环球英语20160505 Serving in the Military
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Colin Lowther.
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
It is the month of April in Thailand. Anand Naknava sits with many other young men at his school. There are also many people in dark green army uniforms. One at a time, the young men go to the front of the room. They pull a piece of paper from a box. Some of the papers are black. Others are red. If a man pulls out a red paper, they must join the military. Naknava does not want to be a soldier. He is a college student. But under Thai law, every man must put his name into this lottery system after he turns 21 years old. This is Thailand’s system for conscripting men into the military. People can also volunteer – they can choose to join the military.
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It is now Naknava’s turn to choose a paper from the box. His paper is red. He will have to be a soldier for two years. Then he can finish school. He decides to look at the good things about being in the military. He tells the news organization AFP:
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“Now I am chosen, I will get paid and I will not be any trouble to my parents. If other people can do it, then I can do it too!"
Voice 1
In some countries being a soldier is completely voluntary - by choice. In other places, the government requires people to serve in the military. Today’s Spotlight is on military conscription - when people must join their government’s military.
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Almost every country in the world has a military. Soldiers are part of a country’s system of defence. Their job is to keep the nation safe. Soldiers do many different kinds of work. Sometimes they help after a natural disaster such as a flood or large storm. They may help the police of their own country. Soldiers also fight in wars, in their own country or another one.
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Countries require military service for two reasons. In some countries, it is an important part of citizenship. Every citizen is responsible for protecting the country. In other countries, the reason is more practical. Being a soldier can be very dangerous. It can be difficult to get enough people to volunteer to be soldiers. Each government chooses a system for conscripting its soldiers. The conscription lottery in Thailand is one kind of system.
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However, in most countries there are exceptions for some people. For example, usually sick or disabled people may not serve as soldiers. In other cases, people cannot use violence because of their religious or personal beliefs. They believe it violates their human rights to have to join the military. In many places, people with such beliefs may be excused from serving in the armed forces. And some people simply refuse to join the army.
Voice 1
In most places only men are conscripted. However, some countries also include women. For example, in Norway, everyone must serve one year in the military. Laila Gustavsen is a lawmaker in Norway. She told the news organization Reuters that she thinks this is good for the country:
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"This is historic. For me it is wonderful to make history, for the military and for women. Rights and duties should be the same for all. The military needs the best resources, from both men and women."
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There are people who believe that women should not be conscripted into the military. There are also many people who disagree with ANY system of forcing people to join the military. Some people feel that this should be a free decision.
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Dafna Rothstein Landman is an Isreali teenager. In Isreal, most people must join the military at age 18. Landman does not want to serve in the military. She does not agree with the actions of the military. She has begun a petition against conscription. This petition says that young people should not have to be soldiers. She is gathering support for this request to the government. She told the website Common Dreams:
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"In a society where Army service is widely accepted we wanted to shake this idea. We wanted to make people think about what it means to serve in the Army. I realized to what degree the education system is organized towards the Army. It is not directed as much towards education, the job market, personal interests, and other things."
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There are movements like this against military service around the world. But there are also many people who see advantages to having many people serve in the military. People argue that being a soldier increases health by making people more active. It can also help people learn discipline - how to organize their own lives and work well with other people. Many militaries also train people in special skills, like using computer systems or machines. People can use these skills even after their time in the military is over.
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Some countries have special reasons for needing a larger military. In Russia, young men are supposed to be in the military for one year. Sergey Shoigu is the Russian Defense Minister. He says that Russia needs lots of soldiers because the country covers so much land. He told Rossiya-2 television:
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“Our territory is too big to have a purely professional army, including only people who choose to join. We have to have the ability to move out and around.”
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Thomas Ricks is a writer from the United States. There, people choose to join the military. The United States is involved in several long conflicts in other countries. In the New York Times newspaper, Ricks said that he thinks even more conscription could be good. He says it would make members of the government think more carefully. The government might not go to war as quickly if everyone had family members in the military. Ricks shares the words of United States General Stanley A. McChrystal:
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“I think if a nation goes to war, every town, every city needs to be at risk. You make that decision and everybody is personally involved.”
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What kind of military service is there in your country? Do you think military conscription is a good idea? Did you serve in your country’s military? Share your thoughts and experiences on our website at www.radioenglish.net. Or you can email us at radio@radioenglish.net.
Voice 2
The writer of this program was Rena Dam. The producer was Nick Mangeolles. The voices you heard were from the United Kingdom and the United States. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. This program is called, ‘Serving in the Military.’
Voice 1
You can also find us on Facebook - just search for spotlightradio. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.
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