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Since this isn't it.....
1. DoD does NOT have a "policy" that allows or encourages female members to be raped.
Article 120 of the UCMJ specifically bans it:
Any person subject to this chapter who commits an act of sexual intercourse with a female not his wife, by force and without consent, is guilty of rape and shall be punished by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct. (emphasis added)
The military allows for members who commit offenses under the UCMJ to be punished outside of the court-martial system, in the hopes that such punishment will be a deterrent to the crime being committed again. More often than not, it is.
You would have to know what the actual numbers of cases that came before the courts-martial as "rape" (i.e., the member being charged with that exact crime) are before you can draw a conclusion of the military's willingness (or lack thereof) to prosecute.
2. Even if there is an increased number of rapes in the military, relative to that of the civilian population, I think we all could support the notion that the actions of a few should not dimish the honor of the whole. We have 1,426,713 (approx) military personnel on active duty; and we're discussing the investigations of 181 of them. That's significantly less than 1%-hardly indicitive of a "problem."
3. If these rapes are happening and they're not being reported-regardless of the reason for them not being reported-that's a crime (Articles 77 and 134 of the UCMJ).
I realize slandering the military is becoming sport for some. The fact of the matter is that the military has its problems, just like everywhere else in society. Yet, some segments of the population are willing to throw them under the bus because of an action (read: Iraq) that they disagree with.
He has always been a hawk and loves the US military.
But he's aware of its serious flaws, as is his son.
Our military's flaws aren't like those that exist everywhere else in society.
They are far worse because they are excused behind the veil of national security.
He knew it. I know it.
You know it, too.
Try again.
Whether or not we agree if the level of punishment is apporpriate or not-or even the amount of punishment being handed out is appropriate-I think we both know that someone, somewhere is being held accountable.
What, exactly, is your point? And do we need to compare credentials?
As for what the military's doing right? Well, Tricare's still a mess but it's better than no health insurance at all, and we can't all move to Canada or Denmark where society cares about people. Payday loans--at least there's been "credit counseling" of GI s and their families. Hopefully soldiers and not hired mercs are doing more on the ground in Iraq. Then again, why should our troops act as security guards for carpetbagger firms? The acid test for the US military will be against China, who I consider our worst nightmare, not a bunch of clownish jihadis. Then agai, the same firms and GOP donors who supply the Pentagon are also sweethearts with the Chinese...including outsourcing. And our business sector seems content in mortgaging the nation to them. Why not? Money talks, patriotism walks. Ask the young Marine who's "Marlboro Man" visage was the face of the Iraq war. Now he's suffering from post traumatic stress and no one gives a crap. Or Jessica Lynch. Or Pat Tillman. Or every Marine, GI, sailor and airman of color who does his/her job for a nation that still can't make up its mind over our worth and bona fides.
Semper Fi
I made my point. If you can't see it, so be it.
Credentials? Please. This isn't a competition. It's a disagreement.
Let's just agree to disagree, as we often do.
You have cited codes of conduct with no reference to the ENFORCEMENT of said code.
I have not said that all military men are rapists, but how can you possibly avoid responding to the greater statistics.
Please read the salon article and the Stop Military Rape website. this goes FAR beyond 181 bad apples.
# 28-66 % of women in the military REPORT sexual assault
# 27 % of women are REPORTED raped in the military
you say "if these rapes are happening and not being reported, that's a crime." You clearly don't have an understanding of what it takes to report a rape, especially in a culture which PUNISHED the victim by discharging them or refusing to prosecute the rapist. Is it no surprise that many go unreported??
really, i'm shocked at your response. please read the links to what i've posted and come back with your view.
No child left behind or no rapist left behind?
Considering the schools, and children, most affected by the No Child Left Behind nonsense (which was a bipartisan piece of work), I don't think we should be encouraging that kind of comparison. I think it would be a mistake, further stigmatizing those children and their communities, which doesn't help either real problem.
As for the rest of the article, thank you for it. Bunkmates are supposed to be a Band of Brothers and Sisters, who depend upon one another for their very lives. Raping one's own Sister (or Brother) is more like a prison environment. Stopping the war (or all wars) isn't going to resolve this problem.
There needs to be a change in military culture itself. More importantly, there may need to be some changes within female culture as well.
I'm concerned about the soldier who was raped during a gynecological exam -- the rule that there must be a female attendent present if a male is doing the examination, unless the female patient waives that right, isn't really a rule after all? No one else was around to hear her scream? Was there more to that story (as there was more to Duke LaCrosse)?
Was the young woman who was 'raped' by her commanding officer really raped, or did she go along with sex she wasn't really up to? I'm of the opinion that the latter is not rape. If she exchanged sex for unit standing, she prostituted herself. She may feel bad about it, but that's not rape.
Need more details.
Somehow, I don't think he stopped just because he put on a uniform.
And given the coverups and victim punishing in the Air Force Academy, this is not a ground-up, but a top-down problem. Of course, a lot of my family, vets included (tho' not all of them) - 2nd gen brat on both sides - would say that women bring it on themselves because women don't belong in the military.