Emily
MikeThis is another in the “you have to be kidding” category. Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo, who commands all U.S. forces in Northern Iraq, issued orders in November that ban pregnancy among all military personnel in his command. Anyone who becomes pregnant or impregnates another service member, including married couples assigned to the same unit, could face a court-martial and jail time. (The orders were just reported by Stars and Stripes on Friday.)
His orders also prohibit personnel under his command from engaging in “sexual contact of any kind” with Iraqi nationals, and from spending the night with a member of the opposite sex, unless married or expressly permitted to do so.
(I guess Blackwater (I’m sorry–its now “Xe”) contractors are allowed to have as much sex as they want.)
Filed under: Reproductive Rights, Sex Tagged: | Cucolo, Iraq, Pregnancy Ban
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 16.
* (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
I thought the US was supposed to uphold this declaration…
Dave, thanks for the comment. Too little importance is placed on the importance of international law and the U.S. is no better than anyone else. And, therefore, I’m always glad when anyone cites a treaty.
I looked up the rest of Article 16 to see what it says:
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
I notice that it doesn’t differentiate between opposite sex and same sex marriage. Could the UDHR be used to strengthen the move to same-sex marriage in the U.S.?
I also note that the language, here and in other treaties, about “family” is one of the reasons why women’s rights are subjugated to family (read “male”) rights in so many countries.
Just to add…
One thing I always like to remind people is that it will all be worth it in the end! It is truly a miracle and worth the wait and issues.