Not all of the responses to Chacón are so blatantly sexist, though many traffic in deeply held stereotypes of women. Some are saying that the appointment of a woman who lacks military training is sending a pacifist message — you know, 'cause wimmins hate war. Maribel Montaño, secretary for equality during Zapatero's first term, says that "a woman in full womanhood [leading troops]...shows that the army doesn't just have to fulfill this masculine role of force. It can be more feminine, more humanitarian." Zapatero has a record of anti-war decisions, for instance, NATO has been trying to get him to increase the number of Spanish troops in Afghanistan. He has resisted, so far.

Spanish citizens are also curious about what will happen two months from now when Chacón gives birth (Spain gives women 16 weeks of maternity leave). No doubt her continued professional excellence will quiet the right wing critics who are calling the women of Spain's cabinet an "army of seamstresses", but we predict Chacón will be fighting a more personal war at home... that of new-mother sleep deprivation.

Spain's Pregnant Defense Minister [Time]
Women Dominate Spanish Cabinet [BBC]
An 'Armchair Feminist' Who Conquered Spain [Guardian]

Lauterbach filed the rape charges against Laurean (pictured) in April, and according to the Washington Post, Maria was harassed so badly in the meantime by her fellow Marines that she had to move off-base. Neither Lauterbach nor Laurean was reassigned to a different base after these charges were filed, because, according to military authorities, they were on "friendly terms" and Maria was ostensibly protected by a military order issued in May and renewed three times since then.

As has been reported before 20% of female veterans who seek care from the VA hospital showed symptoms of military sexual trauma. CBS News notes that there have been "complaints from female service members that the male-dominated chain of command did not take their allegations seriously," and the reticence of the Department of Defense to get involved in the Jamie Leigh Jones rape case further implies that the U.S. military does not care about the safety of the women in its employ.

Laurean is currently still missing, and though there have been sightings of him in Louisiana, none have been confirmed. Doddering local sheriff, Ed Brown, who, when Maria first went missing, implied that she had simply run away, had this to say about Laurean when asked what the Marine was capable of: ""Based on what I saw in that grave, anything."

Urgency Of Search For Marine Questioned [Washington Post]
Possible Sighting Of Marine Murder Suspect [CBS News]
No 'Confirmed Sightings' Of Suspect In Marine's Killing [CNN]

Earlier:
Mom Of Missing, Pregnant Marine Says She Was Victim Of Sexual Assault By A Superior
What Did Missing Marine Maria Lauterbach Witness Before She Mysteriously Vanished?
DoD To Jamie Leigh Jones: You're On Your Own, Sweetie