There is no such thing as a Man or a Women in the Army. There are only soldiers. Women are equal to men therefore they fight on the front line or they are dismissed from service.
Equality means exactly that, it is not just about gains for women it is about loss. Equality comes at a price.

J Nowland, Leeds, United Kingdom

Of course women are equal. Just be around the pubs and clubs after closing-they binge like the lads, barf like them and urinate all over the place. Of course they are as strong-it also takes 3 bobbies to hold them down before they are taken away.

Glynn, Canada,

It's a sick society that allows men sitting safely behind keyboards to start wars for their daughters to fight.

I've got every sympathy for the soldiers at the front, but I'm starting to think that the society they're fighting to save ain't worth saving.

Dave, London, UK

Equality = equality = equality. Either it is or it is not. The ladies should make up their minds once and for all. Not just the advantages but also the disadvantages.

I reckon Sarah did a fine job and was a credit to herself. her family and her colleagues

M. Cawdery, ramone, Co. UK, EU

The death of a female soldier is not the issue - and why did it take three people to write this silly article. The real issue is that four specialists, expensively trained, have been sent into harm's way in a Snatch veh. Write about that. The penny pinching MOD are the real culprits. Make more noise

H.G., Riga,

It isn't anyone's right to question what career anyone will follow, therefore, the question of whether, it is time to re-evaluate womens role on the frontline, is redundant, it was a personal choice. Brave young people, men and women, who put their lives where politicians mouths are.

Elizabeth Boyd-Harvey-Keeling, HEMEL MEMPSTEAD, England

Despite all the political posturing women are not men, and any realistic assessment of the respective responsibilities of both has to take this into account. Each should do what they are best at and forcing equality regardless is just a corrupt ideology that will unravel when reality bites.

James, Norwich, UK

How many soldiers need to die because of road side bombs etc before we take our soldiers off the roads and into the skies? Maybe the MOD are afraid to admit that we are woefully short in transport helicopters that could possibly save the lives of soldiers.

robo, Southampton,

mod sals are high troops are low? it odd ?we have more m.o.d staff than frontline troops? come on pm. sort it. we 2 meny on the gravey train but those that count get pennies

John Alam, Aylsham,

Notions of a "single front-line" are almost as redundant as those of "sex-based role selection". The important factor is that commanding officers have a combat-effective team for each individual or combined task; in which some soldiers are unfortunately killed or injured.

Rob Agar, Sheffield, England

anyway, i just wanna express my sorry and the greatest respect to her and everyone who participate and who lost their life in the battle against terrorism or other anti human right
i wiish her and those people die in peace, and tell her and those people's family, they are die in honor!

cty, china,

Than fact is that society does value women's lives more than men's. This is not the first headine that betrays this and it won't be the last.

Chris, Cheltenham,

Women are not made for fighting at all.... they are made for beauti, feminity, home etc..they are shy, inward, reserved by nature... society is changing all this... which is totally out of reality

Somey, Kathmandu,

Ben, Carlisle. The idea is NOT to die for your country, the idea is to kill others for your country. You are not much use dead.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

I have never heard of Sarah before and I find it very disturbing she had to end her life in a country so far away from our borders.
Our brave soldiers should protect our borders not invade other countries!

Peter, Southampton, Southampton,

female soldier, male soldier, its irrelevant, what a waste of life, no one joining up really expects to die for they're country. least of all in some God forsaken war which has nothing to do with England. Isn't it time we stopped providing canon fodder for an American war.

Will, Hannover, Germany

Putting women in wars is another attempt to destroy humanity's last traits of feminity, nurturing nature and social ways. If women are on the front line, let them also rule our countries and run international diplomacy.

Sebastien, Glasgow, UK

"Britain’s increasing use of women on the front line of war was called into question yesterday after Afghanistan claimed its first female casualty."

Ridiculous Statement. Loss of lfe is tragic period. There is no place for equal rights arguments here.

Kris, Bristol,

How sad that the media have gone straight back to neanderthal attitudes towards women. I thought we had convinced our society that we are not weak, fragile, helpless little flowers but it would seem that underneath every new man is an old fashioned, arrogant, patronising chauvinist.

Kate Corwyn, Bristol,

A lovely lady, who has wasted her life in some dead end war, that Gordon Brown wound not lose any member of his family in. Fighting for AMERICAN ill fated foreign policies. What a waste.

Daphne Kenward, Cambridge, UK

What a waste of another young life, killed in her prime. The UK government wants to get involved in every conflict around the world, but not equipping our troops with the necessary protective hardware is a real crime. Now the Territorials are being used as non paid combatants! What a joke!

