Kurdish fighters offer guerrilla feminism for the Mideast

AFP ^ | Tue Nov 28, 1:01 PM ET | Paul Schemm

[humint]

• "When a woman leaves her home and picks up a rifle it is no small thing -- it is a social revolution," said Arshem Kurman, a hardened guerrilla and lecturer at one of the movement's schools where women's rights are taught.
• They all laughed when asked if they had not preferred to stay at home and bear children rather than arms, universally shaking their heads. "Women in these families are forbidden from learning, forbidden from leaving," said Rojbin Hajjar, a Kurd originally from Syria. In some cases, especially in Iran, guerrillas have helped unhappy girls run away from their families to join the PKK, Hajjar added. "We are not just an example for the women of the Middle East but for women the world over," added rebel commander Sozdar Serbiliz.

Would either of you two like to tell me why the social justice movement, in obscure corners of the world like this one, is being carried forward primarily by ambitious women with AK47s. It doesn;t matter that Marxism cannot make the world more social or facilitate justice. Any ideology that professes to pull the boot off of women's necks is indeed an upgrade from the circumstances they suffer. Ask yourself, how have these people come to know K. Marx but not T. Jefferson, J. Addams or P. Henrey? There is a disturbing ideological imballance in the region because good men in America have let evil prevail for too long. That's the real travisty of justice here. Given the greatness inside our borders, what happens beyond them sounds surreal. The above from the article sounds like a script for La Femme Nikita 2. Instead of a French socialist, woman, recovering drug addict, Assasin - this is the true story of many Kurdish, recoverning marxist, feminist, militants. The PKK are the other, other Iraq - inside the other Iraq - within Iraq - with their backs against a wall. Enemy of my enemy! - Marxists! Whatever...

Anne Parillaud is phenomenal as a terrifyingly vulnerable, beautiful and human young anti-hero with an incredible talent for violence. A drug-addict murderous teen is given a second chance by a government agency looking to exploit her penchant for conscience-less killing. Mentored by a man whose compassion for her is only matched by his ambition and Machiavellian sadism, Nikita ventures on a roller-coaster ride leading a double-life as assassin and clean-living young woman in love. Her passionate affair with Marco and the clarity of her un-drugged consciousness, combine to promote the development of a conscience - a dangerous thing in her line of work. Nikita is, nevertheless, a victim of her circumstances, and like the rest of the characters on both sides, seems stuck in a very bad situation. In addition to the artistry with which this story is told, this film has a very nihilistic sense of justice and not-so-subtly points out the fact that state authorized murder is still murder.

[Thunder90]

The PKK occasionally ends up fighting PUK forces.

[saganite]

Women fighters in Israel predated the women PKK fighters and they helped build a Democracy. You should review the history of women inside the Soviet Union before extolling the virtues of Marxism. You should also find some other way to inform your worldview besides Hollywood.

[humint]

Women fighters in Israel predated the women PKK fighters and they helped build a Democracy. You should review the history of women inside the Soviet Union before extolling the virtues of Marxism. You should also find some other way to inform your worldview besides Hollywood.

1. Marxism is not virtuous - I never suggested it was in my post to you.
2. Neither Le Femme Nikta nor Hollywood are a primary source for my world view.
3. The point of discussing women's roles was to do with their tribal circumstance which makes them vulnerable to organizing under bad ideas and to rhetorically ask - where are the good ideas in their environment.

Do you have any other suggestions as to what I should do?

[saganite]

Do you have any other suggestions as to what I should do?


Sure:

1. Don't use a Marxist woman as an example of the way women can remove the yoke of Islam. There are better examples.

2. If Hollywood isn't your primary source for your worldview then don't cite some obscure Hollywood pap as your example of how women can be liberated.

3. Where are the good ideas in their environment? Even a moderate Islamic govt like the one in Malaysia offers women opportunities they won't find in the radicalized Islamic societies. The answer for Muslims can be found within their own religion if they look for it. Unfortunately, the trend is in the other direction.

[Jacob Kell]

Well, the WIkipedia article on them states that: "During 1990s, Iran has provided PKK with supplies in the form of weapons and funds".

Also, the Federation of American Scientists has stated the following about the PKK: "Has received safehaven and modest aid from Syria, Iraq, and Iran."

You can read more at:

http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/pkk.htm

Yes, most Kurds are decent people, but even they have their share of bad apples, just like everyone else. Just because the PKK are Kurdish doesn't necessarily mean they're the good guys. After all, they've taken aid from Saddam and Tehran when they felt it suited their interests.

BTW, just out of curiosity, are you Kurdish?

[humint]

To paraphrase you:

1. Don't use
2. Don't cite
3. Don't interfere

If you recall, my question was Do you have any other suggestions as to what I should do?. I was looking for positive concepts not restrictive and isolating ones. My question was not what shouldn't I do?. Had I asked you that, the answers you offered would've had a potential of being correct. Your first response is wrong because I offered T. Jefferson as an alternative to K. Marx as an example ideology capable of removing the yoke of Islam. Your second answer is a matter of opinion. The devices you use to understand the world are not mine - and mine are not yours. You offer no alternative so at this point, I have reason to believe that you do not use your God given cognitive rationality to understand the world around you. And your third answer is sheer fantasy. The answers to questions emerging around the world because of Globalization are not contained only within the confines existing Islamic guidance. Your answers are all wrong - but this is a test you can retake. Try again -

• Do you have any other suggestions as to what I should do?

[Jacob Kell]

Actually, the Taliban never fought the Soviets. In fact, the Taliban didn't exist during the Soviet-Afghan War. The Taliban came into existence in 1995, about six years after the Sovs.left.

[saganite]

Yes, I have one more suggestion but I would be banned if I wrote it out. This discussion is ended.

[saganite]

Sorry a misstatement on my part. I meant Al Qaeda which originated during that time. Osama was present during the Russian occupation. I got my terrorists mixed up.

[Jacob Kell]

I believe that Al-Qaeda itself didn't exist yet during the Soviet occupation. I believe that it was called something else...Makbat al something, I believe. It was dubbed AL-Qaeda after the Sovs. left.

BTW, the Taliban did indeed include former Muj in it's ranks, however, the same Muj organizations that we backed during the Soviet war were the ones who fought them and later became the Northern Alliance.

[humint]

Yes, I have one more suggestion but I would be banned if I wrote it out. This discussion is ended.