ISIS was as unstoppable as their beliefs and actions were unconscionable when they arrived in Kobani. But there they were defeated by a force that not only outfought them on the battlefield but simultaneously obliterated their eleventh century ideology of the suppression and abuse of women. It was an army led in part by women, featuring fierce, capable women fighters many of whom just months earlier could hardly have imagined the circumstances that led to their triumph. Subsequently, the women of the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units went on to many other victories and to win the admiration of military leaders and advocates of women’s empowerment worldwide. Their story has been captured by best-selling author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon in a new book, “The Daughters of Kobani: A Story of Rebellion, Courage and Justice.” It is an inspiring book, an important book and hopefully a book that will help change America’s woefully bad policies toward the Kurds. We discuss it and those policies with Lemmon in a special edition of the podcast. Don’t miss it.
