Just another tiny but relevant point....

All female soldiers captured during the Iraq war (first one) were either raped or sexually assualted.

This is actually allowed under the Quranic rules.

Sura 23:5-6 "those your right hand possesses"= Female captives.

Sharia law is very clear 'They are a possession' and a possession gives you the legal right to do as you wish.

But I must not digress :)

I hope some girls who actually DO think gals should be in front line combat say a few words, but I also hope they can be sure of winning 9 out of 10 fights with a typical average bloke :) and if they can, I doubt they'd be very ladylike. (now that should wrankle some neck hairs :)

From the point of view of a veteran of WW11, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam, I believe that female soldiers have performed well in support units and so allow male soldiers to be transferred from support to combat units.
I have a big problem in seeing them in a combat role. I have no problem with females entering combat areas in the performance of their duties re resupply etc.nor do I have any real concerns with them undertaking "peace keeping" duties where combat situations are rare and would be unlikely of the "hand to hand" type. But I shudder to think of them being members of a fighting Platoon where the likelyhood of being exposed to torn and bloody bodies, both of their fellow members and the enemy is great.I hope I am not offending members of the opposite sex when I say that women are not physically or emotionally built to withstand pressures of that kind.I would not be comfortable to have a female soldier watching my back in a combat situation and this has no relation to bravery (or lack of it) on the females part.

Alamo.

Hi & thanks for your efforts in defending the freedoms (diminishing as they are) we still enjoy today. It must p*ss you off no end to have done your bit for King/Queen & Country only to see what is happening today.

Absolutley, the concept of female soldiers serving in the SASR, the Commandos (there is a distinct difference between these unit's roles) or any front eschelon units is nothing more than a 'GI Jane fantasy'.

During my service 1977 - 1988, I met and served with ladies I would have had no hesitation in trusting in a military environment. They were also 'feminine' without being 'feminist'. Some have since gone on to greater things in the ADF and afterwards in civilian careers. This is not to say they would not perform under duress and combat conditions. But, like you, I would be uncomfortable knowing women were in my section, and expecting an imminent 'contact'. Its a 'bloke' thing this wanting to protect your lady compadre, it is also very primal I'm proud to admit. But there it is for what it's worth!

The best example of modern times is the Air Traffic controllers in Iraq - a highly stressful and intense job at times, as is nursing in combat environments. The ladies there are doing a wonderful job! In talking to your fellow veterans, I cannot see why on Gods Earth we would even contemplate exposing women to the horrors of hand to hand combat in its ultimate sense - this fighting "to the death" business of warfare.

To see any mate shot, dragged away, or worse still when the exfil arrives, left to be raped, does not bear contemplation. De-briefings, Post Traumatic Stress issues, all these matters are yet to be broached.

Again the fantasies of some deluded folk spring to mind. I can only hope that common sense prevails.

It is an absurd fantasy. All this female rights stuff is just getting out of hand. Hey why dont we sent Germaine Greer to see how women fair first and then if she makes it back we can think more seriously about it ha ha You have to agree it is an appealing thought.

Like Albie Manton says,

If you kill off all the young fertile women in a war (and I dont suppose they'll be sending old women to fight) then how are you going to repopulate the country.

A harem with a thousand men and one woman can only produce one baby every year. It would take twenty years to have 20 babies that is if the woman is up to the feat.

Sharky... *exactly* :)

some people are pretty thick.

Last night at Kickboxing, I met a newly arrived English girl who has just joined our group. She is quite solid, and appears under the impression that she is as tough as we guys :)

The instructors still pair her up with another girl. I think she has just swallowed the 'party line' about female strength and ability to confront a male.

If she and I ever have a spar, I'll update on how she goes.