Readers React: Women in combat: Is this progress?

To the editor: So, women can now serve in all aspects of combat in the military. Is this progress? (“Pentagon opening all combat roles in military to women,” Dec. 3)

If I were in a war or even a street fight, I would want the meanest, most vicious men at my side. Men are simply the more violent of the species; that’s probably why so few women play football.

More importantly, shouldn’t women know better than to want to be in combat or even the military? Shouldn’t women be the antidote to the military? We need women to be the peacemakers and stop men from fighting wars.

Equality is a good thing, but we need women to be equally strong at stopping combat.

Ken Christensen, Los Osos, Calif.

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To the editor: I think ambitious female military officers may be leading women down a road they may not want to follow.

In a volunteer Army, it might be fine to allow women to choose to join combat units. But what if there is a draft in the future? Will 18-year-old women be forced into combat roles as their drafted male counterparts certainly will be?

This is a slippery slope with the potential for grave consequences for women.

Charles Serio, Los Angeles

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