact of being shot at whilst trying to deliver goods to other stations? How about going on patrol and not knowing if you will come back? How many more examples would you like or the best one - going on patrol without the correct equipment because the forces won't spend the money. Voluntary is the joining up process - and to be fair anyone joining up should be aware that they may very well go to war - it's not voluntary, its a necessity.

YES, i'm on my high horse - i was there - on all of the above and more and the ARMCHAIR CRITICS can all go to ****** ooops thats not the pink fluffy brigade - my apologies, please excuse me while i go and see how many more comrades have died for their country?

National service is a good idea IMO - the armed forces are so undermanned and loads more are leaving because they are on operational detachment all the time and get no time with families - apart from which something has to give - their welfare is not looked after enough and yes it does sometimes get to people. Suicides (attempted suicides) are quite commonplace because there is nowhere to turn. I can give examples but thats dragging up the past for me and friends i lost.

National training may make the youth of today realise there is something to gain by the training and who knows - it may encourage more to join the armed forces, and less time to partake in the ever growing drug/alcohol culture. It may also teach the yobs a bit of respect also.

However - BEWARE - the armed forces are trying to be taken over by the pink fluffy tree-huggers. Trainees get to have duvets, tvs, time off etc and thats just in basic training. Cameraderie needs to be learned.

Ok rant over before i forget what i'm typing.

Huge,massi ve RESPECT!!!!!!!!! Well said,though rant over,you need to rant more often mate xxxxxxxx

While I agree NS would be a good idea I think most the people on here are thinking of it for the wrong reason, My parents and gran parents served in the armed forces all of them spending time in action, my granddad spent 20yrs doing active duty so I have a lot of love for the armed forces but if people thing that national service should be used to fix our "chav" culture well I disagree, I think its a childs parents job to teach a child respect manners and work ethic not the armies! we should start being better parents to our children and we wouldnt have this problem, all of us are fine we are not "louts" did we do national service?