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The Case Against Women in Combat

 

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What "new evidence" are you offering to show that women aren't fit for war?
The evidence comes from the field of evolutionary psychology, which recognizes that the human mind is a product of our evolutionary history. The reason men don't like women comrades in dangerous situations is they don't trust them when the shooting starts, and that is probably because women don't possess whatever cues evoke trust in men. And trust is central to combat cohesion. Men don't say, "This is a person I would follow through the gates of hell." Men aren't hard-wired to follow women into danger. It is largely an emotional reaction.

When African-Americans were integrating the armed services there were lots of similar-sounding arguments about unit cohesion.
The reasons that people oppose women in combat are much more clearly tied to biological, not social, difference. The integration of the races in the military has been fairly successful. The integration of women is much more difficult, and there is a lot of reason to think that the problem is intractable.

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: masanf @ 10/09/2009 2:04:36 AM

    Yeah, woman can be in combat as soon as they can score the same as the men during basic training. And since that is never going to happen. Everyone who has ever been in the miltary, and even those who haven't, know that every single test of physical prowess employed by the military is graded differntly for men than it is women Why? Because they quite simply can't do what the men do. It is that simple The notion that women should by placed in combat where people could be killed when they can't even pull their own weight during basic traiining is a pathetic joke. THere are bioligical differences between men and women that simply preclude their participation in combat. Pointing that out is not chauvinistic, it is merely stating a FACT that cannot be argued away by feminists. I was in the military for several years, and based uipon my experiences, I sure as heck wouldn't want my life to depend on a woman if we are both on the front lines.

    And the comment by the woman above makes my point and the point of the subject of this piece. "Yes, physically we may not be as strong as men true..." Exactly. Being strong in the "I am woman, hear me roar" sense is absolutely meaningless in a combat situation.

  • Posted By: BD11won @ 03/19/2009 10:18:13 PM

    I think women definitely can be in the army. I mean, the infantry division might not be the best...although i do know some girls who can beat up most dudes...

  • Posted By: blob @ 03/04/2009 7:40:55 PM

    As a woman I have to say I find this comment very offending. Yes, physically we may not be as strong as men true, but we can be just as strong if not stronger. And, we can be just as fierce as any man. I also want to point out that scientist have proven that the female body needs fat to have a period. It has also been shown that high stress jobs can also stop a women's period. Plus have you ever heard of testosterone? Women are not the only people who deal with hormones. Men and women both talk about their problems none stop, so you can't say that women complain more then men. Why can't women fight for a country that they love? We are in the 21st century but men still act like they did in the 19th. Stop acting like women are fragile porcelain dolls that are going to break if you touch them. Come on people, do you really want to see your sons on the front line fighting with women from other countries will rape, sodomize, and torture them? Should men be able to serve in support roles? Of course. Do they belong on the front lines with us animals? NO!!!!

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