Feminism Firmly Taking Root in Iraq

One of the central policy goals of the United States’ prolonged involvement in Iraq is to “democratize” it, so that it may catalyze further democratization and stability in the greater Mid East region.  Imagining that the term “democratize” is synonymous with “Westernnize,” it is thought that the expense of U.S. blood and treasury may pave the way for establishing new markets for consumer goods.  Feminism, one of the key elements necessary for supporting these markets,  appears to be taking root in Iraq.  Today, the AP reports:

A female suicide bomber detonated her explosives inside a way station for Shiite pilgrims Monday, killing 54 people and rattling security officials who are struggling against a possible rise in violence before key elections next month.

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The bomber hid the explosives beneath an abaya — a woman’s black cloak worn from head to toe — as she joined a group of pilgrims on the outskirts of Baghdad’s Shiite-dominated neighborhood of Shaab, said Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, Baghdad’s top military spokesman.

Even in the Middle East, women, the world over, continue to make gains by smashing through yet another glass ceiling.  No confirmation yet on whether the bomber had any affiliations with the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK):

The MEK is a radical feminist organisation. Their leader believes that women should occupy all the leadership postitions in the resistance. This is refelcted in the current make-up of the organisation. The entire leadership council of the MEK as well as the NLO is comprised entirely of women. The President-elect of the organisation is a women Mrs Rajavi. Even though only 30% of the military resistance are women, women hold over two-thirds of the commander postions and command many all-male units. So the MEK seek to replace a male-dominated society in Iran, with one that actively discrimiantes against men. So rather than being progressive and for equal human-rights the MEK is as discrimiantory as any regime in the middle-east, if not worse because it currently masquerades as being democratic and fair. In reality the orgainsation discriminates against men.