Page 39 - Unit Cohesion News Today

>> i dont sleep for three hours. >> so kelly, whats going on with panettas order and the president and women in combat? are you hearing any disseptemntm the hill? >> really, no. what we are hearing is just the question of can it be done in a way that will ensure that theres still the kind of unit cohesion and efficiency, the physical standards in certain kinds of units be maintained. but i think theres been a sense from both sides especially on the armed services committee who look at these issu...

To leave the playing field equal. hasnt that worked out real well. >> absolutely. i was an advocate for that and bringing them into the nontraditional skill sets we have, flying planes, et cetera. direct combat is about strength and unit cohesion. where in the world has a military done this successfully. some have tried it and they have all walked it back. >> i think if you look at modern warfare its not just who is the toughest, strongest guy in the battlefield. we have much morey lines on high...

Interviewed saying -- the unit cohesion to have women in the barracks along with the men and women in the fox holes along with men? >> listen accident theyre already in the fox holes with men. i can tell you theres a lot of women who have lost their lives in iraq and afghanistan already. over 100 women have been injured. about 800 women have been injured because of combat operations. women are in these wars fully. we want to make sure they get the credit for it and the recognition for it, and th...

Jim, i think i saw you nodding. its panetta leaving you think is the key here? >> reporter: hes going to leave here probably in the next month or so after or if former senator chuck hagel is confirmed as his replacement. but i do want to make the point here, there are going to be growing pains. and were hearing the same kinds of arguments oh, my god, you know, women are going to be integrated into the military academies. oh, my god, gays in the military. thats going to destroy unit cohesion. >> ...

Piece points out, definitely creates some complications, but the bottom line, it has to be done. if we want to be there, we should be there. and if we choose to serve and we have the physical capability to do so, we should be there. >> and by the way, theyre not just opening up the floodgates and saying anybody who wants to come forward, come forward. theyll have to meet the standard. >> not a lot of women will get there easily, for sure. >> but it would be good for panetta, lar particularly, as...

Your body has been ravaged by lack of hygiene. in the reverse, it would be painful to witness a member of the opposite sex in such an uncomfortable and awkward position. combat effectiveness is based in large part on unit cohesion. the relationships among members of a unit can be irreparably harmed by forcing them to violate societal norms." >> can we have an honest conversation about this? is there a point to be made there? >> first of all, when youre a serviceman like him, his opinion is meani...

Nbc chief foreign correspondent richard engel joins us now. youve seen it up close. youve seen men and women, women embedded with the troops. what difference do you think this will make? it makes a big difference in terms of career advancement? what about unit cohesion and all the other obstacles that critics are suggest sng. >> >> in some cases this is already happening. i remember a time in kandahar i was with a small unit of military police. there was a female lieutenant leading the group, an...

Riots into afghanistan. this is feeding into that river of hate. it was a horrible decision on the part of the "l.a. times". rick: ellen, these were terrorists. these were not insurgents. these were not freedom fighters. these were killers who were kill willing to kill themselves and who did in an attempt to kill americans on the ground s that point being lost here? >> no, i dont think that point is being lost at all. the issue do we respect people, even if you kill them and kill them for cause,...

Nice to talk to you both. did they have to pub what size these pictures. >> of course they didnt. they made editorial judgement. im a little bit afraid did i cat not of anybody but i dont like to cause trouble. "l.a. times" did this after talking to the pentagon many times. also the one fact really got me this particular group of soldiers, this company, was sent back to afghanistan. this happened two years ago. so they were not actually, they published these because theyre afraid of unit cohesio...

good evening, everyone. im erin burnett. "outfront" tonight, big, big, big politics. according to the federal election commission. that would make it the most expensive election season in american history. but heres the dirty truth about american history. money always seeps into politics, and it has been going and going and going for a long time. take president mckinleys campaign at the turn of the century. even know that guy? railroad and steel barrons gave him kingly sums of $6 milli...