Now, don’t take me wrong…… I don’t consider myself a chauvinist ( a least my wife doesn’t think so ) But, does anyone else here have a problem with women on the front lines. I mean, I’m sure they are very good ( better then some of the men ) But something inside me worries more about the women then the male soldiers. ( I’m having a hard time here explaining exactly how I feel about it…… ) I wish we wouldn’t use them on the front lines. btw, I asked my wife the same question last night, and she didn’t have a problem with. She just didn’t know why any woman would want to……
I worry about their safety amongst fellow soilders. I just don't think its a good idea to have men and women living together under those conditions. As far as the enemy, I think M-16s are great equalizers, but I would hate to see women taken as prisoners of war. Its hard to be against women in the army because of not wanting to sound like a chauvinist, but these are very legit concerns.
Did anyone see the stories about the 19 y/o girl from WV who is missing? Obviously the story painted the most positive picture possible, but she seemed liek the girl next door. Really sucks to think about her dead or worse yet being tortured. It probably is wrong for me to say but I tend to agree with you. As bad as it is to say I do worry more about women taken prisoner than men. Not that I don't feel sorry for the men (I do) but it makes me feel worse thinking about the women who have been taken hostage. That being said I think they have every right to be on the front line.
I think women can make just as good soldiers as men. I'm sure many women can make better soldiers than many men can. That said, I'm certainly with you on having misgivings about whether or not they SHOULD be in combat. It seems like you put the other side in a horrible position. A lot of men seem to have qualms about killing women and children in combat and by putting women in combat on our side, we force them to. It seems like it is as unethical as giving a five year old a grenade. Of course an adult woman can make her own decisions about whether or not she wants to fight but for the enemy it really sucks.
I think any captured woman will be raped repeatedly by the Iraqi regime. Does that make you squimish, if so, you should not serve. Women are every bit as strong as men, but they are also more vunerable. Not for me to judge......but I would rather it be all men on the front lines. DD
Did you guy saw the story about the female doctor (what's her name?) who was captured in the first Gulf war. Yes, she was brutally treated and sexually assalted. But she said she had no problem with seeing women on the front line. She said male POW were also often sexually abused. They just didn't talk about it.
There is nothing wrong with you and you are not chauvenistic, either. Its simple biology: Men are wired to protect women. That in itself makes me think women should not be on the front lines. IMO, being a POW would be bad enough, and it angers me to no end to think of what an enemy like Iraq would do to POWs. The potential is FAR greater for the absolute worst of things imaginable to happen to female POWs, ESPECIALLY Iraq. We already know what they do to their own women. To say nothing of the fact that men are stronger and faster and thus better able to deal with the physical rigors being in such a position would require.... I could go into a whole thing about this, but to answer your question, I don't think there is anything wrong with your thinking. It is instinctual for a man to protect the women (women and children first!). Its in our nature. Its in our history. Popular culture would have us believe otherwise, but I believe things like this are best left to able-bodied men. Fire away, Libs.
It depends on the frontline job they have. Armor and other heavy combat units they could handle. Women can't handle being infantry though. It's just not physically feasible to ask one to carry 70 pounds of equipment for an extended period of time. This isn't being sexist, it's just apersonal observation from being in an infantry brigade and being part of a light infantry(think lots and lots of walking) battalion for about a year.
