[Eleutheria5]

Not that it means anything one way or another, but men also fold under fire. I'd oppose women being put in combat units simply because there's no need for it, not because they are not brave enough. When you're desperate, such as in 1948 in Israel, or during the siege of Leningrad, you send women into combat. Otherwise, you stick with men, just as women and children go first from sinking ships. It's a basic philosophical thing to do with rebuilding the human race after a cataclysm.

[Holly_P]

I’m not sure I could even carry all the stuff that men in combat are required to carry.

[Hawk1976]

I seem to remember much the same thing happening to men in our Civil War. I think someone may have even written a story about it. “The Red Badge of Courage” or something like that.

[rbg81]

MK Yaakov Katz has told the Knesset that military research shows female soldiers’ health – including reproductive health – is greatly endangered by service in combat units.

---

LOL—That’s true for men too. And, yes, a woman captured by the enemy would be a big, big problem for her, her unit, and the Country.

[Future Snake Eater]

shades of Jessica Lynch...at least she didn’t get a Bronze Star for hiding...

[Sola Veritas]

The U.S. Army is having medical problems with women in combat zones. Because of the poor hygiene, the women are more prone to urinary infections and yeast infections. The basic anatomical differences between men and women is the problem. I DO NOT question the capabilities of women to perform technical or tactical task in combat. However, I question if their presence is really necessary? Unlike the Israelis where their literary are not enough men, that is not the case in this country. Also, and this is a failing of men, the women are very subject to sexual assault by our own male personnel. This has been the source of PTSD in women that men seldom have to deal with because of the gender differences. With our society being oversexualized, it is no wonder these problems are occuring.

Women have become an essential part of the military. However, I am not sure that there use in forward areas in warranted. Also, a basic respect for women (as females to be protected) needs to be incalcated in the male soldiers to curb the sexual abuse. This goes against the concept of women being no different than men. We have got to stop fighting the nature of human gender differences.

[Gay State Conservative]

A few years ago I saw a documentary on Marine recruit training.They featured a company of male recruits and one of female recruits and,at the outset,the claim was that the men and women underwent *identical* training.After one particularly difficult day,they talked to several guys who were obviously tired,sore and perhaps even a little discouraged.Fade to several female recruits who had just had the same training day....they were sobbing uncontrollably.

I wish I had recorded it.

[ken5050]

There is one key difference here..Israel, the entire country, is the front line in this war. You really can’t keep women out of combat over there...it comes to them.

[Tainan]

"Voice of Israel radio reported that the soldier called her mother during the firefight and shouted "gunfire!" into the phone. The mother heard the firefight through the telephone."

Called her Mother during the firefight!
Get her outta there.

[BlueLancer]

"Men are expendable; women and children are not.
A tribe or nation can lose a high percentage of its men and still go on,
Picking up the pieces, as long as its women and children are saved.
But if you fail to save the women and children, you've had it.
You're done. You're through. You join Tyrannosaurus Rex:
Just another species that failed its final test."

Robert A. Heinlein
"The Pragmatics of Patriotism" (1973)