Posted on 09/24/2012 4:19:45 AM PDT by Eleutheria5
The IDF's mixed-sex Caracal unit apparently has reasons for both pride and embarrassment following the firefight on the border with Egypt that left one soldier and three terrorists dead.
The pride is due to the fact that one of the unit's female fighters, a markswoman identified only by the initial S., took part in the assault on the terrorists and shot one of them to death. The embarrassment is due to reports that another female combat soldier cowered behind a bush for over an hour, causing fear that she had been abducted.
S. has been feted by the media, which has been enamored with the IDF's women-in-combat program for more than a decade.
On Sunday, however, reports from the IDF's initial inquiry into the firefight revealed that another female soldier from Caracal behaved in a way that could cast doubt on the entire logic behind the creation of mixed-sex units.
The soldier, who serves in Caracal's reconnaissance unit, was near the Artillery Corps force that came under fire when the incident began. The rest of her unit was not far away at the time. She radioed to her unit that the force had come under fire, but then proceeded to hide behind a Hummer vehicle's tire, with her weapon's safety catch still on. She proceeded from there to a bush, where she hid for over an hour. At no point did she open fire at the terrorists, according to the initial details from the investigation. .....
(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...
I’m not sure I could even carry all the stuff that men in combat are required to carry.
I seem to remember much the same thing happening to men in our Civil War. I think someone may have even written a story about it. “The Red Badge of Courage” or something like that.
MK Yaakov Katz has told the Knesset that military research shows female soldiers’ health – including reproductive health – is greatly endangered by service in combat units.
shades of Jessica Lynch...at least she didn’t get a Bronze Star for hiding...
The U.S. Army is having medical problems with women in combat zones. Because of the poor hygiene, the women are more prone to urinary infections and yeast infections. The basic anatomical differences between men and women is the problem. I DO NOT question the capabilities of women to perform technical or tactical task in combat. However, I question if their presence is really necessary? Unlike the Israelis where their literary are not enough men, that is not the case in this country. Also, and this is a failing of men, the women are very subject to sexual assault by our own male personnel. This has been the source of PTSD in women that men seldom have to deal with because of the gender differences. With our society being oversexualized, it is no wonder these problems are occuring.
Women have become an essential part of the military. However, I am not sure that there use in forward areas in warranted. Also, a basic respect for women (as females to be protected) needs to be incalcated in the male soldiers to curb the sexual abuse. This goes against the concept of women being no different than men. We have got to stop fighting the nature of human gender differences.
Even if men would respect their co-troops, the enemy will not. During wars against Syria, female IDF used to commit suicide rather than be captured. Rape? That’s for normal people. Fighting some of these beasts, mutilation is just where they start.
I would like to think that this is freakishly rare. Do you have any stats on this crime?
I wish I had recorded it.
Yes, no bronze star for hiding or for surrendering. But, we still respect the decision a person makes to join the military. People just don’t know how they are going to react in a live combat situation, even with training (and without training the vast majority will break and run). Besides, sometimes the prudent thing is to hide or to surrender.
There is one key difference here..Israel, the entire country, is the front line in this war. You really can’t keep women out of combat over there...it comes to them.
Called her Mother during the firefight!
Get her outta there.
Robert A. Heinlein
"The Pragmatics of Patriotism" (1973)
Thanks..nice job...
Military awards have become increasingly extravagant since WW II. It was common to see a US sailor who served in combat for the entire WW II with three or four ribbons. Today, a US serviceperson who has served for ten years and never been in a war zone can have fifteen or more. Flying recon in Vietnam required 300 hours to earn one Air Medal. Today tacair gets an Air Medal for each flight. I suspect the Bronze Star has seen the same inflation.
The democratic left, enemies of the US Constitution, use this issue to break the will of the American people to fight, really fight in a time of war. The only reason women are not subject to a draft is because they are (were) not allowed in combat. That is no longer the case, so imagine a future war requiring a draft. Would we fight it knowing little Susie who baby sits your kids will likely be drafted and millions more like her? I doubt it.
Oh, I got his point: Israel is constantly under attack from Muslim neighbors, and Muslims would like to kill every Israeli man, woman, and child.
I just disagree with his conclusion: It is therefore necessary for all Israeli women to become combat soldiers.
Stats exist, and they're bad enough, but even worse are the unreported assaults.
It's a problem. “No” means “no,” and people who don't understand that have a major underlying problem even if they never get caught or reported.
Let's be fair, however — the military deals with the problem much better than most institutions. Put lots of 18-to-25-year-olds together in a high-stress environment, create a 10-to-1 male-female ratio, and you're going to have a certain amount of problems.
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