Tell that to the woman at the airport who carries her two kids around like they are nothing. Women are the stronger sex....we men just don't know it. DD
I posted this in an earlier thread, but it bears repeating -- a female soldier doesn't have to be captured by an enemy army to be raped and/or sexually assaulted: Women Vets Report High Rape, Sex Harassment Rates Fri Mar 14, 6:29 PM ET By Stephanie Riesenman NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thirty percent of female US military veterans report having been raped or suffered a rape attempt during their military service, according to a new survey. While the study authors say their research was not intended to estimate how much sexual violence women in the military face, the findings are in line with past research on how often such violence occurs. Most importantly, study author Dr. Anne Sadler told Reuters Health, the research identified risk factors for rape and sexual harassment, findings that could be used to make the military a safer place for women. The news comes just as the Air Force Academy announced it will investigate more than 50 cases of sexual assault or rape reported at the school over the past decade. In the current study, Sadler and colleagues from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City surveyed women who had served in the military from the Vietnam era to the present. They interviewed and received responses from 506 women. Participants ranged in age from 20 to 83, with an average age of 40. Most were white. Almost half had served in the Army, 23 percent had been in the Air Force and 22 percent in the Navy. Rates of reported rape were consistent across the time period studied, Sadler told Reuters Health. More than three-fourths of participants reported some type of sexual harassment during their military experience. Unwanted sexual contact--such as touching or fondling of the buttocks, thigh, breasts or other body part--was reported by 54 percent of women. And 30 percent of females experienced one or more attempted or completed rapes. Thirty-seven percent of the women who reported a rape attempt or a completed rape had been raped more than once, while 14 percent of rape or rape attempt victims reported having been gang-raped. If these women are strong enough to handle the harassment of their own military, I have no doubt they can handle themselves against the enemy.
My point is that the "rape issue" is a non issue. Soldiers know that if they are captured they may be tortured and that may include rape for both men and women. If our fighting women (and men) are aware of those dangers and are still willing to fight, then I don't see any problem.
I would think that while female POWs have a higher chance of being raped or sexually assaulted, male POWs are probably more brutally tortured by the enemy. It's a trade off. I don't have a problem with women on the front lines. They are there by choice and can do the job just as well as their male counterparts.
If women want to fight and accept the risks just like male soldiers, I don't see the problem. I saw a female POW from the first Gulf War speaking on TV, she was sexually abused by Iraqis and she didn't seem squimish when talking about it. I won't pretend that I understand what rape can do to a women, but I'm pretty sure that the Iraqis will find ways to torture men that can result in similar psychological effects. Women deserve equality, they want equality, and if women want to defend our country, I'm pretty sure the ones that volunteer know the risks and accept them, we should learn to do the same.
I think the men are tortured just as bad and even worse...You don't know what goes on there, but I bet those still faithful to SH will be more than happy to get real demented with our POW's and not think twice about it... It sickens me to think any American or coalition soldier would be put through this,
The Duncans always think it odd that I choose women for combat forces, but my Fish Speakers are a temporary army in every sense. While they can be violent and vicious, women are profoundly different from men in their dedication to battle. The cradle of genesis ultimately predisposes them to behavior more protective of life. They have proved to be the best keepers of the Golden Path. I reinforce this in my design for their training. They are set aside for a time from ordinary routines. I give them special sharings which they can look back upon with pleasure for the rest of their lives. They come of age in the company of their sisters in preparation for events more profound. What you share in such companionship always prepares you for greater things. The haze of nostalgia covers their days among their sisters, making those days into something different than they were. That's the way today changes history. All contemporaries do not inhabit the same time. The past is always changing but few realize it. --The Stolen Journals also... The trouble with some kinds of warfare (and be certain the Tyrant knew this, because it is implicit in his lesson) is that they destroy all moral decency in susceptible types. Warfare of these kinds will dump the destroyed survivors back into an innocent population that is incapable of even imagining what such returned soldiers might do. --Teachings of the Golden Path, Bene Gesserit Archives Perhaps women are somewhat immune to the breakdown of moral decency?
I think whether women would be figting at the frontline should treated from a pragmatic, combatant perspective. Potential disadvantages are: 1. As pointed out, women aren't physically strong enough to carry the equipments. The same for carrying wounded peers to safe places. 2. Being a male, I'm curious about the physical effects of period on women. Does it affect women physically or mentally in terms of war related qualities such as strength, calmness and hence shooting accuracy etc.? 3. The possible negative effects of women's being sexual tragets are twofold. For domestic army, it might causes more internal friction between women soldiers and sexual offenders in frontlines than that in logistic system, typically in the middle of nowhere, lacking supervision, entertainment and high chance to die which all increase such tendancies. If captivated, women POWs pregnancy is a troublesome and emotinally stirring matter to deal with that's not present with male POWs.