Julian, Ipswich, UK

Sarah's job, as a linguist, is a crucial part of the war effort and she will be sadly missed. She was working in Combat Support and was killed by a roadside bomb, she was not run through by a bayonet wielding Talib. This is a probability isse, not a women on the 'frontline' issue. RIP 3 x Blades.

James, Manchester,

Isn't this a blatant case of sexism? Perhaps we shouldn't be allowed in the military at all, for fear of breaking a fingernail?

Claire, Edinburgh,

I am fully aware of the job sarah would have been undertaking and regardless of her sex she was a soldier first. It is a sad loss to society that 4 lives have been lost. As for negative comments made about reservist 23 Special Air Service, they play a vital role, as do other TA soldiers.

marie, edinburgh, scotland

Look. Society cannot have it both ways. Either women are equal or they are not. If, as I believe, they are, then they must except all the same responsibilities as their male conterparts.The army cannot take on recruits who say they will not serve on or near the frontline.I salute all servicepersonel

ben, london, uk

In war, there should be no different rules of engagement for men or women. It is up the individual whether this is a life they wish to lead, if they don't, then don't join.

The bigger question is why any forces are there in the first place. This catastrophe is only possible because they make it so.

Laura Roberts, London, United Kingdom

A soldier is, by definition, a soldier. In Britain it comprises volunteers who know what they are doing. The decisions of politicans and generals, right or wrong, are part of the deal. As a soldier she has probably faced the enemy in battle and may have killed people .
Remember Boadicea!

Mark, Malmö, Sweden

I feel great admiration for all our soldiers and sympathy for their familiies. However, they are not "fighting for a cause". They fight whomever our political masters tell them to fight. It is particularly sad when these brave people die in futile and murderous occupations of foreign lands.

Robert, London,

I have as strong views on the subject of Women soldiers as most people. But immediately following the sad death of this young soldier is neither the time nor the place to argue them out.

Bob Finbow, Haverhill, England

I cannot quite understand the media hype that surrounds the death of female soldier. We have been fighting in Afghanistan since 2001 and this is the first woman to die in the conflict. Tragic as it may be, this pales into insignificance when compared with the other 105 serivce personnel killed.

Edward , Oxford, uk

Are we missing something here? Equality of gender in death? What does our attitude to this war say about our society in general? Why aren't we decrying the death of all our PEOPLE in a war which has no clear purpose, but a perpetual committment? What exactly are our reasons/ needs in being there?

james johnstone, Carlisle, UK

equality - look it up.

hannah, leamington,

People of england focus on what is most important here. The Australian forces demanded and got the Bushmaster and ASLAV. They are IED safe. What do your troops get? An "armoured" land rover - that was obviously not armoured enough.
Yell at your government for giving your troops pathetic equipment.

Mark, Melbourne,

Jeremy Page, Michael Evans and Francis Elliott. I think this article is disgraceful. What is this paper coming to? Are you seriously trying to stoke up a gender debate as serious as this whilst people are serving and dying on the front line. Shame on you. Equal rights, equal pay, equal risks.

ben, london, uk

You think that women have been kept from the front lines? Think again. It's all very well people saying that women are being kept from the front, but even in this article you mention how the front line shifts.

Sarah, Gillingham,

Michael M, 23 and 21 SAS do not conduct the same selection as 22. Nor do they have the same wartime role. 23/21 selection has many similar components to regular but it is protracted and non-continual. Still a stern test.

James, Manchester,

Do the world's major militaries have female battlefield soldiers? No
Why? These countries ignore the fantasy-based onanisms of academics, Social Engineers and such reality-deprived career gas-bags.
A female can NEVER compete in any way with a male soldier. Incontrovertible fact.

PS I served. I know

Peter, London, UK

Women have been fighting and dying in every war since the dawn of time. If a woman can give birth one minute, and pick up the child and continue on as many women do in third world countries today, I think they may be able to pick up a gun and shoot someone trying to kill them or their service mates.

Carol Williams, Clinton, USA

Typical. One woman dies and the role of all women in the front line is called into question. The worst kind of sexism is the idiots who don't even realize they are doing it. Grow up.

Taz, Hants, England

The pro female soldier argument ignores proven fact.
Women DO NOT train to the same level as males. This is false. Their physicals are much easier.
Outside the rarefied and academic Equal Opportunity West the world has very different attitudes to women.
They know women make poor soldiers.

Peter, London, UK

She was part of the army same as everyone else. As a woman I am embarrassed by this special treatment. Equality means just that.
This special treatement is just another kind of sexism.

ayla, london,

Road-side bombs don't discriminate. None of the issues surrounding women in combat came into this sad loss of life.

