Obama puts women in direct line of fire

Quick now, what special gift did Barack Obama give to American girls and women? You may not have noticed.

That wouldn't be surprising since the media is in a snit about Donald Trump and his position on Muslim immigration and the GOP has its panties in a bunch over the growing popularity of the Trump candidacy.

On top of that, there are all those militant Islamist attacks on the West, including on the worst attack on the United States since 9/11 – the San Bernardino, California, slaughter.

So while you may not have noticed the "gift" because the media have all but ignored it – it is something that will affect every female in the country now and in the future and will, without doubt, have a severe impact on our defense ability as a country.

Whew! So what did Obama do?

TRENDING: What a difference a day makes

He made the decision to open every branch of the U.S. military to women – not just that they can serve, but to every capacity in every branch including combat and all that entails will be open to women, with "no exceptions."

Simply put, all combat roles are open to women.

The announcement specified that women will "be able to serve as Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Corps Infantry, Air Force Para-jumpers and everything else that was previously open only to men."

"They'll be able to drive tanks, fire mortars and lead infantry soldiers into combat."

The announcement was made the day after the San Bernardino attack, so it's not surprising that the news value of the decision got lost in the grisly headlines following the massacre.

I saw the story buried in the Internet, and my local paper printed the details a couple of days later, placing the story so far in the paper that only a news nut like me would see it.

And then, it was gone. Disappeared.

It didn't surprise me because it's such a groundbreaking decision with enormous consequences and one in which neither the military nor American citizens had any input.

When I saw the first Internet story, which presented the decision as one which made equality the goal, my first thought was that the next step would be – had to be – that women would have to register with the Selective Service and then, of course, if and when we have another draft, they'd also be called up.

The first news story I saw said nothing about that. Two days later, a follow up, short article sad that draft registration was likely. Then that aspect of the story disappeared as well.

There was and is no doubt in my mind that this is another of Obama's moves to push his gender-equality, social justice policies and to appease the left-wing feminist activists who have been pushing for this all along. Gays in the military, women on Navy ships and submarines and now this, women in tanks, in front-line combat units with all that entails.

If you have any doubt that Obama did this on his own without support from too many others, consider that the announcement was made to the media, solely by Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, former Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford was not there, and his statement released that Thursday, said his "responsibility is to ensure the decision is properly implemented."

The military was silent, not surprising, since the Marines had conducted numerous tests evaluating comparable male and female abilities in areas of strength, endurance, fatigue, workload and injuries, and the results were not equal.

It raises the question of how much the job standards will be watered down to accommodate women – as has happened with police and firefighters.

In fact, the Marines had requested some exceptions to the new policy, but it's clear that Obama and Carter ignored them entirely.

There are women in the military, but a real question is: Do women want these advanced combat roles?

Elaine Donnelley, president of the Center for Military Readiness, said the Army surveyed its 170,000 women and less than 8 percent wanted a combat job.

Another survey of 30,000 women on active duty, in the reserves and the National Guard found that only 7.5 percent wanted the job changes.

Keep in mind, women: If this move is fully installed in the military, you won't have the choice.

When women are required to register with Selective Service (and they will be) and then join the military, they will be assigned a job. It won't be voluntary.

The draft won't be voluntary, either. That's what a "draft" is, for all you Americans who have never experienced a country at war and with a draft.

Given the terrors of the world around us, and all the talk about a World War III, it would be foolish for any parent or any young person to think they would be immune from such demands on their lives.

This is more of Obama changing this country, and our customs and culture be damned.

Lindsey Graham was grousing this week about Donald Trump and his ideas and said that if we really want to change this country, "Tell Donald Trump to go to hell."

I would change that a bit.

If we really want to change this country for the better, "Tell Barack Obama to go to hell and take all his plans for changing this country with him."

Follow Barbara Simpson on Facebook.

Media wishing to interview Barbara Simpson, please contact [email protected].