UK's Sunak to add compulsory military service if Conservatives win
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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says that all 18-year-olds will be part of a new National Service, no matter what background and wherever they live in the UK.
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Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly Prime Ministers' Questions session in parliament in London, on July 19, 2023. (AP)
If Conservatives win the next UK general election set for July 4, the country's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that he is planning on introducing a compulsory military service or alternative service for young people.
In an article for the Daily Mail, Sunak wrote "We will reinvent National Service for today's Britain. It will provide life-changing opportunities for our young people, offering them the chance to learn real-world skills, do new things, and contribute to their community and our country … All 18-year-olds will do this new National Service, whatever their background and wherever they live in the UK."
Young people will be able to choose between full-time military service in the British armed forces for a year and alternative service in the form of volunteering in the rescue service and other structures for 25 days, the prime minister said.
"To those who complain that making it mandatory is unreasonable, I say: citizenship brings with it obligations as well as rights. Being British is about more than just the queue you join at passport control. To be clear, our new National Service is not conscription. The vast majority of those who do it will not serve in our Armed Forces. Only those who choose to, and come through the tough entrance tests, will do that," Sunak added.
Shrinking UK army worrying US generals amid Red Sea operations
A former senior US general expressed concern on January 20 over the diminishing number of troops in the British army, pointing out that it is no longer as formidable as it once was, amid calls for secretaries to address the military recruitment crisis facing the country.
Analysis indicated that the British army's numbers will fall below 70,000 soldiers within the next two years, prompting both US and European generals to question whether the UK remains a top-tier fighting force, as reported by The Daily Mail.
According to The Times newspaper, if the current rate of troop decline persists, the regular soldier count is projected to reach 67,741 by 2026, a figure smaller than the personnel in the United States special operations forces alone.
The former US general acknowledged the UK's status as the US' closest ally but observed diminished military capabilities over the past few decades, stating, "Hence, while being the most important ally across the board, it is decidedly not what it used to be, regrettably."
With the existing trends, the British army is expected to have only 52,000 troops in a decade. In the year leading up to September 2023, the army's troops count declined from 79,139 to 75,983, with more soldiers leaving than joining.
The Royal Navy is also grappling with a significant drop in enlistment, causing concerns among senior commanders about its future capabilities.
UK ministers have agreed to reduce the number of army troops to 72,500 by next year, a decision that has raised anxieties among senior US generals, considering the figure may fall even lower.
