Posted on 04/04/2007 3:04:41 AM PDT by Aussie Dasher
FAYE Turney is the test. And so far, she's telling us that female soldiers at the front make us too weak.
The reason this leading seaman of Britain's Royal Navy is the test is not just because she is being held hostage by Iran.
It is because Turney is also being used ruthlessly for propaganda by a regime that seems to think that while the West might dare send women to fight, it cannot bear to see them suffer.
In fact, not for as long as I recall has a woman in a Western army been so used by an enemy as a pawn.
Even Saddam Hussein, when his soldiers captured American private Jessica Lynch during the Coalition invasion to topple him, did not parade his trophy on television like this.
But Turney, 25, has not been so lucky, and her ordeal must make us think again about how close to the front we dare allow our own female soldiers and sailors to go.
Turney is one of 15 Royal Navy sailors kidnapped by Iran on March 23 as the British searched for smugglers. Britain insists its sailors were in Iraqi waters. Iran claims they'd actually crossed into its own territory, which is lucky for a regime threatened with sanctions over its nuclear program and needing a bargaining chip.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
Having served with women in a combat zone and I disagree. If we fall into the trap of not being able to ‘bear to see them hurt’ then it is our own fault that we are weak. We shouldn’t twist things around and place the blame around onto the women who volunteered to put themselves in harms way.
I believe it was an Israeli, who when asked about women in their combat military, because the common conception at the time was that Israel had a need to adopt such a policy, who said that any nation who would put their women in harms way, this way, could not call itself a civilized nation.
I personally see absolutely no reason for women to be anywhere near combat. Though the reason(s) given in this article would be sufficient reason, there are others. Who has not heard the phrase, a team is only as strong as its weakest link? Pretty self-explanatory, I would think.
The defense of our country, the number one job, by far, of any country, is not a place for playing games. Abu Gharib, was nothing but a few reservists getting their sexual jollies at the expense of POWs. Nobody seems to want to get this rather obvious point. Would there have been such an incident if there had not been a woman present on that particular scene. That little lark cost this country quite dearly.
I have a son in the thick of it over in Iraq and I worry a great deal. It is quite bad enough that a group of deranged animals from the 12th century, would dearly love to see him harmed, without our own PC military injecting dangers, totally unnecessary, into the mix.
An excellent point. However, I'm not sure Americans are strong enough to watch a woman get beheaded or raped on video. Of course our media, not wanting to inflame our passions would refuse to show us the video and would go back to broadcasting Abu Gareb pictures so as to inflame our enemies' passions. Go figure.
“If we fall into the trap of not being able to ‘bear to see them hurt’ then it is our own fault that we are weak. “
So....we should exploit our own weaknesses?
How about this - they harm an American servicewoman like that, we reduce their country to pretty green glass and we make sure they know it.
Back in the days of the Pax Romana, it was dangerous to mess with a Roman citizen. Of course, the Romans at that time didn’t have the US State Department to make live “interesting” for their citizens....
Of course, we’d never do any of the above as American citizens - including military - are not a priority for the American government and haven’t been for years.
Welcome to FR, as I see you have only been registered for a little over a week.
Pox America, instead of Pax Romana, seems appropriate. How the members of both parties could let our armed forces come to such a state is beyond my comprehension. It used to be dangerous to mess with an American citizen. Now we are much concerned about what the French, the Arab street, and, not least, our “traitorous” media, might have to say.
Your screen name have anything to do with a Thompson-Hunter ticket in ‘08? Does your tagline pertain to the 2nd Amendment?
That’s a very long time ago. You almost have to go back to Teddy Roosevelt.
“Your screen name have anything to do with a Thompson-Hunter ticket in ‘08? Does your tagline pertain to the 2nd Amendment?”
Yes and yes.
There are a number of reasons why women should not be placed in combat. One of them, alluded to here, is that women are likely to be subject to “special” treatment by their potential captors.
Anyone else think the the Brits gave up without Cornwall firing a shot across the bow of the Iranians because “Topsy” Turny had recently given birth to a baby girl?
“Anyone else think the the Brits gave up without Cornwall firing a shot across the bow of the Iranians because “Topsy” Turny had recently given birth to a baby girl?”
I would like to see one of our FR stistician types try to make somme figures on the effect on Western Civilization if child bearing age women had been 50% of the casualties in our wars.
Would we even have reproduced enough to have become “Western Civilization”?
If half of the dead from Romes early days, were young women would Rome had ever developed, even if Western Civ. had lost 10 or 15 million of it’s healthiest young women in combat in WWII, what would that have meant for the West’s growth (and ability to defend itself) since 1945?
I disagree. There’s still plenty of double standards out there and Iran just played it up to the max.
This incident reminds me of the chicoms forcing down the P3 a few years back. I remember reading that the flight crew didn’t ditch because of concern for the women crew(persons)men on board.
My daughter has a boyfriend over there now and a good friend of hers is going in May. She has never been in a situation like this before,waiting for a loved one in war,and it is proving to be difficult. She has been constantly getting care packages together for him. She just sent his Easter package last week and we made a batch of fudge for him,he’s a chocolate-holic.She has made what she calls CincyArmy Times newsletter. We are from the Cincinnati area and she has done a great job with news articles and a variety of things he likes to read or puzzles and such. Of course the one packages she made up her dog, a Beagle,got into it and ate 5 granola bars,was eating the 6th when caught,3 packs of cookies and dry lemonade,and she was beside herself telling me about it. And all I could do was laugh! You see one day while making a cake I left it on the table,for a moment mind you,and the same dog,got up on my dining room table and proceeded to eat the cake!At first all I could think of was he in danger of being sick on the chocolate. When we were assured he was in no danger he got the lecture of his life and upon that lecture I noticed he had this big ring of chocolate around his mouth. I went right to the kitchen and got a wet paper towel and wiped his face to be sure he did not get a late night snack because of his dirty deed. I pray for our soldiers over there and will keep your son in them as well. God bless our soldiers and their families.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.