Thanks to all who serve(d).
Condolences to all who loved the absent friends.

KathyC, London,

I am in the TA. Female soldiers are excellent, often more resourceful and flexible than male, and the ones that make it are hard as nails, believe me. NONE of us join for any other reason than to actually make a difference and if you think that's propaganda then you ain't ever going to understand.

Steve, London, UK

'reservist SAS business', hard working highly motivated people often in very good jobs in the city or legal profession who also choose to give up their time to serve the nation and in this case their lives for their nation. Yes they are super people, nothing less explains their role.

Richard de Gerber, Kingston upon Thames, Uk

As an ex-grunt in Vietnam I am not convinced that women should be in combat roles. I am not too sure that urinating, defecating, running around the bush with a heavy machine gun or radio, dragging the wounded to safety or carrying dead mates is appropriate. If woman could do that, then no probs!

Mike Bevan, Adelaide, Australia

For the benefit of Conal O'Donnell, Lapworth ,there are 2 SAS TA regiments, 23 and 21(Artists Volunteers). All soldiers serving in TA units will undergo the same selection process as for the regular army. Also I doubt if any soldier who has served with the SAS would regard themselves as supermen

Michael M, Seremban, Malaysia

A soldier does not concern themselves with male or female in battle only friend or foe. Are we so removed in todays society that we waste our time arguing the rights and wrongs on gender when we should be focussing on the commitment and dedication these heroic individuals both male and female make.

Russell, Stafford,

Hi,
Britain’s increasing use of women on the front line of war was called into question. I love my wife in a moment of weakness I did register her with the NASA to be the first woman on Mars. Women have no place in war. Keep things to the Florence Nightingale level in the interest of all.
Regards Dr. Terence Hale

Terence Hale, zandvoort, Holland

Why is this an issue? Four soldiers have been killed, which is a tragic loss and is newsworthy. However, I see no reason even to mention that one of them is "different" to the others.

Alan, London, UK

How come this newspaper considers the death of ms Bryant more important than that of the 3 males?

Jim, Burnley,

I have never understood this reservist SAS business.Either you are superman or you are not .Or is it the case that there really are Clark Kent characters around.One day a mild mannered clerk in an office the next a tiger against the Taliban.Why not an article about it?As for Sarah God Bless!

conal o ' donnell , lapworth, england

Equality for women means equal opportunities and responsibilities. Death in battle is an equal opportunity that women need to face. Otherwise, its just sexist piffle.That being said, any soldier's death is sad. All the attention on Ms. Bryant and NONE on her male colleagues speaks volumes.

richard block, London,

Those who stick up for women on the front line seem to be forgetting that its a natural instinct for men to protect women so this is going to cause more lives in the end. Those who want to play with the equal rights rubbish in war should be locked up for putting more lives at risk!

John, Salford, England

This article implies one of 2 things. Either women are less capable than men or a woman's life is more important important than a man's. Both implications are insulting to female soldiers.

Dan, London,

Women's lives are no more precious than men's lives, nor women's commitment to freedom and fighting for freedom less profound. It detracts from the ultimate sacrifice made by men and this woman to say that her death calls policies into question.

B J Hollis, The Hague,

Being ex Intelligence Officer, I know full well the work this young women would have to undertake. Thank you Sarah for a job well done in difficult circumstances in a noble profession.

My condolensces to her family and friends.

Mike C, London, UK

Ms Bryant may you RIP. You make me very proud to be a woman today. You have carried out heroic duties and regardless of the outcomes you went and did something that you truly believed in without any hinderance of societies perceptions of what women should or should not do.

Debra Steadman, Leicester, UK

I salute this woman and thank her for her sacrifice. Now why is her gender being raised as though it matters? Is a mans life worth less than a womans? Perhaps our minister for women and equality does only half a job.

John, Stafford, UK

Anyone who voluntarily takes on a certain profession usually knows what it entails, certainly, anyone enlisting in the armed forces when we are involved in a war does. They take the risk because they believe in what they do. My hat is off to those who serve. Condolences to all victims families.

mo, LA,

Capt. Nichola Goddard of the RCHA while attached to the PPCLI was killed while fighting Taliban near Kandahar on May 17, 2006. It is good to know that western female fighers are involved in the battle against those that oppress women in such a violent manner.

Dennis O, Edmonton, Canada

Respect to Ms Bryant; RIP. She was braver and tougher than me and I'm sure she was doing what she wanted to do (as her father said). So where's the issue? Soldiers have to do what they are told regardless of their gender. Don't like it, don't sign up.

