Women Bite Dogs in Iraq

Here is one of the biggest stories to come out of the Middle East in quite some time.  You probably can’t find it in the New York Slimes or the Washington Compost  (copyright, Mark Levin), but rather on the exceptionally useful web site of our military Voila’:

TIKRIT, Iraq – Eighteen females in northern Iraq who were associated with Al-Qaeda in Iraq suicide bombing cells turned themselves into Coalition forces on Nov. 26.

The females were persuaded by their mullahs and fathers to cease their training in suicide operations and reconcile.

Today, these women took the first step in reconciliation by turning themselves in and signing a reconciliation pledge.

Individuals who turn themselves into CF and want to demonstrate their willingness to cease attacks against the Government of Iraq, Iraqi civilians, Iraqi Security Forces and CF can enter the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process. Eligible petitioners provide weapons and information on insurgent groups and sign a pledge to cease attacks and declare their support for the GoI.

Let’s start with the dateline:  Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s home town.  How good is that?  Then comes the really good part:  these women were talked out of terrorism by their fathers and by their mullahs.  So we’re talking about Shi’ites, and the menfolk in their town, whether religious or “just dads,” got wind of their daughters’ intentions and talked them out of it.

Which is an important datum in the important ongoing debate over the nature of Islam, isn’t it?  For this means that at least some Islamic religious leaders–the mullahs referenced above–are opposed to suicide terrorism, whether against Americans or Iraqis, civilians or military.  And they acted on it.  And, to use our legalese, they got the women to turn state’s evidence against those who were training them to blow themselves up.

Yes, I’d like to know a lot more about this story.  I’d like to know how old the women are, I’d like to know where and how they were recruited, and I’d love to know the evidence they provided to our guys.  But meanwhile, it’s worth a glass of good Sicilian red.

Or two…

Before the third glass, an additional point:  this is singularly bad news for the mullahs across the road, the ones in Iran, the ones who are forever hailing “martyrdom.”  If we had a Voice of America worthy of the name (we don’t, alas), this story would be broadcast in Farsi around the clock, because it will encourage the brave women of Iran to continue their struggle against the sexist barbarians who rule their country.  If the Iraqis can do it, so can they.  Eventually they’re gonna win.

Which of course brings me to the final point:  at the end of the day, the women of the Middle East are the strongest revolutionary force in the region.  We should be supporting them in every imaginable way.  Maybe Miss Hillary will move forward with that mission?