Europe

... and target for nonviolent direct action

Europe is at war. The bombs are not falling in Europe, but several thousand kilometers away in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nevertheless war is waged from Europe. From a whole range of military bases in Europe planes take off and supplies are shipped or air lifted to fight those wars.

Confronting the war alliance with mass protests

In spite of all predictions of its imminent dissolution, in recent years NATO has developed a frightening war dynamic. On all levels, the alliance is preparing itself for future wars.

Counter-recruitment and conscientious objection for professional soldiers as major themes

Just before 15 May, the International Day on Conscientious Objection, War Resisters' International has published material on the major theme for this year: the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers, and the work done to counter military recruitment.

War Resisters' International is presently working on a survey of European Union countries regarding the question of the right to conscientious objection for professiona

14–15 November 2008: European day of action against military globalisation

Europe is at war. The bombs are not falling in Europe but several thousands of km away in Iraq and Afghanistan, yet nevertheless war is waged from Europe. Europe serves as a launch pad for military interventions worldwide. The framework can differ: NATO, EU, US coalition of the willing, UN. The targets vary as well: Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Chad, …. But the departure points don’t: military bases and civilian airports and harbours in Europe. Europe hosts a large military intervention machinery.

Country Conscription CO for conscripts CO for professional soldiers before
military
service during/after
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15 May – International Day on Conscientious Objection

In recent years many European countries abolished conscription, or suspended conscription in times of peace. Presently, out of the 27 European Union member states only 10 maintain conscription, and it is expected that of those ten some more will abolish conscription in the near future – Poland is expected to abolish conscription in 2010–2012, and Sweden is just now in the process of abolishing conscription.

15 May – International Day on Conscientious Objection

Refusal to take part in war is as old as war itself. However, with the introduction of conscription as a more "effective" means for recruiting (first in France on 5 September 1798), and modern warfare, war resistance too had to become more organised. Former WRI Council secretary Tony Smythe wrote in 1967: "Men have always been impressed, levied, requisitioned, conscripted and bullied into the armies of their rulers but modern mass compulsory recruitment has been applied on a scale which makes it one of the major repressive institutions of our time, It is an integral part of the total war concept.

The new "European Defence Agency" released a report on the "Initial Long-Term Vision for European Defence Capability and Capacity Needs", which was discussed by European Defence Ministers at their meeting in Finland on 3 October. According to the report, which covers issued well beyond of recruitment, the average European will be 45 years old in 2025, and the pool of 16 (!)-30 year olds available for military service will be reduced by 15%.

On 27 April, the Quaker Council for European Affairs launched its report "The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe: A review of the current situation" at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

15 May -- International Conscientious Objection Day:
Focus on Turkey ECOM 97 -- 12-14 June, Norway State of Spain: insumisión in the Barracks Amnesty International launches a campaign on the right to Conscientious Objection in Europe

Turkey: International support continues to be vital for Osman and ISKD

In October 1993 the European Parliament adopted a landmark "Resolution on Deserters from the Armed Forces of States in Former Yugoslavia." In one of its points, the document, which was proposed by four political groups —the Socialists, the Christian-Democrats, the Liberals, and the Greens— "calls on [EC] Member States to provide deserters and draft evaders form the former Yugoslavia with a legal status, instead of allo