Same, Phil. And it is an indication of the state of war in which Israel continuously operates. They are under attack every day and live as such. The women in the IDF are needed to be able to meet that threat.
We saw the picture of the IDF ladies in "civies" shopping with their weapons slung across their backs (it was in this slide show also). That is the type of readiness their country needs to protect itself and survive.
Its somewhat ironic though, that just like here, the one's who send them to fight don't serve. In Israel, the ultra-orthodox don't have to serve. Yet they are the settlers, the hardliners and the anti-secular bigots who pray daily "Thank God I was not born a woman". f..k them! They are fine with someone else's child fighting, just not them or theirs.
Here in the US? How many Hawks wore a uniform? Rush? Cheney? Kristol? Forget them. How many Congressmen or other leaders, of either party wore a uniform, or have kids in the service? Here I give credit to Palin, Biden, McCain and Webb along with a few others, but it is still damn sad when the loudest voices for war are no where to be found at the recruiting centers, and neither are their families.

Sorry
Rant over
FQ13