The Compulsory Military System

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the world. The military service is called the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which requires both male and female citizens to enter the army, and actually ¡°Israel has had, since its creation, mandatory military service for both¡± genders (Vardi, 2013). However, the length of service is different for each gender. According to a website about war, ¡°[Israeli] males serve for three years and females for just less than two years¡± and ¡°Israel also has one of the highest recruitment rates in the world¡± (Vardi, 2013). Also, the Israeli government spends a huge amount of their budget on the military, compared to other countries like South Korea, Iran and Taiwan. The Israeli government¡¯s expenditure on military as percentage of %GDP is 7.3 (¡°Country comparison,¡± 2011). Although the military system ¡°consumes a large percentage of total government spending, it continues to serve as a womb for growth in the Israeli economy. Exporting technology is a pillar of the Israeli economy¡± (Katz).

In conclusion, the government of Korea should consider paying the double amount of the soldiers¡¯ original salary, so that when they are out in the society they will have enough money to rent a small apartment for a month or two, before they get a job. Taiwan should go through some changes with the life-threatening training for those who are currently in the army. Moreover, the military system of Iran is corrupted with the fact that some Iranian soldiers buy the service and become exempt. Opponents claim that conscription makes the citizens learn to be responsible, and may help some countries economically; however, I oppose to the compulsory military. It is ridiculous that the young citizens are forced to go into the army, whether they like it or not. Also, most of them are wasting their valuable time by doing what they dislike.

References

Kim, E. K. (2013, 01 10). Military to double soldiers’ pay during park’s term. Yonhap News. Retrievedfromhttp://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2013/01/10/39/0301000000AEN20130110010300315F.HTML

(2013). Celebrities and military service. Sompi, Retrieved from http://www.soompi.com/2013/05/04/editorial- celebrities-and-military-service/

Writer, S. W. (2013). Countries ranked by military strength. Retrieved from http://www.globalfirepower.com/countries-listing.asp

Military service age and obligation. Retrieved from website: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/fields/2024.html

Iranian military service? (2013, 07). [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130703162254AA7JKxi

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada. (1990). Iran: Information requests military desertion, exit and return. Retrieved from Immigration and Refugee Board website: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aab11c.html

Pyruz, M. P. (2008). Iran military conscription term cuts. Retrieved from http://www.uskowioniran.com/2008/10/iran-military-conscription-term-cuts.html

Taiwan military delays plan to scrap conscription. (2013, 09 12). Bangkok Post. Retrieved from http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/369404/taiwan-military-delays-plan-to-scrap-conscription

Vardi, S. V. (2013, 07 26). ’one of the boys’: the conscription of young women to the israeli military. Retrieved from http://www.wri-irg.org/node/22117

Katz, R. K. (n.d.). Idf background information.

Retrieved from http://www.mahal-idf-volunteers.org/information/background/content.html

Military expenditure. (2013). Retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS

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