What is the significance of women being killed in Iraq?

[linazelle]

To me, every soldier killed or maimed is a senseless tragedy. The only reason I can think of that this may be an issue is that recruitment is so low that women are being called to do more dangerous jobs. :shrug:

If that's the case, why was a difference made keeping women from being assigned riskier jobs before now?

Maybe it's just me, but I think that both men and women should experience the same risks in war.

[cynatnite]

1. Old school says that women should not be in combat

Women still aren't allowed on the front lines, but the way wars are being fought these days, there are no front lines anymore. I don't see the point in keeping it like this because the rear faces just as much risk as the front does.

[oldcoot]

2. It is political

The purpose of excluding women from combat was not to protect women but to appease cultural conservatives who still believe that women should be confined to the home.

[linazelle]

3. I believe that's true, regressivism in action. n/t

[Kraklen]

4. People believe that women shouldn't be soldiers.

making a bigger tragedy out of women getting killed in combat than men helps encourage that kind of sexism.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. There is no significance

It's all utterly meaningless.

[linazelle]

6. That's what I thought, but many threads citing casualties have

made special notes that women were killed. I wondered if I was missing something.