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A comment on Underage Enlistment in the United States and the Confederacy. Parent comment

Re:Underage Enlistment in the United States and the Confederacy by mitthrowaway2 on Tuesday June 20, 2023 @01:37PM (#36407571)
> But once they turn 18 they can be ordered into combat roles based on a decision they made when they were still a child.

That is an uncomfortable situation, but it's not worse than countries that conscript 18-year-olds, who don't even get to make a decision at all.

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Re:Underage Enlistment in the United States and the Confederacy by Abekkus on Tuesday June 20, 2023 @02:02PM (#36407979)
Systemically, conscription can be "better" if it is randomized and includes everyone. "Volunteer" Armies just means that rich parents can decide to start wars without worrying that their kids might be sent to fight.
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Re:Underage Enlistment in the United States and the Confederacy by gretch on Tuesday June 20, 2023 @04:56PM (#36410441)
It’s definitely more equitable.

It also gives everyone the same incentive to not start shit (even though few ppl are in position to instigate a war) because it could be you and your family that’s sent to fight it.

However, when you’re actually fighting, you want to trust the person fighting next to you. And if that person was conscripted and didn’t want to ever be there, that’d cause a lot of issues.

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