I brought my 1968 Naval experience up to illustrate how ugly cultural issues like this need not necessarily arise from policy makers, but often come up from the ranks. But the command structure is perfectly capable of putting a stop to it when it chooses to do so, which is why I am astonished that today's problems with female soldiers are still with us. The story Gothgirl linked to is not the first time I've heard about this, something really big and very ugly is festering under the surface here, but no one seems to be very interested in bringing it up. And no, it is not merely an artifact of anti-war extremist propaganda either. Even that suggestion is outrageous.

What I do think is that in a politicized and partisan environment such as we have today, any mention or criticism of even a non-political issue can be simply dismissed as being the result of treacherous political opponents when it threatens someone's agenda, and thereby conveniently ignored. We are constantly regaled with feelgood stories of GIs building schools, clinics, and passing out candy to Iraqi kids, while abuse, harassment and rape of our sisters and daughters and wives is swept under the rug. Where are the studies, where are the statistics? I refuse to believe this issue has not already been examined intensively, and I am furious that no one seems to be talking about it.