Arm the Afghan Women

FOX NEWS ^ | Tuesday, November 20, 2001 | Wendy McElroy

[ouroboros]

It is commonplace to assume that toppling the Taliban will free Afghan women. But in an unstable country where soldiers celebrate conquest by raping, women have to protect themselves to remain free. Afghan women need to exercise the right of self-defense, including gun ownership.

[English Rose]

Fantastic article. I've been thinking exactly the same.

[ouroboros]

bump

[mae32]

great article...makes all kinds of common sense...but, will it fly.

[backhoe]

"If we are going to go in and rebuild Afghanistan and reverse the damage, we better not rely on the guys with the guns to make the decisions." The best defense against "guys with guns" is women with guns.

The only explaination I can find for these women accepting the shoddy, disgraceful, criminal treatment they were subjected to is thst "the guys had all the guns."

I say, "Arm 'em & empower 'em!"

[George Frm Br00klyn Park]

OB, Maybe their new "Constitution" will give women equal rights with the men. Including firearm ownership. This would also help to prevent takeover by another tolitaritarian regime. Well..., I can dream can't I. Peace and love, George.

[Junior]

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.

Methinks the Afghan women don't necessarily need to be armed ...

[Jason_b]

ditto!

[Piquaboy]

I did not know they didn't have arms. I can't tell with them having those Burqa's on.

[B4Ranch]

If these women have been willing to give up their freedoms to the Taliban then I don't have much hope that they will ever stand up for themselves. They have already shown themselves to be cattle.

[mafree]

All women (men too) need to be able to be armed bump.

[headsonpikes]

"Give a man a fish..." LOL!

This is a wonderful article, but such an epitome of un-PC thinking could never get U.S. support!

A great idea!!!

[AnnaZ]

The Belles agree!

ExcellentarticleBUMPTTT!

[SusanUSA]

If these women have been willing to give up their freedoms to the Taliban then I don't have much hope that they will ever stand up for themselves. They have already shown themselves to be cattle.

And exactly what was their alternative? Their own fathers, husbands, and brothers were too cowardly to protect them. It is easy to sit here and simplify this with generalizations, but in reality, with the options presented to them, they could only choose to live in compliance or die in the attempt to fight back, weaponless and alone.

Those lucky enough to have REAL options used them.

Nooria recalled, "I learned explosive techniques and began supervising and teaching the younger men...We would stick explosives and detonators under the Russians' tables and chairs." When asked what she would do if the women-hating Taliban captured her city of residence, Kabul, Nooria asked, "We will fight them as we fought the Russians."

That is what some women have done. In Newsday (November 12, 2001), journalists Matthew McAllester and Ilana Ozernoy quoted Malika, a mother whose family lived on the Taliban front line of Bagram just north of Kabul. Malika declared, "At night I go up on the roof with my Kalashnikov [a Russian assault rifle] and my hand grenades to protect my house."

The best defense against "guys with guns" is women with guns. This is especially true if the woman is alone in her home, protecting her daughter from rape or her young son from being kidnapped into the military.

[SusanUSA]

Excellent article, ouroborus. Thanks much for the flag!

BTTT

[SusanUSA]

The Iranian artist Shirin Neshat captured this in her acclaimed photographic series "Women of Allah (1993-97)."

[B4Ranch]

If this woman knew how to use explosives, why didn't she teach her lady friends the techniques? My personal experience is that a grenade is more effective than pistol and a bomb is more effective than a rifle. These women could have shown the Taliban what an angry woman could do to them many years ago.

[SusanUSA]

And the men? What about the men who are so glad to have the Taliban run out of their towns with our help? Exactly why are they left out in your disdain? These men who HAD access to the guns?

[Servant of the Nine]

Considering the suply situation in Afghanistan, ammo, spare parts, etc. and the need for a small concielable personal defense weapon, we need to give every woman there a Makarov pistol.

So9

[Servant of the Nine]

Considering the suply situation in Afghanistan, ammo, spare parts, etc. and the need for a small concielable personal defense weapon, we need to give every woman there a Makarov pistol.

So9