It's Tuesday, another fine day in America, and, another day that women in Iraq are making great strides. From Defend America
CAMP TAJI, Iraq, March 26, 2007 — The 615th “Cold Steel” Aviation Support Battalion hosted a Women’s History Month celebration here March 19.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Holly Cook, 1st Cavalry Division staff judge advocate, and “Suzan,” an Iraqi woman and lawyer whose full identity was withheld for security reasons, served as guest speakers for the celebration in support of the “Generations of Women Moving History Forward” theme.
The celebration observed American women who struggled for equality throughout history and their accomplishments, which were compared to the same struggles today’s Iraqi women face.
Today, many women are serving next to men who are all fighting for democracy in Iraq.
There are more than 350,000 women serving in the U.S. military which is 15 percent of active duty personnel. One in every seven troops serving in Iraq is a woman, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Mark Hirschinger, commander of 615th ASB. Suzan’s speech, the highlight of the celebration, talked about hardships the Iraqi women face each day.
That is a fantastic figure, isn't it? While the Democrats are preparing to introduce the Women's Rights Amendment, the military in Iraq is actually living it
Liberal Democrats in the Senate and House plan to resume "the fight for women's equality" on Tuesday, when they reintroduce the Women's Equality Amendment.
The proposed amendment would affect issues ranging from hiring and wages to restrictions on women serving in military combat units.
I will not argue that there isn't discrimination towards women. But, you know what? There is discrimination towards lots of people, too. Men, whites, Blacks, women, older people, young people, you name it.
Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, raised doubts about the activists' agenda.
"If they were truly concerned about women's equality, what they would look at is the horrific way women are treated in other countries around the world," she said.
"There's a very serious problem of gender imbalance around the world," Wright argued, pointing to "sex-selection abortion," inheritance rights, property rights, and "literally being treated as second-class or sub-class human beings."
"If these women truly cared about inequality, they would be focusing their attention on these horrific injustices happening in other countries," she said.
But, they don't. We do not want to forget about our own people, of course, but what about those women around the world who are treated poorly? Do these groups protest against treatment of women around the world? Do they even acknowledge how much better women are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan, now that the Hussein regime and the Taliban is gone?
Under the Coalition Provincial Authority, the new Iraqi military hired the first squad of 20 female soldiers in July 2003.
“This is the reality; we need female (Iraqi) soldiers,” said Iraqi Army Brig. Gen. Jaleel Khalaf, an early commander of Iraqi Army 1st Brigade. “If I had the power of hiring, I’d have a female battalion.”
Can you imagine that under Saddam? Or is the image more of the women being treated as playthings for the Republican Guard?
Do you have an interesting post? Well, go ahead and leave a trackback, with a reciprical link back to me. Others offering open trackbacks are over in the right sidebar, near bottom.
