I htink I lost a 'friend' over this?

I hope not rover

Women should be allowed to do whatever they think they can do..JUST because a woman is a woman DOES NOT mean that she can't defend and protect herself..AND her country!

Peccy, I'm just glad to know you would protect me...

Interesting opening post....

No one needs to be playing war games... (and I can hear the indignant huffing and puffing, about the word game from here)..

As to whether a woman is required on the front line... in the combat zone?

Women can be as vicious, and as mercenary as men, and this myth that we are the frailer and more compassionate gender, is a load of crap, and needed to be dropped on it's head a long time ago...

Propaganda is all it is... women and men, are both capable of great good, and great evil, and this hogwash of a pissing competition between men, if a woman is around, is just contributing to the myth.... so where are all the protective men, when a woman gets beaten to within an inch of her life, by her partner? Where are all these protective men, when a woman is raped by a bunch of thugs?

People do what people do, irrespective of gender, and the sooner people stop separating the genders, the sooner we can get on with fixing this bloody trainwreck of a thing we call society.

If there is a mall near the front lines.....you betcha there will be women there!!!

Don't let this convince you that I don't agree with your post...I agree with your points of equality and individuality regardless of sex (gender is actually a social construct but let's not go there) Everyone will do what they do without restraints imposed on them by their gender.

However, the excerpt I quoted above seems a bit misplaced. To compare helping a fallen female comrade on the front line with intervening on a person's private life seems a tad off kilter. Again, I still agree with your main point though. And of course I do NOT condone spousal abuse or thug activities in any way.

****Rolls eyes****

Now if it was true that Muslims are suppose to kill themselves if they see naked women then we should just flash them.

Neither do I soxfan, however, I used an example, to examine the theory of men will act differently in the combat zone because there is a female there...

A fallen soldier, etc, is just that, and once again irrespective of gender..and a unit will look after their own, no matter what colour undies they have on...

I used that example to show the utter rubbish behind the statement that men will act differently with a woman there, and possibly jeopardise themselves, because of gender...

Both examples are acts of violence, as is frontline of a combat zone...

It all boils down to the fact that there are "people" in this worl that are just cut out for that type of thing and people that aren't.
Being a man or a woman has nothing to do with it. There are certainly a lot of woman that I would want on my side in a fight and a lot of men also but I have also found that there are a lot of both that I wouldn't want anywhere near me.
There are qualifications and tests that happen before men or women get to take place in the battles that rage in this world and if a person can pass the test and make the grade then so be it no matter who that person is.
Thank you to each and everyone of you that is taking on this task right now!

Semper Fi

That's a terrible thing to say. There's nothing wrong with being a Muslim. If I was a Muslim I'd take that comment personally. I hope that's not how you really feel...

Gotcha. Yea, I think you're right about that.

Rover how much hand on hand combat is there thou?

Not that I think anybody should have to be out there.

Brilliantly stated. I think that sums up my opinion on the matter very clearly and concisely.

She said "if" it was true...there's no claim there that anything is definitively one way or the other.

And as for the rest of it..."if" it is actually true, would that not be a reasonable method of attack? I don't see where the insult is there. Either it's true or it isn't. If it's not true, she's covered because she said "if"...if it is true, then how can you be offended by the truth of your own religion?

I assure you in close combat situations where your flushing out houses and buildings like those in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities you'd be surprised how much hand to hand can occur.

Sorry, I don't really know or want to get into their beliefs.
That's just things I've heard.
The picture of the helicopter painted like a naked lady that kinda things..

I don't wish death on anybody!
It doesn't matter who it is I could never fight in a war because I can't even kill a animal unless they need it.

Im not saying shi* on this subject...

Danette, are you trying to claim that you are a woman who is actually able to participate in the military?!

(Of course that is facetious...your service is respected and appreciated. )