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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009
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 OPINION 
36

Honor Hero Cop: End Ban on Women in Combat

Time to wrap up the military's 'failed social experiment'

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(Newser) – Thursday’s shooting rampage at Fort Hood was just the latest example of how there really is no front line for US troops these days; Iraq and Afghanistan are entirely battlefields. So women are already, in effect, in combat, and anyone wanting still more proof that they can handle it need look no further than Sgt. Kimberly Munley, the cop who took down Maj. Nidal Hasan.

Sure, a medal from President Obama would be nice, William Saletan writes, but there’s “a better way to honor Munley: End the ban on women in combat.” Indeed, “not every woman is capable of such feats. But not every man is, either,” he adds for Slate, noting that we’d never tolerate such an average-based rule against any racial or religious group.” “Wouldn’t our combat forces be stronger if they included the fittest men and women, instead of reaching deeper into the pool of unfit men?”

Kimberly Munley of Killeen, Texas, is seen in a 1999 photo provided by Cape Fear, NC, Community College.
Kimberly Munley of Killeen, Texas, is seen in a 1999 photo provided by Cape Fear, NC, Community College.   (AP Photo)
Officials say 34-year-old Sgt Kimberly Munley ended the shooting spree at Fort Hood when she shot and wounded alleged shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.
Officials say 34-year-old Sgt Kimberly Munley ended the shooting spree at Fort Hood when she shot and wounded alleged shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.   (AP Photo)
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36 comments
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Nwambe
Nov 7, 09 10:24 AM CST
Sure, prima facie that sounds reasonable. But how would the public respond to women coming home in body bags in the same numbers as men? What if, God forbid, one of the women was taken as a POW and raped? Men are in the military not because women can't be, but because wars wouldn't be fought, things wouldn't be done if we had to see our daughters and mothers coming home by the droves in flag-draped coffins. Reply
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-1
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Nov 7, 09 10:35 AM CST
We've already had female POWs as early as 2003 - http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20030324/ai_n11380466/
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+6
IN RESPONSE:
bromius
Nov 7, 09 11:27 AM CST
I would feel as badly for the women POWs that are raped as I am the male POWs that are raped.
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+12
IN RESPONSE:
youngblood
Nov 8, 09 5:46 AM CST
Woman always have advocated for equal rights as men, this is what they want so let the woman go into combat and let that not be an issue. As soon as woman sign up, the condition is they are expect to go into war and into the front lines if needed just like the men are expected to go into war. There are thousands of men I'm sure not fit for combat but have to go so woman should have the same opportunity to go carry a gun and go into battle, if you want to call going into battle an opportunity.
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-1
DK1
Nov 7, 09 10:49 AM CST
Sure, but only if women had to start registering for the draft. Reply
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+5
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