A former NATO commander claims Donald Trump’s latest comments on Ukraine could bring back conscription in the UK.
Trump has stunned world leaders in recent days by claiming Ukraine is to blame for the escalating war with Russia. Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth spoke during a conference in Brussels last week that the US was no longer primarily focused on the security of Europe.
“(I am) here today to directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe,” he said.
And the comments have sparked fears of World War 3, with NATO’s former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Sir Richard Shirreff believing that conscription could soon be on the cards for the UK.
Penning his worrying warning in the Daily Mail recently, Sir Shirreff wrote: “Though many will find it unthinkable, we must be prepared to call up our reservists – and make plans for conscription. Trump has left us no other choice.”
Conscription, where it is a legal obligation to serve in the armed forces, was first introduced in the UK in 1916 to help combat the huge loss of life during World War I. It hasn’t been in place since 1960.
But Sir Shirreff fears it may be necessary “if we are to avert a potential World War 3”. He continued: “In effect, Hegseth has taken Nato’s essential principle of mutual defence, known as Article 5, and shredded it. Europe’s reaction has been near panic. The first signs of fracturing emerged on Monday, as Germany, Italy and Poland all baulked at the idea of collective action”
The former commander’s main concern is that the US are seemingly prepared to abandon a crucial aspect of NATO policy, Article 5, which, in essence, states that all members must be prepared to collectively defend any other individual member if they come under attack.
The first and only time that Article 5 has ever been invoked, was in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the US deciding to invoke the article, it enusured that all NATO allies supported the US’s future response to the attacks.
He went on to claim that it would be “suicidally naive” to assume Trump was risking breaking up NATO peace plans to “galvanise Europe into spending more on defence”. Similarly, he claimed it would be naive to think “the US calvary would once again come galloping to our rescue”, should World War 3 break out.
