The case for women in combat units has been, on the whole, a case made from ideology (“Equality requires it!”) and from authority (“The Joint Chiefs signed off on it!”). Ideologues and authoritarians tend not to welcome debate on whatever issue it is they’re applying their ideology to or invoking their authority on behalf of. The question of women in combat units is no exception, as the proponents have gone out of their way to discourage honest debate on the question.

But it is a question. It deserves to be debated. And one good thing about America is that it has lots of rebels against authority and lots of citizens who see through ideology. So there is a debate, and it’s coming from the ground up. Republican elites may be intimidated, hoping they can avoid being accused of being a part of a war on women by timidly acquiescing to sending women off to war. But the public is made of sterner stuff.