I'd like to ask the people (especially the women) who frequent this forum about what you think of this issue.
Many nations prohibit the use of women in direct combat roles, for reasons that are generally open to interpretation, and often disputed. These include issues such as physical capability (including the greater risk of certain injuries in women), fraternisation concerns, the much greater risk to females of physical and sexual abuse (especially if taken prisoner), and psychological repercussions that tend to affect soldiers amongst mixed-gender units, such as discrimination and mistrust directed towards members of the opposite sex.
It has also been observed that upon seeing women wounded in battle, men will often lose control of their actions during psychological lapses that usually put both them and their squadmates at risk. This reaction is believed to be similar to that experienced when a sibling or close friend is wounded; an aggressive and protective instinctual response that is found within male psyches (female as well, but to a lesser degree) all throughout the animal kingdom.
Also, I've read on Wikipedia that Islamic soldiers will never, and I mean NEVER surrender to female soldiers, which increases the difficulty of combat operations throughout the Middle East in which women are involved (although the presence of female soldiers there is especially important, as due to cultural taboos, Islamic women will only submit peacefully to searches by other women).
I have also read articles about women at war that explain the apparent advantages of having female soldiers in a warzone. For example, women in general are less prone to corruption, excessive violence, drug abuse, theft, rape (obviously) and other forbidden actions whilst partaking in military service. They also tend to have greater reserves of patience and tolerance that men, and some suggest that they may be more suited to sniper roles than men as a result. New exoskeletal technologies are also on the horizon, the implementation of which in the near-future may negate many of the physical disadvantages suffered by female soldiers.
So, what do you think?
Many nations prohibit the use of women in direct combat roles, for reasons that are generally open to interpretation, and often disputed. These include issues such as physical capability (including the greater risk of certain injuries in women), fraternisation concerns, the much greater risk to females of physical and sexual abuse (especially if taken prisoner), and psychological repercussions that tend to affect soldiers amongst mixed-gender units, such as discrimination and mistrust directed towards members of the opposite sex.
It has also been observed that upon seeing women wounded in battle, men will often lose control of their actions during psychological lapses that usually put both them and their squadmates at risk. This reaction is believed to be similar to that experienced when a sibling or close friend is wounded; an aggressive and protective instinctual response that is found within male psyches (female as well, but to a lesser degree) all throughout the animal kingdom.
Also, I've read on Wikipedia that Islamic soldiers will never, and I mean NEVER surrender to female soldiers, which increases the difficulty of combat operations throughout the Middle East in which women are involved (although the presence of female soldiers there is especially important, as due to cultural taboos, Islamic women will only submit peacefully to searches by other women).
I have also read articles about women at war that explain the apparent advantages of having female soldiers in a warzone. For example, women in general are less prone to corruption, excessive violence, drug abuse, theft, rape (obviously) and other forbidden actions whilst partaking in military service. They also tend to have greater reserves of patience and tolerance that men, and some suggest that they may be more suited to sniper roles than men as a result. New exoskeletal technologies are also on the horizon, the implementation of which in the near-future may negate many of the physical disadvantages suffered by female soldiers.
So, what do you think?
