I more than understand the intent here. After spending most of the 80s going in and out of the Philippines (the "PI"), it's pretty obvious (to me, anyhow) what the relationship between the oldest profession and the military is. And it's heartbreaking in many, many cases. Women who have little to nothing coming to sell themselves and sometimes even their children into sexual servitude, it's pretty awful on a scale that the average person can not even begin to imagine. But making what is human nature a courts-martial offense, will really do nothing to end a relationship that's as old as recorded history. It will ultimately cause more problems than it solves, and give an opportunity for another double standard to be enforced in the military justice system...some will be prosecuted, others persecuted and many will just walk away.
U.S. service members stationed overseas could face a court-martial for patronizing prostitutes under a new regulation drafted by the Pentagon.
The move is part of a Defense Department effort to reduce the possibility that service members will contribute to human trafficking in areas near their overseas bases by seeking the services of women forced into prostitution.
...
If approved, the amendment would make it a military offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to have contact with a prostitute, Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, an Abell spokeswoman, said later. The draft rule is open to 60 days of public comment after being published in the Federal Register, she said.
...
Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, commander of the 37,000 U.S. service members in South Korea, said another initiative started on the peninsula has been to "make on-base military life a more desirable experience, and attempt to diminish the seductive appeal of many of the less wholesome off-duty pursuits."
That effort includes offering expanded evening and weekend education programs, band concerts, late-night sports leagues and more chaplain activities. emphasis added
The problem with a lot of that is the alternatives that they are talking about come from "non-appropriated funds" activities, which means that they get supported whenever and whereever they (Congress/The Powers that be) feel like dropping money into programs that are not "on budget".
So, while I'm certainly not condoning trafficking in human beings for the gratification of the troops, I'm also pretty strongly against criminalizing human nature. There seems to be some talk in all this for "education", which is an attempt to sugar coat this. Once the rules are in place, money and manpower for those efforts will be deemed 'too costly' or infeasible, since DoD will need some new Flash Gordon weapons system, and education efforts will be defunded, since after all, finding a hooker is illegal, right?
I applaud the spirit, but certainly not the implementation...this one might just be a disaster.
posted by Jo Fish on 09.22.04 at 07:40 AM
Comments:
Jo, we’re amazed you didn’t pick up on your Zappa fandom to reference this re “more chaplain activities”
One of our friendly counselors gave him a donut and told him to stick closer to church-oriented social activities ...
Of course, you do have a point ... who was it, after all, who translated “hors de combat” as “camp followers”? And remember just how they got to be called hookers in the first place.
Although, who says the chaplains are pure themselves? We can’t help but think of a scene near the end of the novel M*A*S*H* (not in the movie, and obviously not in the TV series either) where Hawkeye and Trapper John are finally on the way home and replace the caduceuses on their uniforms with crosses so they will not have to be bothered with medical issues.
A real chaplain sees the one on Hawkeye's uniform and eagerly wants to discuss with him how the war affected his relationship with God. Hawkeye replies that he was too busy with all the local poon to worry about it. Or something like that.
Men of the cloth aren't always exemplary in this department in civilian life. Who says they’re necessarily better in uniform?
This is nucking futs, on multiple levels. I have no doubt at all that Jeebofascist twits are behind this.
The troops do not care to engage in "more wholesome activities". They want to get laid. Period.
posted by: Gary Frazier on 09.22.04 at 07:37 PM [permalink]
How about legalized, properly regulated sex trade workers who are guaranteed safety, are tested for STDs, provided with condoms, and paid fairly??
Solves the exploitation problem AND the human nature problem.
posted by: PurrpleGrrl on 09.22.04 at 09:40 PM [permalink]
It's a good thing Neil Bush isn't in the military.
posted by: Kathryn on 09.22.04 at 10:18 PM [permalink]
But wait... I thought Imelda Marcos made it illegal to refer to any bar girl as a prostitute, hence removing prostitution from the face of Olongopo all in one fell swoop.
posted by: Alan on 09.22.04 at 10:44 PM [permalink]
This is certifiably insane and asinine to boot. In other words it bears all the hallmarks of a typical Bush policy. The studious indifference to reality, history, region cause or needs. The arrogant imposition of a top down ready made 18th century neo-con/Christo-Facist solution to a non serious threat. Remember they outlawed Playboys at all the PX's? That was in their 1st year, right? These guys would have outlawed B-17 nose art durring WW11 right?! Remember, we've got a war to fight fellas! The guys across the border will be freshly armed with Nukes Bush tacitly helped them acquire. I bet they don't have access to enough hookers either, and look how well they turned out, right!
Gee, what a great idea. Take a bunch of young guys away fromtheir families, their entire lives, for an indefinite period of time. Put them in Iraq where they are fighting a war sort of but not really, where they are pretty much sitting ducks every day for ambushes and hidden explosives but not able to get into a real firefight with a real enemy, which I am sure is not a frustrating or unnerving situation for any of them, and then make it pretty much illegal to have sex with anyone, because you know these young guys aren't interested in sex anyway. Next, they have to make it a court martial offense to spank the monkey, too. Then they can have MPs assigned to catch the chicken chokers. Gay sex is out of the question. I'm sure this will make the troops more disciplined and ready to fight. I'm sure these rules serve the interests if America.
And folks, if the military isn't serving the interests of America, what the heck is the point?
So they are too busy moralizing to worry about women offices and elisted being raped, eh?
Sorta reminds me of one old editorial cartoon;
[Flag Officer in PJ's leaning out of window]: What's all the ruckus out there?
[Voices from the street below]: Just raping an elisted woman, Sir!
[Flag Officer turning away from window]: Well keep it down out there. People are trying to sleep!
posted by: linnen on 09.23.04 at 07:18 PM [permalink]
Being in Thailand in 67-68 this strikes me as one of the most bizaar proposed regulations of all time. We were confinded to base for about 10 days during Tet (nothing at all happening where I was). There were more fights then I had ever seen in so short a period of time.
As you say though Christo-fascists doing the good work.
posted by: lawguy on 09.23.04 at 07:34 PM [permalink]
well, remember in 2002, the German Defense Ministry started heavily enforcing a rule that forbade soldiers from having sex, even between married couples, anywhere on a base or on a mission.
seems like they changed some of the rules earlier this year because it was causing more problems than it was preventing (abuse of female soldiers).
