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Article: What is the point of conscription?
- Article from:
- Cyprus Mail (Cyprus)
- Article date:
- July 19, 2009
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Byline: Anna Ioannou
SINCE THE end of the Cold War, the trend in Europe has been a move away from conscription for military service, in favour of volunteer forces and professional armies. Of the 27 EU member states, only a third still has conscript armies and in most of those countries the period of conscription is between four to 12 months, with the option of alternative service instead.
NATO membership and the use of advanced technology and information systems in modern warfare are central factors, as traditional methods of warfare have changed in much the same way that large manual labour forces have been replaced by modern technology.
One ...