Arranged Marriage to Counter Terrorism

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Al Sharq al Awsat reports that the Yemeni government fights terrorism by... arranging marriages for the captured terrorists. (in Arabic)

According to the head of Yemeni intelligence, speaking recently at a conference, this is proving an effective counter terrorism technique because marriage provides the terrorists with the familial and social stability that they need in order not to return to their old bad ways.

Nothing like a wife to break a man.

Come to think of it, using the venerable institution of marriage in this way can even discourage terrorists from becoming terrorists to begin with. What is scarier for a man than the prospect of a wife at the end of the road? The thought alone should bring him to his non-terrorist sense.

As to the rehabilitators, nothing is said about where and how the government recruits them for this impressive mission. Do they put ads in the local papers saying "Wives for Terrorists Needed? Those interested please submit a passport size picture with a "shahadet 7uson sulouk" ("good behavior" certificate)?

Or maybe they use the more personal approach, most favored by most governments.

Maybe they say "Ya binti (daughter), zel ragel wala zel 7eta" (translation: being in the shadow of a man is better than being in the shadow of a wall. An even better translation: a man, even a convicted terrorist, is better than no man." (I just noticed how close the Arabic word for "Shadow" is to the Arabic word for "humiliation"? hummm).

Or maybe they use the national argument with her: "Ya Ukhti (sister), this is your duty in the service of our great nation. Do it and a poem or two will be written about you."

Or maybe they use the honest, straightforward approach: "Marry him or else."

I don't know. The article, you see, doesn't say. Which might explain why I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Not enough data is provided for me to react properly.

So maybe I'll sing with Ella


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