Weapons are one thing, but if war breaks out, Europe’s best resource is its people
In Scandinavia and the Baltic region, citizens are signing up to do their bit as non-combatants. Other Nato allies should take heed
TL;DR
- Modern warfare includes attacks on digital infrastructure, impacting daily life without direct combat.
- Sweden is training civilian volunteer motorcycle couriers to maintain crucial communication and delivery in a crisis.
- Other Nordic-Baltic countries like Estonia and Lithuania are also engaging citizens in defense through cyber units and survival skills training.
- Poland has launched a program with 400,000 citizens receiving basic military and survival training.
- While some countries like the UK, Italy, and Spain lack similar citizen participation, sentiments are shifting, with increased support for civil defense initiatives.
- Investing in people is as crucial as investing in weaponry for national defense.
- Citizen involvement in defense builds national security in a democracy and fosters a sense of shared responsibility for safety.