Some pretty lousy sodliers, thats what. Four months isn't enough time for the soldiers to even qualify as "green." They might as well go all volunteer or simply disband.

Yea that wouldnt make soldiers. I think the issue is if Denmark needs a well trained defend army mainly because no one is hostile on her. Even if that is true, 4 months is a complete joke.

For Your information: Danish Defence budget is slightly increased. The territorial defence is turned over to the Home Guard volunteers, which will have an active component of 3000 organised in infantry companies and a passive component with 50.000. They are debating what anti-terror tasks they can solve. The four month conscripts are intended to fill the gaps of the Home Guard. The Royal Guard is going to be a volunteer conscription force of longer service time for those who whish to serve there. It is idiotic to train a division that will never be used, when you need a lot of flat feet, that can help the police in an emergency - a large part of the new conscripts are going to be police trained under police supervision. It is much much wiser to put money into training professionels that - when and if the need arises can train conscripts. Mobilisation will take longer, but in the present enviroment there is time for it.

is four months even enough for basic training to be completed?

No, but the task are simple. Originally the proposal was for 3 months, but that would have been a disaster. In my honest oppinion: The conscription is just a safeguard to insure against the Home Guard not being able to perform. What You should concentrate on: The considerable increase in full time professionals. The army is at the moment rying to interpret the politicians according to the army officers whishes - they will get wiser, the politicians are whetting the budget axe, and can redirect funds to people that are more amendable to inspiration.

The 4 month conscription, known in Denmark as Hærens Basis Uddannelse or HBU, meaning simply Army Basic Training, is not supposed to produce battle-ready soldiers. It is supposed to draw a lot of young men into the military, give them a taste for the life of the soldier, and them persuade them to go pro, signing a contract and perhaps serving with the danish peace keepers in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Think of it as an attempt to combine the vast ranks of cheap soldiers in a conscript army with the high morale and training levels of a proffesional army.

why bother?

You will have to clarify that question: Why bother with what? Why bother to have an danish army to begin with? Simple. The danish army has despite it's small size and tight budget, provided hundreds of peace keepers for the worlds hot spots, helping improve the lives millions of people. Currently there is a battalion in Kosovo province of Serbia and another in the Basra province of Iraq. Danish peace keepers are well liked and respected by the people they protect. The clan chieftains of Iraq, for example, helps them against Al Sadr people all the time. The British and US forces in the area are not so fortunate. In Afghanistan, Danish special forces units like Frømandskorpset(meaning Frog Men Corps, SEAL equivilant) and Jægerkorpset (meaning Hunter Corps, SAS equivilant) serve side by side with American and British commandoes. They have already won severals medals. As to why bother with a 4 month conscription: Try to compare an all-volunteer army like the United States Army and an conscript horde like the People's Liberation Army. The US has the advantage that their morale is higher because noone is forced to serve, their soldiers stay in the military longer giving them more time for training and possibly some experience. However, when the army gets into prolonged war, they run short of manpower as the soldiers prefer civilian jobs. Here the conscript army has the advantage. With vast ranks of cheap soldiers who have to serve, the can call upon a vast pool of soldiers. The HBU programme is an attempt to get the best of both worlds, and by all accounts an succesfull attempt.

I agree, the idea of a very short national service is a good idea. I do doubt the effectiveness of the four months, but I think it is still a good idea - I do think six months would be more effective, allowing the troops to actually complete a basic military training program though.

Actually, HBU is basic military training in name only. The soldiers mostly learn first aid, fire fighting and such things during their first 4 months on conscripted service. They don't get a way extensive training in any conventional military discipline. After that, however, those who choose to stay and become professionals are giving a first class military training, bringing them up to level with NATO's finest.