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Michael Caine: Bring back national service
Updated 15:20pm on 11 Nov 2009Hollywood star Sir Michael Caine has called for a return to national service to give young people "a sense of belonging rather than a sense of violence".
As he walked the red carpet at the European premiere of his new movie Harry Brown, the British actor addressed the problem of violence among disaffected youths.
Sir Michael, who did two years of national service and served in the Korean War, stressed he was "very anti-war" but added: "I'm just saying put them in the army for six months. You're there to learn how to defend your country. You belong to the country.
"Then when you come out, you have a sense of belonging rather than a sense of violence."
In the film Caine plays a retired Marine who sets out to dispense vigilante justice after his best friend is murdered by a gang of thugs in a drug and gun-ridden London council estate.
Caine said the movie was "almost documentary" in its portrayal and should serve as a "wake-up call".
He added: "There should be a great plan to re-educate these youngsters. It's such a waste. They all feel society has let them down."
Director Daniel Barber said he spent a lot of time with the police while developing the film and was stunned by the picture they painted.
He said: "It's unbelievable the amount of violence out there that doesn't get reported.
"What they have to deal with is something else. This film is the tip of the iceberg."
Ben Drew, who plays one of the youths, said he tried to make his portrayal as realistic as possible.
He added that the prospect of working with Caine was what drew him to the movie.
"Being in a film alongside someone I think is a legend - I would have done it for free."
Others on the red carpet included David Bradley and Joseph Gilgun, who both star in the film, boxer David Haye, actress Gemma Arterton, the band Spandau Ballet, EastEnders star Larry Lamb, his son George Lamb and ex-EastEnder Karl Tointon.
Reader views (13)
The sooner they bring back National Service the better it will be,it would put a stop to the dole que as every man claming benefits would be doing it.
If they said to me right National Service id be 1st in the Que as it sorts the Men from the Boys.If they brought it back and included prisoners,just ship the prisoners abroad to a different Country that way they couldnt go awol as they would have no way of getting back to the UK
- Stephen, Peterhead, Scotland, 20/11/2010 21:00
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Best decision this government could ever make in my opinion well done Sir Michael i agree 100 percent young people need to learn respect for themselves as well as others and also our boys out there could benefit from greater numbers.
- Linda, Edinburgh, 18/11/2009 01:02
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Duyfken - aren't they getting money anyway? It's called benefits and they don't do anything to earn it - though I admit they do earn money by other illegal activities.
Bring back the birch too! How many floggings will it take for the message to get through? (I know, I know - they have rights).
- Fee, Toronto Canada, 12/11/2009 00:01
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I would be interested to know how many people commenting here have actually done national service themselves. Its easy to sit behind your computers saying we should bring back national service when you have no experience of it, maybe you should all be the first to be signed up. I have not brought up my children to be decent members of society only for them to be whisked off to some pointless war, do menial tasks or mix with a bunch of lowlifes.
- David, London, 11/11/2009 17:12
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Yeah and who's going to pay for it all? And is the aim of National Service just to keep young men occupied and fulfilled? I think we need better value for our money than this simplistically-suggested solution.
- Duyfken, E Sussex, 11/11/2009 14:14
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Absolutely agree. Best suggestion i have heard for a while. Will give young people a sence of duty and pride for their county. Could solve a huge range of problems surrounding young people today.
- Caroline Chalfont, London, 11/11/2009 13:42
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I agree with Sir Michael and Janice from Sussex, there should be something for everyone, we all need to start taking some responsibility for this country, whip those that need it into shape! Still, it will never happen as per Jon's comments. It's a shame.
- Melissa, Surrey, 11/11/2009 13:03
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I love it when old, millionaire actors, particularly ones that exiled themselves overseas in the days of high taxation, come back and start pontificating over the status of the country that they profess to love so much. Spending a few weeks back in his old "manor" for his latest film hardly gives him the authority to tell the rest of us what's wrong with Britain and its youth. Remember, this is a man whose judgement led him to appear in Steven Seagal's "On Deadly Ground", my worst ever cinematic experience.
- Keith, King's Cross, 11/11/2009 12:41
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I totally agree. It should apply to all youngsters, male and female and it should take the form of either national or community service. Whether it be army, navy, air force, police, street cleaning, graffitti cleaning, riverbank clearing, whatever..... so many things need to be done and we ALL need to do our bit for the nation and the community. I doubt if this will ever happen unfortunately but good idea Sir Michael.
- Janicebyrne, sussex, 11/11/2009 11:42
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Here, here.
But Jon Kent is right. It'd probably be against everybody's human rights these days.
- Jc, London, 11/11/2009 11:42
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Many of us have been saying the same thing. There is little or no discipline in the schools nor at home. A different environment could be the catalyst they need to become good citizens.
- W J Penny, London, 11/11/2009 11:41
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A good idea but it will never happen as our politicians rely on a docile apathetic population to enable them to stay in power in an increasingly undemocratic (Lisbon Treaty for instance) environment. They wouldn't be happy with young fit conscripts able to handle firearms and skilled at unarmed combat. Also, until we stop engaging in illegal war (Iraq) there is a risk of National Service Conscripts being used for unfit causes.
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK, 11/11/2009 10:55
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Good idea!
- Tojo, Hythe Kent, 11/11/2009 10:29
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