2000 and counting...

Four American women killed in the Iraqi bombings:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/iraq


"The women were part of a team of Marines assigned to various checkpoints around Fallujah. The Marines use females at the checkpoints to search Muslim women "in order to be respectful of Iraqi cultural sensitivities," a military statement said."

<snip>

"Pentagon policy prohibits women from serving in front-line combat roles — in the infantry, armor or artillery, for example. But the nature of the war in
Iraq, with no real front lines, has seen women soldiers take part in close-quarters combat more than in any previous conflict.

The group al-Qaida in Iraq claimed it carried out the ambush, one of the single deadliest attacks against the Marines — and against women — in this country.

Thirty-six female troops have died since the war began, most of them from hostile fire.
"


And...

"The attack, which raised the death toll among U.S. military members since the beginning of the war to 1,734, according to an Associated Press count, came as Americans have grown increasingly concerned about a conflict that shows no sign of abating."




Regards,



Steve
 
I'm gonna say something that'll really be unpopular, I'm sure.

The fact that these latest losses were women is a moot point. The fact that some parties will make the fact they were female a big part of the story is, in my opinion, wrong. So they were women? So what? They wore the uniform, they knew the risks.

Mourn them not because they were women. Mourn them because they were people.

When women enter military service, they will face action, and they will die. It is part of the risk. I don't think any of them would want to be remembered as "That gal who got killed." but as a Marine who went too soon.

The toll is now 1,734...the end, no where in sight.
With each loss, we are dimished.
:(
 
Small minor correction

3 Marines and 1 Sailor.

The fact that they we women is neither here or there just like the fact that a woman was awarded the Siler Star for combat actions last week is neither here or there. They are Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen first. I am very proud of the job they and everyone in our military is doing today, tomorrow and yesterday. I would proudly serve next to any woman willing to pick up a gun and defend her country, herself and if need be me.

V/R

Rick English
 
Kaith Rustaz said:
I'm gonna say something that'll really be unpopular, I'm sure.

The fact that these latest losses were women is a moot point. The fact that some parties will make the fact they were female a big part of the story is, in my opinion, wrong. So they were women? So what? They wore the uniform, they knew the risks.

Mourn them not because they were women. Mourn them because they were people.

When women enter military service, they will face action, and they will die. It is part of the risk. I don't think any of them would want to be remembered as "That gal who got killed." but as a Marine who went too soon.

The toll is now 1,734...the end, no where in sight.
With each loss, we are dimished.
:(
Would that there were a somber bowing smiley, but as there isn't ...
:asian:
 
Kaith Rustaz said:
The fact that these latest losses were women is a moot point. The fact that some parties will make the fact they were female a big part of the story is, in my opinion, wrong. So they were women? So what? They wore the uniform, they knew the risks.

Mourn them not because they were women. Mourn them because they were people.

When women enter military service, they will face action, and they will die. It is part of the risk. I don't think any of them would want to be remembered as "That gal who got killed." but as a Marine who went too soon.
:(


The reason I posted that was to point out the hypocrisy of those who would deny women the right to serve in a combat military occupational specialty (MOS), yet still send women to serve in an area where they too die.

One of the reasons listed for not allowing women to serve in those billets is that their deaths would have a deleterious effect on the males in their unit.

I'm all for women serving in combat units. The Russians did in WWII, to great effect. Female mortarmen, female pilots and gunners on aircraft, female snipers.


Dare I ask? Where are the female Iraqi police at these checkpoints?



Regards,


Steve
 
Im with the others. There is only one type of Soldier/Marine. To make a big deal over the fact that they were women probably wouldnt be what they wanted. They were Marines.

I could never figure out how a Soldier would be any more/less upset about a female comrade being killed than a male comrade. I have no more or less "protective instincts" with my female officers than the males. I would hope that we would share equal concern between us all.

If they can make the standard, let em in.
 
Off topic here, but I just wanted to mention that Ryno's best friend from the service was killed in Iraq last week. :asian:

Ryno's down in DC for the funeral.
 
I thought our military had a policy of not doing 'body counts'. Apparently, that policy is being rethought.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8544091/


U.S. kills 14 insurgents in northern Iraq

10 Iraqi soldiers die in attacks in country's Sunni heartland


BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. soldiers killed 14 insurgents in two days of fighting in a strategic northern city, the American military said Monday, and gunmen killed 10 Iraqi soldiers in the central Sunni heartland.
. . . .and according to icasualties.org

1755 United States service members have died in Iraq.

and 211 United States service members have died in Afghanistan.
 
Yes, we ended "major combat operations."

We are now "engaged in securing and reconstructing" Iraq.
 
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