Biden: Diversity on the Battlefield an 'Incredible Asset'

Vice President Joe Biden made another one of those jaw-dropping statements he’s famous for.

Speaking at West Point, Biden made the completely unsupported, unproven statement that diversity on the battlefield would be an “incredible asset.”

The Hill:

Vice President Joe Biden advocated for diversity in the armed forces Saturday, telling West Point graduates in a commencement address that more women and openly gay soldiers will strengthen the country’s armed forces.

“Having men and women together in the battlefield is an incredible asset, particularly when they’re asked to lead teams in parts of the world with fundamentally different expectations and norms,” Biden said, according to the Associated Press.

The first seven women who were commissioned into combat divisions graduated Saturday.

Biden also saluted class president Eugene “E.J.” Coleman for coming out as gay.

Before the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy was reversed, Biden said, “E.J. would have been discharged from the Army, and we would have lost an incredible talent,” he said. “Thanks for your courage, E.J., and I expect we’re going to hear big things from you, pal.”

This is a ridiculous statement. At best, including women in combat is a crap shoot. No one knows what’s going to happen. The addition of gays is less problematic, given that there always have been gay soldiers serving.

But how are women and gays an “asset” in war? One would think if the unit is engaged with a bunch of fanatical Muslims, the idea of  women fighting them would set them off, make them more determined to kill. Is that an “asset”?

It’s one thing to support women and gays serving in combat roles. It’s another thing to just make stuff up to justify it.