David, Cambridge, UK

Women want to be treated the same as men then this should not be an issue.

The possibility of rape and other sexual assaults being used is the big fear.

Do male soldiers overprotect their female colleagues in combat situations? Or is that considered sexist?

Andy , Livingston,

The trouble with war is that it doesnt discriminate between any age or gender. This is the problem we face when countries enter into war. People forget that. People are putting themselves out there when no real resolution is being achieved. Get our men/women back home now before any more suffering!

Hannah, Essex,

1/2 All people r equal(in d West)but they all perform different roles depending on education, experience, age, ambition. Men n women r equal but gender determines their role:only women have wombs n breasts to conceive and nurture children ! D average Afghani woman has 5 children by d time she is 25.

carmine cicchiello, adelaide, australia

It should be pointed out that the first female casualty in Afghanistan was in fact Capt. Nichola Goddard, a combat engineer with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. Still, Any death in war is a tragedy, whether the casualty is male or female, Canadian or British.

Neil G., Kanata, Ontario, Canada

This is not the time or place for a gender debate and those that engage in it are clearly far removed from the reality of this event.
I am grateful to all four soldiers who died and their families that they were prepared to risk all doing a thankless task in a thankless place.
Rest in Peace.

Andy, London, UK

Servicewomen train to the same standard as male soldiers, they sacrifice just as much by taking up a military way of life, and they understand the risks. Where is the logic in barring female soldiers from combat roles, when the combat so often comes to them? Open all of the Army to women!

B Bolton, Hertfodshire, England

Although this is clearly a very sad thing to have happened, and I'm very sympathetic to her family. She signed up for a cause she believe in... why does the fact that she's female mean "more" than other male casualties?

Kate, Sydney, Australia

What grotesque and patronising sentiments on a day when a woman soldier has lost her life.. Does Michael W believe that anyone believes that Sarah Bryant cowered behind her three fallen colleagues either during the fatal incident or before?

jeremy watt, wimbledon, london

WHAT is with the M.O.D these days, Woman are not made to go to war and fight mans wars. Have we lost our good senses as man.
Sending woman to war is criminal as far as i am concerned. they are more trouble then they are worth. Are there no hospitals where they can work and do good womans work .

L.A. ISUFI, B. County .N.J., UNITED STATES

Women have been serving nations, since the beginning of time inmemeroia. It's just the shock in this day and time, we loose such bright and and good looking females. Gender
has nothing to do with service to ones country! And even today women in the United States are carrying on in old traditions.

vincent campellone, gardengrove, calif, USA

God Bless this women and her family.Can't say I like the idea of a woman dying in my arms in combat.It's hard enough watching your buddies die.Could you order the one or two woman in your command to take the point?Or charge the hill?Combat Support, yes. Direct Combat? No. Please, for our children

Tim, Bethlehem, USA

A soldier dying is tragic, and may she rest in peace - but I can't see why it's any more so if it's a woman. Equality should mean just that - equal pay, training, skills and risks. I doubt this officer would have wanted it any other way.

Kate, London, UK

Women should be put on the front line alongside men. This is the age of equal opportunity and its pretty sexist to send in men only if you ask me.

mark, Leeds,

Women were used on the front line in ww2 and died awful deaths at the hands of the ss-tortured to death over days. There is nothing new about women in the front line. It is sad when women die, just as sad as when men die. We should be proud of them. Thank-you!

Louise, uk,

The greater danger to troopers when women are in their midst, is that their cultural up-bringing will over-ride military PC, thereby endangering themselves and others, besides the women present. All the social brashness of putting them in harms way is too easily outweighed by danger to the many.

Bob Evans, Anaheim, California

I respect the women serving in the armed forces. It is the same respect that is due the men serving in the armed forces. Officer Bryant was clearly a highly skilled, brave soldier. As a woman, I think the only reason for shielding women from combat is if they cannot physically do a specific job.

Jill, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

I agree, I find it almost comical in a way when people bring out the violins for soldiers who are killed in battle. The whole point of being a soldier is to effectively die for your country. You can't sign up and go to war and then complain that bullets are flying towards you and people are dying

ben, carlisle,

It's certainly arguable, outside the submarine services (where there are legitimate medical reasons to exclude women).

Leon Wolfeson, Oxford, UK

If women are not allowed onto the front lines, do they get paid less than male soldiers? Seems only fair.

Rob, Singapore,

Are we not at a stage now that women can get true gender equality? I'm sure women that sign up to the armed forced know that they are their for a purpose and that purpose involves the possibility that they can be injured or killed. Let's stop the idea that they need to hide behind a man to survive.

michael w, surbiton, england