The US Defence Department is finally allowing women to serve in combat roles. It’s just been sheer arrogance that has prevented this from happening before. There’s no reason why women who want to should be prevented from putting their lives on the line. Women can be wiry, wily, they have good judgment and a fierce sense of loyalty and protection. If it were me, just tell me the world’s dark chocolate supply is at stake and I’ll shoot anybody you want me to! But seriously, it’s nothing I’ve ever had an interest in but for those who do, you go girl.
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says letting women serve in combat roles will strengthen the military’s ability to win wars. And maybe the uniforms will get a little sprucing up as well. Army green – yech!
It has definitely not been just arrogance that has kept women out of combat roles up until this point. There are several very valid reasons why it’s not the most `militarily efficient’ idea. The foremost is physical strength. I have friends who serve or have served in the Canadian military and they each have the same stories of women being `pushed’ through basic training because they just can’t keep up physically. Can’t carry the same kit, can’t run as fast or as far, have less physical endurance.
Next we have the psychological effect on men when fighting alongside women. It’s inherent in men to protect women so the result is a dangerous distraction on an already dangerous battleground. Rather than fighting as equals the men tend to `watch over’ their female counterparts. Some women will argue that this would be a problem for men to overcome but with it being something hard-wired in men that would be beyond unlikely.
There are other problems that could be argued but are real nonetheless; hygiene (womens bodies are less adaptable to living in dirt and filth for days or weeks on end), the added threat of rape of captured women soldiers is something society at large, let alone fellow soldiers, would find tough to stomach. I think women should have the right to be combat soldiers if they so choose, but you’re not going to convince me it’s a good idea.