A Woman to Replace Saddam

FoxNews.com ^ | Tuesday, March 11, 2003 | By Wendy McElroy

[Frapster]

Reports are circulating that President Bush intends to divide a post-Saddam Iraq into three sectors: north, south and central. Two retired U.S. generals would separately administer the north and south while the central sector, including Baghdad, would be overseen by a woman: Barbara Bodine, a former ambassador to Yemen.

[Frapster]

Playing the "Bodine card" is an aggressive move by the Bush administration. It is likely to complicate any resolution to post-Saddam Iraq. But it is also likely to solidify Bush's domestic support if only because it clips another feather from left-wingers.

The nature of politics really eludes me. I guess I'm to naieve to believe that what's best in this situation is not necessarily what's best for George Bush. I certainly think he should do everything humanly possible to thwart the inevitable attacks by the left on anything he does - but in this instance his action appears to be courting attacks not from within but from without.

Bodine may be qualified in every way but in this one instance it does not pay for Bush to be politically correct. Putting a woman in place in Baghdad is going to be the ultimate insult to fundamentalist muslims and they will not fail to recognize it. They are right - it will complicate the situation in Iraq after the war if this turns out to be true.

[Frapster]

oh - this is my very first ever breaking news post - please go gentle on me if you think it isn't appropriate!

[tomkat]

may i be the first to predict that the lefties will undoubtedly refer to the woman as 'jethro' ?

[CurlyBill]

Why not Jethro Bodine!

[goldstategop]

Muslims need to grow up and move into the 21st century and the feminazis need to grow up and move into this century too. President Bush will drag them kicking and screaming into it. That's what I call a gutsy move and a poke right in the face of familiar convention. Its far from politically correct.

[GraniteStateConservative]

It's old news, not really breaking news. I heard about her a few days ago or so. This is obviously a commentary-- a clue that the news in it isn't hot off the wires.

[tomkat]

fofl !

[Indy Pendance]

heh, this would be so great considering how women are treated over there. Do you think it might be too much of a culture change for people there?

[Mulder]

President Bush will drag them kicking and screaming into it. That's what I call a gutsy move and a poke right in the face of familiar convention.

I thought he believed in "democracy for the people of Iraq".

How does that correlate to installing a leader that most of the people of Iraq don't approve of?

[drc43]

"Putting a woman in place in Baghdad is going to be the ultimate insult to fundamentalist muslims and they will not fail to recognize it. They are right - it will complicate the situation in Iraq after the war if this turns out to be true. "

Heck, Pakistan has had a woman Prime Minister several times, as I recall.

[tomkat]

... I heard about her a few days ago or so ...

some of us older freeps 'break' a little slower'n we used to.
try to be patient with us ...

[goldstategop]

Hey its a military government. The fascist deadwood has to be swept out first before the Iraqi people can choose their own leaders.

[w1andsodidwe]

So, just because she is a woman, you think that she should not be there. That strikes me as extremely sexist.

[InterceptPoint]

In general, the Arab world does not welcome nor want women in power, especially power over men. Bodine's presence may be a stumbling block to the stability of any post-Iraq solution. And Bush may be trading off a foreign advantage for a domestic one.

Assuming the above is correct (and I believe it is) then the idea of putting Bodine in place in Baghdad will be a real deal killer. Politically astute, perhaps, but ultimately Geoge Bush will be judged not by how the war with Iraq went since it will go well but on how successfully he manages the rebuilding of Iraq. That success will need the full support and cooperation of the Iraqi people and their leaders.

I don't think the Bodine approach will work. But then I'm not the President of the United States either.

[grannie9]

;)

[tomkat]

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

Is she a lesbian? Imagine, a Muslim lesbian... She could legalize same-sex marriage in Iraq and then take over Saddam's Harem.

[Mulder]

The fascist deadwood has to be swept out first before the Iraqi people can choose their own leaders.

Most moslims have a big problem with women walking down the street, much less in leadership positions.

If this war is really about "democracy for the people of Iraq", why do you think it's a good idea to insult the majority of the people of Iraq after sadaam is removed? If we desire friendship with the people of Iraq, why insult them?

In other words, are our leaders just stupid or are they lying about what this war is really about?

[goldstategop]

The Iraqi people are educated and their women don't wear burqas. No one is going to take away their freedom. But after three decades of totalitarian rule, their society has to be completely remade. That's where American military government comes in. Look at our success in reshaping Germany and Japan after World War II. President Bush has his model for a post-war Iraq.

[eabinga]

Been done before in Turkey...

Tansu Ciller

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Tansu Çiller was born in Istanbul in 1946.

A graduate of Robert College, Tansu Ciller received a degree in economics from Bogaziçi University. Ciller obtained a PhD degree in economics from the University of Conneticut. She carried out her post-doctoral studies at Yale University.

Ciller became an associate professor in 1978 and full professor in 1983. After serving on the academic board of various universities, mainly in Bogazici University's Department of Economics, Professor Ciller entered politics in November 1990 in Suleyman Demirel's True Path Party (DYP). She became deputy chairperson of the DYP, following her election victory to the DYP executive board. In the October 20, 1991 election she was elected to Parliament from Istanbul on the DYP ticket. With the formation of the True Path Party (DYP)-Social Democratic Populist Party (SHP) coalition government, Ciller was appointed state minister responsible for the economy in Demirel's cabinet. Emerging as an active member of the cabinet, Ciller gained popularity, especially with her contacts in the West.

She decided to run for DYP leadership following Dumirel's election as the 9th President of the Turkish Republic. Ciller got the highest vote in the first round of elections at the DYP extraordinary convention on June I3,1993, leaving other canditates far behind. Ciller is the first woman prime minister of the Turkish Republic.

She has nine publications on economy.

Married with two children, Professor Ciller speaks fluent English and German.