UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond says "I think that at a time when the Americans, the Australians, the Canadians, even the French - the Israelis of course for years - have women in their combat arms, this is something we have to look at again...."
Lord Dannatt, former head of the Army, told the BBC that women should not be in the combat arms as "a matter of principle". He may have a point. While there is no question at all that women can act as effectively as men in combat roles (provided they meet the required standards) the reality of battle means that the inclusion of women in close quarter battle units may have two unintended consequences:
