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Map: Which countries allow women in front-line combat roles?
The Washington Post ^ | January 25, 2013 | Max Fisher

Posted on 01/25/2013 5:28:07 PM PST by MinorityRepublican

When outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that he had lifted the Pentagon’s ban on allowing women to serve in front-line combat roles, one of several questions it raised was: Is that unusual? Do a lot of countries allow women to serve in combat? The answer is that many Western, developed countries have women on their front-line forces. But outside of the West, it’s rare.

The map at the top of this page shows in red which countries formally permit women in combat positions. Shown in orange are countries that allow women to serve in military roles that involve fighting but not front-line combat. That typically means fighter pilots. In South Korea, women also serve in artillery and armored units.

A note on the data: It comes from piecemeal sources, mostly gathered by Foreign Policy’s Joshua Keating in this great overview (see also: National Geographic, NPR, New York Times). Rules and their enforcement for military servicewomen vary in different countries. And it’s possible that women serve in de facto combat roles in some countries not included here.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: militarywomen; womenincombat
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1 posted on 01/25/2013 5:28:28 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Pakistan? Allowing women to blow themselves up on a public bus doesn’t count.


2 posted on 01/25/2013 5:32:38 PM PST by skeeter
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To: MinorityRepublican

I’m not the most militarily aware person, before but I’m not aware of any country that allows women on the front lines, in terms of being in the foxholes and trenches. They may be on the front lines in some other capacity, but somebody can correct me on this.


3 posted on 01/25/2013 5:35:40 PM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults.)
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To: MinorityRepublican

4 posted on 01/25/2013 5:39:20 PM PST by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: facedown

European countries don’t count either....military...WHAT MILITARY????


5 posted on 01/25/2013 5:47:54 PM PST by Kolath
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To: Kolath

We’re headed for a European style military.


6 posted on 01/25/2013 5:56:55 PM PST by izzatzo
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To: facedown

When was the last time Canada went to war?

That’s what I thought.


7 posted on 01/25/2013 6:06:04 PM PST by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal The 16th Amendment!)
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To: unixfox

We’ve only been in every single action that has transpired since WWI. I know it’s not much, bug we’ve been there.


8 posted on 01/25/2013 6:16:51 PM PST by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults.)
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To: unixfox
When was the last time Canada went to war?

I'm sorry Posnix, but I have to take issue with this comment. While I was stationed in Iraq with USAF Special Operations, I worked along side the Canadians, the Brit's, and the Aussies. Throw in a health portion of Army and Navy Special Forces and it sure made for some interesting dinner conversation. All meant - and taken - in good fun. And yes, there were women from all countries there, including the US.

9 posted on 01/25/2013 6:25:53 PM PST by Traveler59 ( Truth is a journey, not a destination.)
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To: unixfox

“When was the last time Canada went to war?”

Oh, we never have.
But we still observe Remembrance Day every year to pay tribute to the hundreds of thousands of military personnal who have died from accidents while serving.

Just for you, I’ll include the /s.


10 posted on 01/25/2013 6:30:37 PM PST by Dartman
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To: Jonty30
Just recently read a book about your gutsy ASW guys in WWII. Very impressive.
11 posted on 01/25/2013 6:39:08 PM PST by CrazyIvan (Obama's birth certificate was found stapled to Soros's receipt.)
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To: unixfox

I’m sure the families of the 158 Canadians who’ve died in Afghanistan and the 2,000 or so who’ve been injured appreciate just how much you value their sacrifices.


12 posted on 01/25/2013 6:43:18 PM PST by GrootheWanderer
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To: unixfox
Think again, asshole.

As a percentage of population, Canadians have given their full measure of devotion more often then virtually any other nation. Since the end of the Cold War Canada has committed troops and blood in the Gulf War, the Balkans, Somalia, Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan. That doesn't include peace keeping duties in Cyprus, the Congo, Golan, and Sinai.

13 posted on 01/25/2013 6:47:55 PM PST by stormer
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To: stormer

Isn’t the record holder for the longest sniper kill held by a Canadian who served in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan?


14 posted on 01/25/2013 6:56:37 PM PST by GunRunner (***Not associated with any criminal actions by the ATF***)
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To: GunRunner

If I remember correctly, the parties involved (not Canadian) requested that sniper team.


15 posted on 01/25/2013 7:16:07 PM PST by Dartman
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To: GunRunner
The current record holder is an unnamed Aussie - 3,080 yards, although at one time Canadian Rob Furlong held the record at over 2,650. That actually brings us back to women in combat -

Here's Major Lyudmilla Pavlichenko, after finishing her Masters in History, she managed to make a little of her own by sending over 300 Germans to early graves. If they are capable, I welcome patriots of either gender...

16 posted on 01/25/2013 7:19:08 PM PST by stormer
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To: Squawk 8888

ping


17 posted on 01/25/2013 7:19:44 PM PST by Dartman
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To: facedown

Let’s analyze the countries which have women in combat roles, shall we?

Israel doesn’t count. They wouldn’t have women in such positions if it wasn’t absolutely necessary seeing as they’re invaded every year by some cadre of Jihadists.

Eritrea is a third-world sh&thole people brave minefields to escape from.

No surprises in North Korea. The Dear Marshal will throw out any human fodder he can find.

Romania, not exactly a military model. Have they won a war in the last two hundred years? Along with a collection of EU and EU aligned socialist republics, sorely lacking any morality, and very much spoiled by US military presence.

As for Canada and Australia, I am surprised. Not so much by Australia. Any nation that would elect Gillard has walked off the European cliff already, but Canada. Disappointing, guys.

It’s wrong for any nation to put women in the same combat roles as men. It is yet another attempt to create equality where none can ever exist, and impedes on military operation, efficiency, and undermines centuries of proud tradition. Just as only a woman can serve a role as a mother, only a man can serve a role as a front line soldier.

Notice that the vast majority of African countries (exclude the Muslim ones for a second), which are rife with civil war and corruption, torture, child soldiers, often times genocide or mass killing, even they do not go as far as to put women in the position of male soldiers. Even supposedly equal Red China doesn’t practice this! Can we hold ourselves to at least that standard.
No, obviously not. Because we have a Leninist usurper in the White House, and a dried up salamander in the Pentagon.


18 posted on 01/25/2013 7:25:10 PM PST by Viennacon
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To: stormer
I'll leave those with combat experience to make the call on women in combat.

I did read an article today about a guy describing conditions in long term troop transport vehicle missions. He said that during the battle of Baghdad he and his unit were crammed into transports for 12-14 hours at a time that didn't stop for bathroom breaks, and you had guys peeing into bottles and defecating into used MRE bags, often by troops who had dysentery. He wondered how women and men would react to that situation in a mixed sex unit.

The Israelis have women in combat, so that's a plus.

19 posted on 01/25/2013 7:30:33 PM PST by GunRunner (***Not associated with any criminal actions by the ATF***)
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To: GunRunner

I believe the Israelis have not had women in combat units defined as front line infantry, not fighter pilots since 1948. What they found out is that the Arab opponent would fight to the death if aware they were fighting against women, otherwise they would accept surrendering.


20 posted on 01/25/2013 8:28:56 PM PST by gusty
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