Rick Santorum has no idea what's happening in our military.
On CNN, asked by John King if he agreed with a recent Pentagon decision that would formally open up front-line roles for women in combat, Santorum said, " I think that could be a very compromising situation, where people naturally may do things that may not be in the interest of the mission, because of other types of emotions that are involved."
In other words: "Women are too sappy." Somehow, Santorum believes, women won't pull the trigger if they have to, because they're too emotional, and don't have the guts.
It's impossible to put into words how infuriating that is to me, as someone who served twice in Iraq, with women who were already serving ably in combat, even though the Pentagon didn't officially recognize that, up until now. The wars we're fighting are a 360-degree battlefield. There are no real "front lines" anymore. Any time a Soldier or Marine goes outside the wire, they're in a combat role, whether we say so or not.
Additionally, we're actively attaching women to combat units, right now. In Afghanistan, as part of the counter-insurgency strategy, women go out alongside their male counterparts so certain things can be respectfully done -- like making sure Afghan women in any given area are not a threat, and speaking to women to get intelligence information. Those men and women are serving side-by-side, with absolutely no issues of tension between the genders. Our troops are professional and do their jobs -- men and women, alike. Does Rick Santorum think we're not?
Thus far, women have shown that they are just as capable as men in their combat role. And they're willing to make the same sacrifices. For me, when I first got to Iraq, my very first convoy was attacked, and it was a woman who suppressed the enemy. There are a lot of women like that.
There are 144 women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, so far. Most of those were combat deaths. Those women put their lives on the line for America. Female soldiers have been taken hostage -- from Jessica Lynch to Shoshana Johnson. To even think about saying women like these are somehow emotionally compromised isn't just offensive -- it is flat-out wrong, and shows a lack of even basic understanding of our military.
Santorum's position shouldn't come as a shock, though. This is a man who says he'll force our servicemembers back into the closet, and make them lie to their comrades about who they are, by reinstituting the ban on gays serving openly in the military. It doesn't matter that since Don't Ask, Don't Tell was lifted, our military is as strong as ever. All that matters is that Santorum sees the military as another place to turn back the clock on social issues.
If women didn't prove themselves as combat troops every single day, I'd be the first to say that maybe we shouldn't let them in combat. But they are. Given that, they deserve the full recognition of the Pentagon, and a chance to do more for our security. It's good for our military, it's good for our country and it works.
That should be the only criteria Rick Santorum uses. That he doesn't makes me wonder just how much he cares about a military that works, over a military that is forced to reshape itself under his extremist social views. Maybe that works in a closed, partisan primary, where one has to out-extreme the other person. But, it doesn't work for a general election candidate who wants to be seriously considered for Commander-in-Chief.
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- A female vet
Like the people of Pennsylvania, the rest of the country will be happy to tell Rick Santorum that we don't think much of being told what God we must follow! Santorum has a lot of gall to pretend he's the latest holy man, he's a politician for god's sake! Lying is is business!
Everybody else: Get a life!
Not every male soldier can handle those responsibilities physically, either. If a woman can pass the physical requirements (I know I would), why shouldn't she be allowed a combat MOS?
I want to explain some facts of life to you about women that
you obviously know nothing or next to nothing about.
My mother reared 4 children, without much a father. He showed
up every 3 or 4 weeks or so, bruised and drunk, from wherever
he'd been the last month drinking, womanizing and fighting --
the only 3 things he cared about in life.
My mother was not just the bread-winner, she was the gardner
that kept the lawn mowed, the cook who prepared all our meals,
the chauffeur who took us to school in the morning, picked us up
at noon, took us home to a hot fresh lunch, and after school she
found the way to get us home.
She was the maid. She washed all our clothes and ironed them.
She found the magic middle of being a mother and a father. She
was our counselor and our disciplinarian. She never bought
herself a single dress except when the one she'd wear for days
at a time finally couldn't be patched anymore.
She never cried in front of us, not once. She never used the word
"poor" in front of us, not once, and we had no idea in the world that
we were.
During all of this she found the way to teach dancing and make
enough income to pay the light, water and gas and never once in
her whole life did I ever hear her complain about one thing.
About a week before her birthday each year, she would tell us
we had to give her something. It could be a crayola drawing or
a huge bunch of wild flowers from the vacant lot across the street.
And she would act so surprised and accept whatever it was with
a grace and excitement that made you think you had just given
someone the greatest gift they ever had.
The American woman, sir, is someone you neither know nor
understand. They are soldiers -- the very best any army in any
country of the world have to offer.
What men flex as muscle woman flex as emotional strength,
determination, love and dedication.
The fact that you don't recognize that is just one more reason
you have zero rights to occupy the highest office in the land
and it's the reason that your chances for becoming president
will thankfully be quashed.
Semper fi
Semper fi