Stuff that happens - Part 2

The surge is spreading power to gunmen who prefer their women veiled.

With the devolution of power reverting to local leaders, we see that the price of security comes with trade offs.

Sometimes the control of the behavior and dress of women can also be used as a demonstration of force or a projection of power on the ground by local leaders. Generally this is how it works:

• A local leader establishes a particular Dress Code through fear and intimidation.
  
  
• Compliance with the particular Dress Code will follow within that leader's sphere of influence.
  
  
• Visitors to different localities can determine which local leader the people fear/respect the most by observing the dress and behavior of the women.
  
  
• Tentative and tenuous balance of power is established on the ground.

So stuff happens. Freedom reigns for some but not for others. We were told that it was not gonna work out this way, but in war consequences often occur without control. And with Captain Incompetent and Cast of Clowns in Command, what else could be expected.


"The task we've got ahead of us now is an awkward one, because you have to go from a transition -- from a repressed regime to an unrepressed regime that is free to do good things and also do bad things, and we're going to see both. And, we expect that, and we also expect people to report both. That's fine." D.H. Rumsfeld, April 11, 2003