President Joe Biden’s administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18.
They didn’t say Russia wasn’t to blame, or that what Russia is doing is justified. They said - and I happen to agree - that conscription is always wrong. No one should, under any circumstance, be compelled by force to fight and die for their state or for any other reason. The choice to risk one’s own life for a cause - even a cause of defense - is your choice alone.
Should young Ukrainians volunteer to defend their independence? Probably, but that’s up to them, or at least it should be.
They didn’t say Russia wasn’t to blame, or that what Russia is doing is justified. They said - and I happen to agree - that conscription is always wrong. No one should, under any circumstance, be compelled by force to fight and die for their state or for any other reason. The choice to risk one’s own life for a cause - even a cause of defense - is your choice alone.
Should young Ukrainians volunteer to defend their independence? Probably, but that’s up to them, or at least it should be.