Friday, March 30, 2007

Harsh but .......

'BBC bosses apologised last night after a radio presenter said Faye Turney would be to blame if she were decapitated. Tony Butler, of BBC West Midlands, said women should not be in war zones. He then referred to decapitation, saying "it would serve her right" for being in Iraq' - The Sun.


I cannot help but notice that the fact of a woman being captured has compromised us somewhat and I have also noticed that women police are uable to be effective at football grounds or amongst crowds. We are now about to women Fire..um..women and I will have to lose a bit of weight before they will be able to carry me screaming from a burning building . Tony Butler is obviously a twerp but perhaps we do have have a think about the roles a woman can actually fill. Head of State , PM,..that sort of thing

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a mother I couldn't personally do anything that would put my life at risk, I have a responsibility to my sons to be there for them. But if I was free, I'm sure I would love to report from a war zone.

Newmania said...

I think the war reporters are more at risk than anyone Ellee but they do not put anyone else at risk.

This is only a little filler we know men are physically stronger. Its hardly a big deal

Croydonian said...

Giving my liberal hat one of its rare outings, I tend to agree with the ex USAF fireman mate of mine who notes that women in that service or the forces only needs to be as strong as the weakest man.

Anonymous said...

I'm with ellee on this one but admit C has a point. If I were to be carried from a burning building, I wouldn't want some woman to do it. And you know I don't agree with women aboard ship; stupid idea.

Newmania said...

In the forces C the weakest man has to be strong .It a mutually dependent team game .

the thing is that many women do a fine job and i don`t want to get into bashing them they are brave and they are bloody vicious.

There are things they are ophysically less likely to be up to but its aminor point . I just enjoyde the reporter making an arse of himself

Old BE said...

I don't think we need a gender test for serving on the front line in the armed forces, police or fire services.

We should have a strength and fitness test. Another thing is that in the police and fire services once you're in you're in and you can't be fired for being fat and useless.

Anonymous said...

I've noticed a trend towards outspokenness of late - albeit that the outspoken get fired by party leaders or forced to appologise by media directors. Is the worm turning at last ?

No - women should not be in front- line military and it is not for physical/intellectual reasons. Anyone who propounds the idea of women in combat fails to undestand the dynamics of a unit which is founded on male bonding. The presence of females disrupts male bonding and, therefore, the cohesiveness and effectiveness of a combat unit.

Anonymous said...

"...once you're in the police and fire services you cannot be sacked for being fat and useless" Ed

It's worse than that - the useless tend to get promoted to get them out of harms way !

Croydonian said...

E-K. Not sure that is universally true. The IDF has been mixed gender for ages, and seems remarkably effective.

Newmania said...

What is the IDF C ,,,( shame)...Israel....

Newmania said...

Hi Ed glad to see you i wanted to link to your blog and I lost track of you.

Thsiis really wan`t intended that seriously.

Anonymous said...

Good on the IDF, I am particularly impressed with Krav Maga - Israeli unarmed combat. We must remember that sometimes with Israel it has to be all hands on deck, I'm sure it would be so anywhere that is outnumbered as they are.

Can you direct me to information about mixed sex frontline units, and is this the prefered set-up or is it a last resort ?

Why do the Royal Marines, Paras and SAS/SBS have no mixed units (though I am aware that the SAS deployed females effectively in a surveilance capacity in NI/Gibralter) ?

If The Hitch is lurking (an ex military man) I wonder what he thinks.

I was on a riot squad in the police and we had females there - I concur that those selected were competent in that role and aquitted themselves well when we were deployed for real. But these had to pass rigorous selection - and the police is not the army and we were not really facing life or death.

Females are essential for undercover/surveilance work too and I know that the police depend on them heavily. There is a role but can anyone honestly say it would be good for our elite regiments which are considered to be much more effective than the IDF ?

Anonymous said...

Sorry Kev, think you're talking bollocks on the male-bonding front-line crap. What about Boudica? As I've seen it, if you can cut the mustard it doesn't matter if you have a penis - I've had more balls than plenty of folks with a penis before now. What you need more than anything is to trust someone not to back down or run away.

Never give up, never surrender..

Anonymous said...

Well of course I'd make the exception for you, Philipa. I'd definitely want you by my side if it all kicked off outside the chip shop. ( have you really only just noticed that I talk utter bollocks ???)

Boudica (like Joan of Arc) was overrated and couldn't keep up a sustained campaign - that's not the point either. Was her army mixed ?

Old BE said...

Thanks Mr Newmania, I wasn't hiding but I was offline for a while with exams and moving flat.

Croydonian said...

E-K - A more complex picture than I thought (as in I was, erm, a bit wrong).

Newmania said...

C -I laughed and laughed at that it s so you to confess with a good grace .

Phillpa EK is making pleenty of sense to me . Women can be brave , as brave as men although I `m not sure it works in the same situations. EK mentions undercover work . reminds me again of " Carve Her Name With Pride" about the spy in France and how she went from a normal girl to being a hero.

You have to remember the demands made by these elite units in fact any unit of the British Army. I doubt if even at my fittest I would have been up to it or indeed had the right steady temperament for the best soldier. If most men are not physically up to it then it looks odd having a few token women.

In the film GI Jane the Sigourney Weaver character matches the men punch for punch run for run. In real life that simply wouldnot happen. Give me the toughest woman in the army and I`ll hold my own ,at least ,in a fist fight.

Any of the young top soldiers would pull my limbs off like a boy pulling the wings off an insect.
There is a huge physical difference .


Kev I doubt it and they fought their last battle nearby under Barnsbury in Islington

Anonymous said...

Not to say that women can't be extremely brave and essential in certain combative roles, just not best effective in all out offensive ones.

Much respect for Israeli forces.

Anonymous said...

Violette Szabo (nee Buckingham) was another example of an overrated heroine I'm afraid. Extremely brave and beautiful but waged a limited and extremely short 'campaign'.

The White Rabbit is a much finer example of a woman at war.

Newmania said...

Is that so EK...I wish you hadn`t told me that I have always loved the film

You know some stuff don`t you

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