[JimmyDimples]

Searching for a new tack on my story "For Their Own Good," (but mostly just for giggles,) I did a search for Rush Limbaugh's "All American First Cavalry Amazon Battalion."  But in the process, I uncovered a story on someone's blog… which ultimately led me to this story:

First All-Female U.N. Peacekeeping Force to Deploy to Liberia

NEW DELHI  —  The United Nation's first all-female peacekeeping force — made up of 105 Indian policewomen — is set to deploy to the troubled west African country of Liberia, an official said Friday.

The team, which has been training since September, leaves for Liberia on Sunday, said Abhishek Dayal, a spokesman for India's Central Reserve Police Force, which contributed the officers.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,244862,00.html has the complete story.  Apparently, those in authority believe that policewomen would be less intimidating and more approachable by women and children, though they've proven themselves just as combat tough as the guys.

What's y'all'z two rupees' worth on this?

[cpbell0033944]

Great story!  When taken with the following, which I was going to post separately, but, if I might be allowed, I'll add to this topic, I'd say it shows the doubters that women can do the tough stuff:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/6476635.stm*

Admittedly, I'm still not certain about whether women could live and operate covertly behind enemy lines like the British SAS/SBS do, simply because they have to package-up and carry with them their own excrement (yes, really) to avoid detection, so I fear that a woman's periods might prove an insurmountable problem in this respect, because of how to sort-out bloodstained pads or other forms of protection.  I'm completely in agreement that any other sort of role (including ordinary infantry, cavalry and artillery) should accept women, AS LONG AS (and this for me is vital) they pass the same tests as the men.  This would ensure that:

a) They were able to do anything the men could do in the heat of battle.

and

b) The public would readily accept them – they would know that they had passed the same tests to get there – that they weren't just a sop to political correctness or the so-called "positive discrimination", but had earned their place on merit.

* The Military Cross is the third-highest British military decoration for action.  To give you an idea, until Pte. Johnson Beharry was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), which is the legendary highest award for military valour in April 2005 for action in al-Amarah, Iraq, the last VC to be awarded was actually two, both posthumously, for action in the same battle in the Falklands War in 1982.  This means that she has achieved something very rare – even Military Crosses don't get handed out too often.

[cpbell0033944]

Daily Telegraph report on Pte. Norris here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/22/norris22.xml

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