2007 28
Is it fair to send women to fight men at war?
Published by MartinVarsavsky.net in General with No Comments
The Israelis and the Americans have women soldiers fighting their wars. They fight against men. What I wonder is this. If men beat women on the average at any sport including cycling, tennis, football, basketball, golf, rugby, boxing, karate, foil, and others. Is it fair to send women to fight men in the close combat type of warfare that goes on in the Middle East?
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baruk on June 28, 2007 ·
Martin, this is probably the most sexist phrase I read in a long time.
If you really think it’s not fair, just volunteer and go to war.
Christopher on June 28, 2007 ·
>> Martin, this is probably the most sexist phrase I read in a long time.
I’m watching Wimbledon right now. Oh look, no women playing men. I think MV was making an observation, not a statement. That said, I don’t think it applies so much to an armed shootout. As mentioned above, I’m sure a woman can pull a trigger just as well as any man.
Nina on June 28, 2007 ·
Martin,
I agree with what you say and I am a woman. We have talked about gender equality for years now and there are certain things that women can do just as well as men – and some things even better. (I am still hoping for some more female support at FON!!!) However I think we just have to accept that men in general tend to be stronger, most of the time faster and sorry..less emotional.
Regarding sending women to war or to the army: I think first of all that depends on whether or not its compulsory to go to military service (like in Germany where men can decide whether they spend some time in the army or alternative civilian service after school – women do not have to do either of the two) or if a country has only professional armed forces (like the UK). In the case of Germany I think it is only fair that both men and women should serve some time but women should rather focus on civilian service.
I spent some time in the UK where I joint the CCF (combined cadet force) which is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organization. You learn how to shoot a rifle, how to set up an alternative telephone line in the middle of nowhere, how to escape an occupied house that has “hidden grenades” and so on. It is proven that a significant number of officers have indeed had experience in the CCF. It was an interesting experience but believe me when it comes to sleeping outside without a tent in freezing December, running for long with a heavy backpack or an “injured” person on a stretcher…men just do better.
and to the above comments: being in the army / war is not just about pulling the trigger
Martin Varsavsky on June 28, 2007 ·
Well Marcos, I asked the question because, for example, I did not know that women were banned from ground combat units. So if they are banned from some war activities my question was fair.
ouriel on June 30, 2007 ·
in a country of 6 million residents surrounded by tens of millions of other people wishing you were dead every single day Israel has no choice but to involve every citizen. This is an accepted fact here in Israel. And only women that want to be fighter go fight on the field. Not all women go to ground field. Many are in intelligence or below the line operations. Your way of presenting the information is not right.
Now just for the record, imagine your house is surrounded by 100 guys coming to terminate you, without any access to any outside help. Would you defend yourself alone or would you ask for the help of your family members? Or better said do you seriously think your family would hide until those guys come to kill them?
It is not about sending women to wars but optimizing your defense system when your country is at risk.
Thinking that way might help you see thing differently
Martin Varsavsky on June 30, 2007 ·
Ouriel, I should have informed myself better before writing my post, but in the same post in Spanish some Israelis clarified to me what you are saying and that is that the Israeli Army agrees that it is not fair to put women to fight men in the same conditions in urban fighting.
DONNI BARELLI on July 15, 2007 ·
Marcus you are obviously not a military guy. I am and with out sounding rude you dont have a clue about what you are talking about..I think you read to many books and watched to many films 🙂 There are many reasons why woman in most countries dont fight on the front line and thats mainly to do with the fact woman are not capable of performing certain physical tasks whilst in certain situations…If you think that using a rifle and pulling the trigger is all thats needed then you are sadly mistaken..i am not saying all women are are not able to to do the role because there are always exceptions to any rule..as for your special elite fighting women you have been watching charlies angels too much…I am in a force for the u.k Now only a certain type of man is able to do this. The uk has one if not the best armed forces on the planet ( because we are professional) to introduce a female to do the role of a man would weeken certain areas..Now considering an elite male athlete and a female elite athele the, do you think they are the same.no of course not. no female athlete could ever come close to a male elite athlete. this is one main reason why woman in certain countries who have the choice do not serve on the front line….I am sorry to ruin your fantasies about these so called elite women units that can kick any mans arse in a war at any time. They cant because they would not be up against any avarage man they would be fighting against trained men who are trained to there highest level…..To answer this question…no its not fair to have woman in the front line and if they start to then its only because of political correctness gone overboard to satisfy certain feminsts.
lily on April 12, 2009 ·
i think the post is sexist, try wriring a post about whether its fair for men to play games that teaches them to rape women? when at war? and why are there rape video releases of women ictims of war on the intenet? I have a question for you martin, IS IT FAIR FOR RAPE VICTIMS TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED BY MAIL SOLDIERS WHILE BEEN RAPED AND POSTED ON THE NET FOR YOUR VIEDWING PLEASURE? AND IS IT RIGHT TO RAPE WOMEN DURING WAR?
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Marcos Martinez Sancho on June 28, 2007 ·
Your claim is rather incorrect. Women are generally banned from ground combat units in both the US Army and the IDF. Notwithstanding these armies have a handful of small elite units composed of female volunteers. I’d say one of these women can kick anyone ass anytime anywhere. Notwithstading, gender is not an issue when you fight in a modern army. A woman can be as good as a man with a M4 assault rifle, if not better. However, endurance and stamina might be slighty different for women, and of course the obvious risk of capture for female soldiers.