Scarborough: Blood Will Be On Pentagon's Hands If It Lowers Standards For Women

Joe Scarborough was a voice in the politically-correct wilderness this morning on the subject of women in combat.  On today's Morning Joe, as other panelists voiced unerring if occasionally cautious support for the Pentagon's decision to permit women in combat, Scarborough sounded a stern warning note.

"I'll be damned; if we find out that the Pentagon is lowering standards for politically-correct reasons, then you know what? Then the blood of dead Americans in future battles will be on their hands." View the video after the jump.

Scarborough went on to make the point that although co-host Mika Brzezinski is in much better shape than he is, she would be unable to carry his 230-pound frame off a battle field should he be wounded, whereas he'd be able to hoist her 125 pounds over his shoulder and keep going.  Among the panelists, MSNBC contributor and exec Richard Wolffe was predictably the most supportive of the new policy, claiming that "we've moved beyond"  debate over the wisdom on women in the combat.

Watch Scarborough make a strong statement for the maintenance of military standards.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Steve [Rattner], there is a difference. There is a difference physically, for the most part, in what men are able to accomplish and what women are able to accomplish out on a battlefield, on a football field, around a track. Again, this is not shocking. This is not open to debate. And by the way, I just want to be very clear because I'm sure people are freaking out right now, I'm not saying I don't want women in combat. Women can be in combat, but I'll be damned, if we find out that the Pentagon is lowering standards for politically correct reasons, then you know what? Then the blood of the dead americans in future battles will be on their hands. That's what we've got to make sure doesn't happen.