Lynch Shot Iraqi Soldiers

The Washington Post ^ | April 3, 2003 | Susan Schmidt and Vernon Loeb

[John H K]

Pfc. Jessica Lynch, rescued Tuesday from an Iraqi hospital, fought fiercely and shot several enemy soldiers after Iraqi forces ambushed the Army's 507th Ordnance Maintenance Company, firing her weapon until she ran out of ammunition, U.S. officials said yesterday.

[narses]

Why? No one has ever suggested that women are incapable of fighting. That isn't the issue at all. The questions include:

1 - Are they as capable as the male soldier?
2 - Do they add something unique and positive?
3 - Are they necessary?
4 - Do they present unique dangers or drawbacks?

They are there because of a social and political agenda, not because of military necessity. If they cause more harm than good, they ought not be there.

[Porterville]

No doubt. It hard to imagine the situation she lived through, and the friends she saw die. It makes one want to be a better American, just so one could respect her sacrifice. She is representitive of the many United States women who died for this country.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

You missed my point. "Hero" is a relative term. What people who have never experienced the military or combat consider a hero is much different from the perception of those who have. Folks who have been in the military, and watched their friends die, have a higher bar.

I meant to put things in perspective, not to belittle what Pfc. Lynch has done. What she has done is good, but to put her on a pedestal and call her a hero while ignoring her fellows who are now dead is inappropriate. Be glad for her, celebrate her survival, and honor her accomplishments, but have some respect for the true heros.

I couldn't have said it better.

[Ford Fairlane]

She's 19, I'm only 23

My Grandpa was 42 & Grandma was 23 - I'm trying to beat his record (I've got a ways to go to hit 42, though)

[thasea]

Would she be the first woman to get the Purple Heart?

Annie G. Fox was the first woman to receive The Purple Heart while serving at Hickam Field during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec 7 1941.

[HairOfTheDog]

Good Evening Ramius...

I have had it up to --->here<--- with these knuckledraggers who are pinin' for the days when women knew their place was not to be a hero. (Don't ask me when that was)

The more time goes on, the more perhaps they will realize that this clock is not turning back no matter how much they bluster and fuss on these threads. Some chicks want to do this stuff, and luckily some chicks *can* do this stuff... and I for one am not gonna stop them. And neither are any of the naysayers on this forum.

We seem to have an all-volunteer military that, in spite of all these wimmin bein' let in and lowered standards, is still managing to be the best fighting force in the world. Imagine that.

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

No flaming here, I think many should be shame-faced for not bringing Shoshauna up, because she still is in danger.

Couldn't agree more, except you forgot the male soldiers. We need to rescue them all.

[Ford Fairlane]

Back in the days of the wild west, the men always saved a bullet for their women so they wouldn't be taken alive

[Texasforever]

So, good, I'm glad she fought back. But she's no heroine to me. She's a little girl that shouldn't have been there

Damn guy your manhood isn't at stake here. She had 2 choices when they were attacked, she could have been a “little girl" and curl up into a little ball, or she could be a soldier and use her M16. I agree that women in combat is a bad idea and the fact that she was a blond haired female made her a prime target for capture/exploitation does not change the fact that her actions were far from "little girl" in nature.

[bluecollarman]

"The studs that went in there are heroes."

The Rangers and Seals who rescued her were also just doing what they were trained to do, there not "Heros" anymore than Jessica. They are just very good at what they do.

Don't get me wrong...I love those guys.. but c'mon, reality check here... THEY LOVE THAT SH*T!

It gets them pumping! They would drink adrenaline straight from the can if they could. Those guys would go crazy as hell in a supply company handing out MRE's.

[WVNan]

Yeah. Somebody said that she probably played with BB guns with her brothers. Ha! That girl had a rifle by the time she was 10 or 12. They raise them that way where she lives, and where I live too. In the hills of WV it's prudent to know how to shoot, so children learn early. Hi flutters. Aren't we proud West Virginians?

[Kevin Curry]

Idiot post of the day.

The feminists of America applaud you.

[patriciaruth]

http://www.wlra.us/hb/hbfarmer.jpg

Kewl.

West, north or east?

[Gamecock]

Give her a well deserved CIB!

Nope! She is a hero, (see my comments on post 183) but to get the CIB you must have an Infantry MOS, and be assigned to a infantry unit, brigade level or smaller. As a supply soldier, she does not meet the criteria.

This has caused a lot of consternation among other combat arms folks (esp tankers) for years.

[LonghornFreeper]

>>We seem to have an all-volunteer military that, in spite of all these wimmin bein' let in and lowered standards, is still managing to be the best fighting force in the world. Imagine that.

I agree completely.

[HairOfTheDog]

Back in the days of the wild west, the men always saved a bullet for their women so they wouldn't be taken alive

Well thank God I don't have you thinkin' what's best for me then.

[LonghornFreeper]

Are you referring to your own post, because it certainly qualifies.

[stands2reason]

I guess you think must be a womyn to find any pride in her story. Get over yourself.

[HairOfTheDog]

Idiot post of the day.

Which part was idiotic? - The part about you guys having not one chance in hell of getting women out of the military at this point? - Or the part about having the best fighting force in the world in spite of them?

[Ford Fairlane]

They usually gave the bullet to the women - if you knew what the Indians used to do you would want the bullet too

Thank God the Indians are now serving in our Special Forces