Monday, June 20, 2011

Women 'n' Stuff


NOTE:  Despite the subject line, there is nothing, sexist, misogynistic or otherwise offensive in this post.  Read at your leisure, not at your own risk.

An issue of the New York Times last week contained details of a survey which identified the three most dangerous countries to women.  While Pakistan and Congo made the Top Three … drum roll, please … Afghanistan topped the list.  Afghan women face “one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, minimal access to basic health care and education and scarcely any economic rights.  Eighty-seven percent of Afghan women are illiterate and one in 11 dies in childbirth, UNICEF estimates.  As many as 8 in 10 face forced marriages.”

Eighty-freakin’-seven percent of women are illiterate?  That’s worse than West Virginia or Kentucky!

But seriously, I consider this appalling, and I hope to God that our presence here can do something to fix that.  I have come to live in fear of the possibility that all the lives and treasure we (and our allies) have invested in this feudal moonscape will have been in vain.

Shortly after reading this article, I was out rooting around in a vacant lot across the road trying to find two manholes so we can pull a mile or so of fiber to connect the data center to the outside world.  A gaggle of local Afghan men were milling about a truck, doing what they do best … milling about.  I was approached by a female Army Specialist, toting an M-4 and sporting a combat patch from 10th Mountain.  After we talked for a moment, she hopped into the driver’s seat of a big-ass forklift, fired it up and started loading pallets into a truck.  I chuckled inwardly at those Afghan men.  And the men from all those other backward Islamic countries who treat 50% of their populations like crap, because it’s the prophet’s will.  While they continue to repress women in their patriarchal societies, we have gun-toting women of substance who think nothing of driving a forklift … very competently, I might add.  Despite all the stupid, sleazy politicians (did someone say “Wiener?”) and slimeball defense lawyers and other miscreants that waste oxygen around us, I am nonetheless reminded every day here that America is still the greatest country in the world.

On to something else, more informative and less opinion-based.  Danger Room, the National Security blog from Wired magazine, ran a great piece back in April about a company of paratroopers from the Screaming Eagles (101st Airborne) in a remote part of Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border.  Here’s the link:  http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/04/on-pakistan-border-u-s-troops-launch-their-own-spring-offensive/all/1.  It’s very well-written, and provides great insights into life in a real combat zone (as opposed to what I’m personally experiencing).  Thanks, Bill, for pointing me toward Danger Room.

Final tidbit for the day … in Sunday’s Times, SecDef Gates gave one of his final interviews before walking out of the Pentagon for the last time.  Sounds like he’s very much looking forward to retirement, to being able to move around without an ever-present security detail.  In his words:  “A wild and crazy weekend involves sitting on the front porch, smoking a cigar, reading a book.”  What, Secretary Gates, no beer?  I’m looking forward to the very same thing … eight weeks and counting.

2 comments:

  1. southernmost stogie smokerJune 21, 2011 at 2:08 PM

    While reading that blog article, I played Credence Clearwater Revival's song Fortunate Son http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl1xATrGMtg&feature=fvst in the background.

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  2. And speaking of music, Adrian Belew (former Crimson guitarist/vocalist) will be appearing on 22 September at Ram's Head in Annapolis with the Stick Men, former Crimson drummer Pat Mastellotto and god of the Chapman Stick Tony Levin. And we've got tickets! Good seats too!

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