Women in Offensive Combat Roles

In response to “Let Women in the Military ‘Be All They Can Be,’ ” by Carol Barkalow, Opinion, July 28:

Army Capt. Barkalow’s desire for access to a higher position of authority allows her to reside in the mythical world of Valkyries and Amazon women. Anybody who supports Barkalow’s argument of women deserving to be in offensive combat roles might at least give some thought to the fact that Barkalow has the authority to delegate the messy job of kill or be killed to the enlisted ranks.

Nowhere in her argument does the captain mention the number of enlisted women who are clamoring for offensive combat roles. Nor does she give the ratio of women to men in the military that would justify the need for female warriors. Previous wars have shown--through conscription--that killing, in terms of combat, is more a matter of those who have to kill as opposed to those who want to kill. Thus, for all the killing that Barkalow wants to see other women volunteer for, why are young American men still vulnerable to the draft?

KEN SALAZAR

Whittier