Petrelis Files

US Lifts Ban on Straight Sex in Afghanistan;
Homo-sex Still Prohibited

This story, exclusively reported by the Stars & Stripes last week, contains news involving so many sensational aspects that sell newspapers and drive up TV ratings, I'm very perplexed why other media outlets haven't picked up on the change in sexual behavior policies for our troops in the war-ravaged country.

We're talking s-e-x, combat zones, pregnancies, the US military, oh, and a passing reference to good ol' fear-inducing homosexuals, for whom the changes mean nothing. All basic elements for a hard news story from the mainstream corporate media, in my opinion.

Heck, the gay press might pick up on these developments in Afghanistan, if only to show how straight soldiers and their intimacy needs are being addressed and accommodated by the Department of Defense in time of war, while the homosexual ban is left intact.

From the Stars & Stripes:

JALALABAD, Afghanistan — Single soldiers and civilians working for the U.S. military in Afghanistan can now have sex legally. Sort of.

A new order signed by Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Schloesser, commander of Combined Joint Task Force-101, has lifted a ban on sexual relations between unmarried men and women in the combat zone.

General Order No. 1 outlines a number of prohibited activities and standards of conduct for U.S. troops and civilians working for the military in Afghanistan. Previously, under the regulation, sexual relations and "intimate behavior" between men and women not married to each other were a strict no-no. The regulation also barred members of the opposite sex from going into each other’s living quarters unless they were married to each other . . .

But sexual relations and physical intimacy between men and women not married to each other are no longer banned outright. They’re only "highly discouraged," and that’s as long as they’re "not otherwise prohibited" by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, according to the new order.

Single men and women can now also visit each other’s living quarters, as long as everyone else who lives there agrees, and as long as visitors of the opposite sex remain in the open "and not behind closed doors, partitions or other isolated or segregated areas," according to the new regulation . . .

A cursory reading of the order would seem to suggest that unmarried men and women could have sex in their living quarters, as long as all other persons who live there agree, or if they left the door open, if they were otherwise alone. But that’s not the case, said Lt. Col. Rumi Nielson-Green, a spokeswoman for Regional Command East and Combined Joint Task Force-101 . . .

The UCMJ contains several provisions under which sexual relations are prohibited between men and women. For instance, married persons cannot engage legally in sex with anyone other than their spouse, or they can be prosecuted for adultery. Sexual relations between subordinates and higher-ranking personnel are prohibited within the same chain of command. Sexual relations between officers and enlisted personnel are generally prohibited as well. Homosexual relations are completely prohibited under the code . . .

Of course, the policy shift is being widely debated by soldiers, as evidenced by comments left on the Military.com chat board about the Stars & Stripes article. Here are a few of the comments, reflecting a range of opinions:

1.
Of course I hope they realize they open a can with this one. That being not only gays in the military, but gays and lesbians to have the same rights as others and have sex in battle zones as well. Some things are better just being left out of site, out of mind and unspoken.

2.
I'm in Kuwait and not Afghanistan, so this doesn't apply to me (yet) but so long as they do as they always have and ensure we have condoms and other such protection readily available why not let us have sex?

Keep all of the provisions that apply anywhere: No same sex relations, no Officer and Enlisted, no senior to junior in the same chain of command, etc. but allow people to be people.

3.
Good Lord - people are having sex over there anyway! Its funny though that you have to leave the door open - or the tent flap, or whatever! ha! ha!

We always had a rule in the tent in Bosnia - if you are having sex and we can hear it, we can watch. Smile It never worked because there was never enough privacy to begin with. BUT - if you put men and women together in a stress zone, its gonna happen.

4.
I dont see what the problem is. Troops are having sex all the time in Afghanistan. The no sex ban did nothing to stop anybody from having sex. They are not going to have any more sex than they already are having.

5.
Keep you zipper up and do your job if you can not control yourself for a few months then maybe you should look at the life you lead.

6.
The Navy will probably follow suit on this on ships. In the old days we just jerked off. Could always tell when the guy above or below you was having at it, shook the entire rack.