UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS: THE MYSTERY OF PFC. LYNCH: What We Need to Know About “Bloody Sunday”

Center for Military Readiness ^ | 6/24/2003 | Elaine Donnelly

[LS]

Dan, specializing in something is fine. But let's get real---talk about splashing cold water on your face!---about what her agenda is. It will make her argument look very bad if women did anything heroic in combat or acquitted themselves well, and it is in her favor if women were helpless, abused, tortured, and patsies.

But neither she, nor I, nor you, know the truth of what happened, and I think everyone should chill until we hear what Jessica says about it.

[cardinal4]

now we have "freepers" joining in becasue it is easier to beleive the worst instead of realizing that there ARE people in the military with PRINCIPLES, HONESTY, PRIDE, and HONOR!

Bullsh*t. You pulled this s*it before. No one on this thread feels that way and here you are again accusing posters of it. And of course are nowhere to be found when you are being called on your post.

[jpl]

But let's admit that Donnelly has made a career out of arguing that women should not be in the military

I admittedly don't know much about Elaine Donnelly, but I suspect that she doesn't believe that women should not be in the military. I suspect that she believes that women don't belong in military combat, which is a significant difference. Women served our country honorably in World War II in a significant number of non-combat roles. The government decided to fix something that wasn't broken in the first place.

[DTA]

>>>>Because the military has been ordered to ignore the truth in favor of the myth, and any officer who tried to oppose it would be commiting career suicide<<<

This perfectly describes Soviet Red Army. They were experts in telling nonsense and expecting the entire world to believe them. Only those in captivity and those deprived of common sense did. In final analysis,Red Army crumbled under the weight of lies.

If history can teach us anything, this is NOT a good model to follow.

And that is exactly what Pentagon is doing.

Without intent to start a flame war, with SAVING PRIVATE LYNCH myth Pentagon managed to score propaganda points with domestic audience and made a fool of itself in world opinion.

Pentagon has to reveal the truth about SAVING PRIVATE LYNCH in order to allow officers to get rid of the myths.

Because Myth-making has the power to ruin the Army.

[Sloth]

Army Sgt. Cassaundra Grant lost her left leg, and eventually her right, when she was pinned under a tank that her transportation unit was moving... An Internet search reveals only one feature article about Sgt. Grant... Perhaps this is because her story conflicts with the glamorized women-in-combat agenda.

Good point. Any MAN whose legs got pinned under a tank would simply pick the vehicle up, hurl it aside like Superman, hop up and go back to work.

[BibChr]

And that's what Donnelly's asking for: the facts. We've all been "chilling" for a good while; she's seeing and suggesting a pattern of coverup in re. the real status of women in combat.

And everyone who takes a given position might find contrary evidence uncongenial. That has nothing to do with the validity of their argument. I think Donnelly's established a pretty good record for herself.

Dan

[keats5]

Call me crazy, but I believe God designed men and women for two different roles, both essential for our survival. While men need to defend their families and the future of their countries, women need to remain close to their children and home during wartime to maintain what family and country they have.

I understand single or childless women risking their lives to support the military. But when mothers risk their lives, they ignore their more importent duty- to preserve the integrety of their families during wartime.

[Steel Wolf]

There's a certain ammount of kool aid you must consume to make it to be a field grade, and especially general officer, and the 'women soldiers are just as good as male soldiers' is a large part of that. Any officer who didn't at least publicly toe that line wouldn't stand a chance at getting promoted. By the time they make it higher up, they have to be all but beaming with conviction when they say it, or they'll get passed over.

This isn't because it's militarily a good idea. This battle was already fought and lost by the establishment, now they have to make due with the rules their forced to work under. Since good soldiers don't follow orders reluctantly, the establishent has mandated that everyone say that women and men are the same, and like it.

[Steel Wolf]

Good point. Any MAN whose legs got pinned under a tank would simply pick the vehicle up, hurl it aside like Superman, hop up and go back to work.

Men are more expendable than women. SGT Grant is a single mother, and now she's crippled. There's a lot more going on here than comparing sheer battlefield performance.

[skeeter]

And that's what Donnelly's asking for: the facts.

Exactly.

Anyone who has a problem with someone asking questions should take a good hard look at their own intentions.

[LS]

Hahah. Easy, the "two-inch crowd" will be after you.

[LS]

I agree she makes that distinction. Nevertheless, let's see what the actual evidence says before we jump to conclusions, and in my mind, Lynch needs to speak for herself.

[sasportas]

"Having been both a grunt and a combat medic in Vietnam (2/39th & 6/31st 9th ID) and both patient & a volunteer in VA hosptials
IMO Women have NO place in combat -period....
Its bad enough that men have to be there"

Thanks, joesnuffy, for your testimony. So many posts on this thread know all about it, but have never seen what you have. I don't have any doubt that you are right, combat is NO place for women.

[jpl]

I agree she makes that distinction. Nevertheless, let's see what the actual evidence says before we jump to conclusions, and in my mind, Lynch needs to speak for herself.

I'm with you in that I would like to hear just what Lynch has to say about the whole incident. Of course that's not possible, because she (and just about everyone else involved with the incident) is under a strict gag order from the military.

Let me be perfectly clear that I feel truly sorry for Lynch, and not just because of the serious injuries she suffered. I think that what the government is doing to women like her in the military nowadays is not only tragic, I believe it borders on criminal. It's scary how much our notion of combat has become sanitized to the point where we treat it as not much more difficult than pressing buttons on some video game controller. These women are being thrust into life-threatening situations without being adequately trained for it, and all to satisfy this insane political correctness. Frankly, it sickens me. A civilized society doesn't play games with people's lives in that manner.

[Lucy Lake]

Pinging...

[colorado tanker]

Compounding the problem is that the way we fight today leaves no clearly defined "front line" so that support units like the 507th can find themselves facing enemy combat units. So, restricting women to support units doesn't solve the problem.

[Brian Allen]

No surprise you say you're a "journalist."

Real jobs are hard to get for folks handicapped by the moral and intellectual bankrupcy and illogic demonstrated in your # 6.

PS -- And Donelley's column, although morally and intellectually sound -- and logical -- isn't "journalism," either -- and doesn't pretend to be.

It's an opinion piece.

[razorback-bert]

Lynch was in enemy hands and we mounted a rescue mission, once we knew her location.

What is the problem?

[djreece]

We all would like to know the full story of what happened to the 507th and I hope someday that will come out, so we can learn the lessons to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

BUT Elaine Donnelly and her grandstanding and using "initial reports" and half-truths to promote her agenda are really irritating. There is no evidence, from her past comments, that she is really interested in the full, complete truth. She is interested only in any details and rumors that fit her assumptions and assertions regarding women in combat. Who funds this blowhard?

[harpseal]

Lynch was in enemy hands and we mounted a rescue mission, once we knew her location.

It would have been no less a good operation to recue a male in the same enemy's hands. As to her injuries and protecting her privacy I have no idea if she was sexually assaulted but uif she was and wishes to keep it private then everyone should keep ttheir noses out of it. Now there is nothing particualrly heroic about being captured and held prisoner per se. There is, however, heroism that does occur by behavior in captivity. This is what I presume to be the case for Jessica Lych.