by Chris Bodenner
A reader writes:
I think it's a great thing that women are (slowly) being incorporated into the military establishment. I believe the American military should reflect the nation it protects. But one needs to remember, that only males are required by law to register for Selective Service when turning 18, or face the loss of any college scholarships, loans and possible his freedom. If women are becoming fully integrated members of the American military, then shouldn't girls register as well? Or should we abolish this Cold War atavism entirely?
Great point. The fact that the government can force men into war, but not women, is a bit of a civil rights travesty. With equal rights comes equal responsibility - and there's no greater responsibility than national security. Some conservatives will freak out and think that half the draftees will be women, and thus half the people on the front lines will be women. But of course only individuals physically capable of combat will be sent to the battlefield, and women, on average, are not as capable as men. However, with our exponential reliance on technology for combat, physical prowess is becoming more and more obsolete. In fact, given the rapid dominance of women in higher education, the battlefields of the future - reliant on robots - could be dominated by women as well.