NYP: KUWAITI WOMEN GAIN, ISLAMISTS LOSE, by Amir Taheri

When the Kuwaiti National Assembly (parliament) met Monday, few expected the session to make history by granting women full political rights....

The decision ends Kuwait's dubious distinction as one of only two countries in the world not to allow women to take part in elections. It also opens the way for the appointment of women to Cabinet and ambassadorial positions....

Much to their disappointment, Kuwaiti women failed to persuade the administration of George Bush, the father, to press Kuwaiti leaders for reform. Obsessed with Realpolitik, the administration regarded democracy and human rights in the Middle East as desirable luxuries rather than urgent necessities. That attitude continued during the Clinton administration, which, in the name of multiculturalism, naively tried to court some of the so-called "moderate Islamists."

By 2002, however, American policy had shifted in favor of encouraging democratization throughout the region. The issue of granting women equal political rights moved up the agenda between Kuwait and Washington as the U.S. realized that democratization in the Arab world would enhance its own national security....

One reason for this is that Kuwaiti women are far better educated than their menfolk. For the past 10 years, women have formed a majority of university graduates in almost all key subjects. And in almost every case, they have outshone men in terms of academic achievement. It was, therefore, bad politics to deny the best-educated half of the populace a role in decision-making.

Also, the granting of equal political rights to Kuwaiti women may well be a major defeat for Islamism, as a political ideology and a tool for seeking power, but not for Islam either as a religious faith or culture. There is at least as much in Islam as both faith and culture that favors such equal rights as there is that rejects it.

'Much to their disappointment, Kuwaiti women failed to persuade the administration of George Bush, the father, to press Kuwaiti leaders for reform.'

Look, I believe in helping folks who need help, but what does the Arab street call Americans who try to 'help'?

Let me see - Nazis, satans, pigs, dogs, the list goes on and on.

And while it is nice that the Kuwaiti ladies are perhaps getting more freedoms, their lovely religion of peace will no doubt kick in to perform 'honor killings' on those who take advantage of the freedoms.

We can't fix an insane religion that is made up of insane people. The ones who aren't insane are the only ones who can do anything about it.

And the mob mentality that is the preferred method of expression in the Arab world, can't be stopped by words.

Lived in Turkey in the 60s. One summer the Turks rioted. They burned the German flag. They burned the US flag in front of our apartment after seeing the American-tagged car parked below. Then they burned their own flag. By then none of them were playing with a full deck. Mob mentality (a lot like the Dems in the senate) has no conscience and mob actions make no sense.

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