Republican Ted Cruz has suggested that it’s dangerous and immoral to allow women into combat roles in the military. The GOP frontrunner criticized his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination who indicated their support during the GOP debate for including women if a draft is reinstated. He made the comments during a campaign appearance in Peterborough, New Hampshire.
Cruz believes that including women in a military draft would be ‘nuts’ and a dangerous example of political correctness. He says forcing women into
“Close combat…is wrong, is immoral and, if I’m president, we ain’t doing it.”
Top U.S. Marine Corps and Army generals said on Tuesday that women should be required to register for the military draft, along with men, as American armed forces attempt to fully integrate combat positions.
General Robert Neller, the commandant of the Marine Corps, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on women in combat:
“I think that all eligible and qualified men and women should register for the draft.”
The U.S. military is at the moment staffed purely by people who come forward to volunteer and register. However, young men are obligated to register in the event that a draft was reinstated. The military leaders said it would take years for women to be fully integrated into combat units, although they generally voiced strong support for the plan to skeptical committee members.
President Barack Obama’s defense secretary, Ash Carter, announced in December that the military would let women serve in all combat roles. It is expected that combat roles will take one to three years to become fully integrated. The historic announcement was greeted with intense skepticism by many Republican members of Congress, as well as expectations it would require women to register for the draft.
Republican Senator John McCain, the committee’s chairman, said at the time it would have ‘a consequential impact’ on U.S. forces and their war-fighting capabilities.
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