Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo has announced that getting pregnant or impregnating a fellow soldier is an offense punishable by a court-martial in Iraq. He has stated that he will not charge women who are raped.
The order for the 22,000 soldiers under Cucolo’s command has been justified on the basis that they cannot lose soldier to this form of friendly fire: “I need every soldier I’ve got, especially since we are facing a drawdown of forces during our mission. Anyone who leaves this fight earlier than the expected 12-month deployment creates a burden on their teammates. Anyone who leaves this fight early because they made a personal choice that changed their medical status — or contributes to doing that to another — is not in keeping with a key element of our ethos.”
What Cucolo needs is a catchy campaign slogan.
When I worked for Mo Udall in one of his campaigns, I was surprised to see a poster that read “Vote for Mo Udall, War Hero.” I asked him how a man with a glass eye got into World War II, let alone became a war hero. It was a long and hilarious story. However, to cut it short, Udall said that he tricked his way through the physical exam and made it through officer school before anyone noticed. He was then sent to an island where the greatest threat to the troops was venereal disease. Udall quickly drew up a poster that read “BEAT THE AXIS WITH PROPHYLAXIS.” (That was the inspiration of the short-lived title for the Animal House video that read “Beat the Nazis with Voting Proxies,” which attracted such attention of late on another blog). The Navy was so thrilled with the poster, they gave Udall a small medal — allowing him to run as a war hero.
Do you have any suggestions for Cucolo? Something like “BEAT THE INSURGENCY WITH CELIBRACY” . . .
For the full story, click here.
Benji thats good.
I guess his wife was seduced by a Junior officer and now the man is mad….
Withdrawal: It’s Not Just For Iraq Anymore
Apparently getting pregnant is more of a ‘criminal act’ than being a rapist based on the planned policy. I’m glad the policy was reversed but I’m suspicious that the penalty for the ‘impregnating’ party would have been enforced at the same level of zeal as the crime of rape.
I’m not equating the two except to indicate that I have little faith that a disciplinable ‘act’ that should fall evenly on both a male and female actor would receive the same pursuit to closure based on the proven track record of the military to pursue disciplinable ‘acts’ involving male on female violence.
“Rapists in the ranks
Sexual assaults are frequent, and frequently ignored, in the armed services”
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-oe-harman31mar31,0,3129956.story
This is a 2008 story, reports are up at least 9% this year.
Along those lines, how about:
GBLT Soldiers are always ready for Action!
(Come to think of it, many trannies are among the toughest folks around. Wouldn’t being charged by a platoon of bad-assed trannies scare the hell out of Talib/al Qaeda fighters? Why do we fight with one arm tied behind our backs? ;^) )
“Major General Cucolo has announced that getting pregnant or impregnating a fellow soldier is an offense punishable by court martial in Iraq”… so I am now happy to announce the end of “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” gays are now welcome to join/stay in the service!
rcampbell,
I agree with you but raise one concern. In the Marine Corps the standards for women physically are different than that of men. Don’t you think that if women were allowed to serve in combat units that the physical standards should be the same?
I have long advocated for women to have equal opportunities in work, education and life in general as well as full combat roles in te armed services. And I’m generally not a big fan of the military whose rules often strike me as draconian, arbitrary and steeped in backward thinking. However, on this issue I think the general makes a valid point about combat readiness and availability. Preganacy is not an option for male soldiers and therefore probably ought not be one for females for the duration of their military committment. Getting pregnant could conceivably (pun intended) be used as a way to avoid duties others cannot avoid. This constitutes preferential treatment that compromises the concept of equality.
One of the arguements used to keep women from equal treatment in the military (think submarines) has been the sexual distraction to men caused by having women integrated into the ranks. The counter arguement has been to question why men can’t seem to control themselves in the presence of women. Allowing special treatment for pregnant soldiers weakens the inclusion argument.
Progressives want to see an end to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to allow equal treatment for gays in the armed services. Again, I see allowing women to get pregnant as a detriment to that effort.
General Backs Off on Court Martials for Pregnant Soldiers
Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo: Seven Soldiers Have Violated Pregnancy Policy So Far
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/general-backs-off-threat-court-martial-pregnant-soldiers/story?id=9399604
Let me guess next it will be if you get the flu, you get 15 days in the clink. If you give that flu to maybe 10 others in your unit 180 days for you, also do not forget the 10 still get 15 days each. If you break your leg while getting up to pee in the middle of the night that will receive 45 days.
Maybe someone needs to stop this BS ball from rolling now before it snowballs into even more stupidity.
Rafflaw,
If you are deployed forward and you become pregnant or get a woman pregnant then that person is not mission capable. This not only affects that persons ability to do their job, but can also have serious effects on their fellow marines/sailors/soldiers/airmen. Once someone becomes pregnant they then have to return to the states and another person has to be deployed in their place. I spent a lot of time in Iraq and Afghanistan and it was well known that you could be punished for getting pregnant or getting a woman pregnant.
Of only one thang I am certain in this article,
Cuculo aint no gigolo
“. He has stated that he will not charge women who are raped.”
Thats mighty big of you sir!!
Jill,
Your suggestion kind of reminds me of the ways Dick Cheney used to get out of service in Vietnam. It worked for him, so it might work now. I do not agree, however, that becoming pregnant while on active duty should be a criminal act. Doesn’t US law consider pregnancy a disability? Shouldn’t the Army be held to that same standard?
Don’t Ask…Don’t Tell…
Don’t give me hell…
I was only following orders!
“Loose hips sink ships” ?
“Operation Enduring Abstinence” ?
“The Marines are looking for a few good Trojans” ?
“Uncle Sam Wants YOU to Zip It” ?
Keep wrapped to stay in Iraq.
Kipper,
Those were hilarious.
I say, get the hell pregnant, get the woman you love pregnant and get the hell out of these unholy, unjust wars.
It was so thoughtful of him to not include women who were raped. Rape is a huge problem, one the army simply refuses to address. Was this dude a former priest?
“Stop the insurrection, use protection”
“Continue the struggle, only cuddle”
“Always pull out so America doesn’t have to”
BTW, I loved the story about Mo Udall. Sometimes it does pay to be a versifier.
Rather than telling the soldiers they will be court-martialed for the offense of getting pregnant/impregnating a fellow soldier–I think the soldiers should be threatened with the humiliation of public condomnation.