Pete Hegseth has been criticized by the left for saying he believes women shouldn't be in active combat., meaning boots on the ground on the front lines.
What? How dare he think that??
Hegseth has also be deemed "not qualified" by the likes of John Bolton and the left.
NBC's Andrea Mitchell commented on Hegseth's comment one day, sharing her ignorance with the world. She asked, "What about women pilots in combat zones? Should they not be allowed to fight?"
If I could answer her I'd say, "Andrea... you really shouldn't comment on things you know nothing about. Pilots don't normally spend a lot of time in combat zones, and they don't put boots on the ground. They fly their missions and return to their support base. And that's not what Hegseth was talking about."
I honestly don't know any men who actually want women fighting on the front lines. It's not misogyny (a favorite word of the left) or cheauvinism. And it's not that men feel women aren't capable of holding their own.
I think part of it is protective instict. Men don't want to see their buddies get shot or blown up but even more - they don't want to see a woman get shot or blown up. That's just the way most men are designed.
There are obvious differences between most men and most women in size and strength, which can be very important depending on the situation. On November 13th, following a three-year review, the Army announced it has scrapped plans to use the same physical fitness test for all soldiers, choosing instead to have some reduced standards to allow women and older soldiers to pass. According to the study, 44% of women fail the test vs 7% of men.
When you lower standards so more people pass you lower fitness and readiness overall. That's just simple fact.
The ban on women in combat roles was lifted in 2013. Hegseth hasn't indicated he has any plans to try getting that ban reinstated. But of course, that detail doesn't stop the left from screaming about it.
One thing many people don't understand is that diversity quotas... gender, ethnicity, sexual preference, skin color, etc., don't increase the efficiency or lethality of a fighting force. Fighting forces need to be cohesive and mission oriented, not separated by social differences. But in the last 15 years, social diversity has become a priority of the military. Hegseth wants to push things away from social issues and back toward readiness. And I agree with him.
I'm sure I'll get flak for my thoughts on this issue, even though I've offered no opinion on whether or not women should be in combat. They are already there. My opinion matters not. But it would be interesting to survey men who currently serve with women on the front lines to get their thoughts on the subject. That would show how the men feel about it and could possibly alleviate any concerns. Or it could prove to be problematic.
As for Hegseth's qualifications... he earned a Bachelor's Degree from Princeton and a Master's from Harvard. He served 21 years in the Minnesota National Guard, attaining the rank of Major. He was deployed both to Iraq and Afghanistan and has been awarded two bronze stars. (Donald Rumsfeld, who held the position of Defense Secretary twice, served three years in the Navy. Five former Defense Secretaries had no military experience whatsoever.)
He's qualified. Oh, wait... he hosts a show on Fox News! Oh, the humanity...!
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