Pentagon Study Advocates Women in Combat

The Pentagon commission on diversity has recommended that the U.S. military end its ban on women serving in combat.

I fully support this, and I'd like to take an opportunity to refute some of the arguments that the 18th century sexists will soon start spewing.

1. Whenever anyone starts complaining about letting women serve in combat it usually sounds something like, "But women will get hurt! Don't you know what female POW's would go through?" Yes, we all know. And more importantly, they know. Women who go in the military know the risks of even serving non-combatant roles. Besides, that type of argument betrays ones hidden sexism, not toward women, but toward men. You say women will get hurt, well, so will men. Where is the concern for them? Men can be tortured, terrorized, and even raped as POWs. There is no reason to feel any more sorry for a woman than a man.

2. There will be those who say that women are not as capable as men in going into combat. True, some women may not be strong enough, but that doesn't mean all of them should be banned. Simply let the ones who are strong enough, and they do exist; serve.

3. Then there will be those who talk about sexual tension on the battlefield. Well, it's called discipline. Men need to stop blaming women for their own sexual misbehavior and learn to control themselves. And I have no doubt that the military can discipline men into behaving themselves on the battlefield, which it all ready does very successfully anyway.