Lasz2 I understand your point and agree to a certain extent on the reaction the public would have to women getting tortured or executed, and that sort of problem.
What I'm trying to point out, is that a woman is just as capable as a man when it comes to shooting a rifle, soldiering, and operating heavy and complex machinery of war.
body strenght is and all that jazz is simply irrelevant in the modern battlefield, even though I still believe most female soldiers can kick the bellybutton of any iraqui raghead in h2h combat, but war isnt fought that way anymore. As long as a woman is capable of carrying and running with her equipment, and shooting her rifle accurately, she'll do ok.
What you are saying about women being uncapable of certain task, altought you exagerate it greatly, is true to some extent, our armed forces are aware of this, and that is why women are not sent to the front lines or join special forces teams. That woman POW was a mechanic who wasnt supposed to be in that zone in the first place. And still just by looking at her she doesnt look any better or worse than her fellow POWs.
The armed forces are well aware of the capabilities of women. Much more than all of us combined. They dont put women in F-16 or give them M016 just to be PC. They basically look for any person who can excell at doing that job and they dont care wether its male, female, dog, martian, muslim. If you can do the job well, you are the right person for the job.
End of story.
