BBC: Kashmir girl fights off militants

[appal_jack]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8279929.stm

Three militants stormed into Rukhsana Kauser's home in a remote village in Jammu region on Monday and started beating her parents in front of her.

Ms Kauser, 18, and her brother turned on the gunmen, killing one and injuring two more. Police praised their courage.

One of the militants wanted to marry Ms Kauser against her will, police said.

(snip)

Ms Kauser said she grabbed one of the militants by the hair and banged his head against the wall. When he fell down she hit him with an axe, before snatching his rifle.

A woman defending herself and her family from a forced marriage. Righteous! With an AK no less...

-app

edit to actually add the allowed four paragraphs... oops :blush:

[MissMarple]

1. Much admiration for Ms. Kauser and her brother.

It does bring to mind a remark made by Michael Madsen in "Species" ..."I guess you guys don't get out much." when he asked the scientists why they had put alien DNA in a female. They thought she would be more docile. That is certainly something for "militants" to internalize.

If we win in this region, I think that empowering people like Rukhsana to stand up for their basic rights will be a part of making that happen. I hope she and her family stay safe. She's right, they will have to move as things now stand. The neocons never understood the phrase "war is a failure of diplomacy". They were contemptuous of diplomacy.

[Treo]

2. I got ten buck that says

Katandmoon posts to this thread w/in one hour to tell us all that we go a woody from this and only wish someone had been killed.

[appal_jack]

4. I won't bet against you...

Treo,

I won't bet against you on the subject of likely responses incoming, but I am almost certain that there had to be some mortalities in this event. Although the BBC article does not say one way or the other, they do report that:

"I fired endlessly. The militant commander got 12 shots on his body."

Her brother, Eijaz, 19, grabbed one of the other militants' guns and also began shooting.

Ms Kauser said the exchanges of gunfire with the militants had gone on for four hours.

12 rounds from an AK are an almost certain fatality. This fact does not get me excited in any way, least of all sexually. But I am glad that a brother and sister were successfully able to disarm and repel their attackers, thus saving their parents and themselves from certain further harm. I also know that this example is a powerful antidote to some of the Bradyite arguments about guns, and how inexperienced people could not possibly defend themselves with them.

And Miss Marple, I agree with all that you said as well. The family will definitely have to move. I am glad that they are all alive and well for now though.

-app

[benEzra]

3. Good for her. She saved herself from a very harsh and short life, I suspect.

She has heart. Wow.

[winyanstaz]

5. K & R...

My best wishes to the family that they get to live in a safe place and I admire the young lady and her brother for defending their home and family.

[proteus_lives]

6. The gun-grabbers will howl in outrage over this brave woman.

How dare she use a gun to defend himself? Doesn't she know they are evvvviiiiillll?