U.S. GENERAL SAYS FEMALE SOLDIERS WHO GET PREGNANT AND THEIR PARTNERS MAY BE COURT-MARTIALED

Ms Magazine - An American Army general issued a policy last month that would allow female soldiers and their sexual partners to be court-martialed in the event of a pregnancy. Major General Anthony Cucolo, a commander in Iraq, told the BBC that the policy was intended to protect the safety of his troops. "I've got a mission to do, I'm given a finite number of soldiers with which to do it and I need every one of them. So I'm going to take every measure I can to keep them all strong, fit and with me for the twelve months we are in the combat zone," he said.

Since the announcement, General Cucolo has faced considerable criticism from veterans, women's rights groups, and lawmakers. In response to his critics, General Cucolo told a group of reporters on a conference call that he doubts the court-martial threat would ever be put to use, saying, "I do not ever see myself putting a soldier in jail for this,"reported the Christian Science Monitor.

Since the policy went into effect on November 4th, four women and three men have been found to be in violation of it. The pregnant soldiers were sent home, as is normal Army policy, and all parties involved received letters of reprimand.