Not quite an apology, but nonetheless a first step in acknowledging it was not a good idea to support the most depraved and barbaric terrorist organisation the world has ever known. There were one or two tell-tale signs at the start that the women appear to have overlooked, particularly the multitude of murders, the mass enslavement and rape of Yazidi women, including pre-pubescent girls, and the methods of torture that would sicken a Tudor king. But hey, who didn’t during their youth hang out with undesirable types?
Horrific as these acts were, let’s not forget who suffered the most. “Together with our children, we have been through a terrible ordeal over many years,” the women said, requesting privacy and time to reconnect with loved ones in Australia. You know, the same loved ones they abandoned years ago when they decided hooking up with sadistic theocratic fanatics was more to their liking.
According to Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, the government had “carefully considered the range of security, community and welfare factors in making the decision to repatriate”. That was news to outraged Western Sydney community leaders, who discovered the women would be settled in their neighbourhood only when it was reported in the media. “As a Labor Party MP, I would expect that my local federal member and the government would consult with me and my community,” a clearly annoyed Guy Zangari told The Daily Telegraph.
Likewise Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was coy about details, instead saying “The Australian government will always work to ensure that people are kept safe here in Australia, that is our priority.”
He could have fooled me. Incidentally, does anyone remember Albanese or his colleagues mentioning ISIS brides during the election campaign?
It is just the start. As The Age reported yesterday, a second group is likely to be resettled from Syria to Sydney within weeks, although a Melbourne-bound contingent will not arrive until after Victoria’s state election, which will be held on November 26. Sources involved with the planning reportedly told that masthead the federal government was conscious their state cousins were campaigning – a claim that both Albanese and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews denies was a factor. Let’s just say a certain person is very selective about which women are associated with the “Visit Victoria” logo.
As for the women’s claim: “We are excited to have the opportunity to rebuild our lives as a part of the Australian community,” we know that is at least partly true. They will not object, for example, to the Australian community providing them with generous welfare payments as well as housing and a myriad of support services for many years to come. More fool us for taking them back. Indulging those who despise you will only entrench their contempt.
Still, it will make for some interesting developments in the ‘burbs. Rafiqi’s fellow classmates will be goggle-eyed when he does show and tell. Who knows, perhaps someone in the arts community is penning a revised stage version of Ethel Turner’s classic novel. Seven Little Jihadists, anyone?
Maybe Women’s Weekly could do a piece on Fatima’s tips for feeding a hungry husband when he comes home after a hard day slaughtering innocent civilians. “I missed the convenience of a nearby supermarket,” she could say, “but having slaves to do the housework meant I had time to prepare beautiful dishes for Ahmed!”
As for what we will see on TV, “The ISIS Widow Wants a Groom” promises to be a big hit. “Faiza, you were saying the most tedious aspect of returning to normal life is filling out forms that require you to list all previous names?”
You need not have special insight to know these women are beyond redemption. Granted, some will emerge after a couple of years, sullen faced, to say they are not the person they used to be. But it will be at best a grudging concession that they could, with the benefit of hindsight, have done things differently. Whatever token acknowledgement is made will be qualified by noisy claims of marginalisation and bigotry.
Until then, you can expect to hear this was a terrible misunderstanding. It was the husbands that led them to believe they were going to a Club Med resort in Turkey, only to make a desert detour. “How was I supposed to know that Kon-Tiki doesn’t run tours in Syria,” a woman will say. Few men are radicalised overnight, and you cannot tell me their wives had no inkling something was amiss.
Yet we are supposed to believe the assurances of these women when they said last week that they are willing to do “whatever is asked” of them to ensure “the safety” of the “Australian community”.
I have a suggestion to that effect. And ladies, if need be, I will drive you to the airport for free.
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Having been repatriated along with their 13 children from the al-Roj detention camp in northern Syria, the four Islamic State wives who returned to Sydney on Saturday were putting on a remorseful face. “We want to express our regret for the trouble and hurt we have caused, especially to our families,” the women said in a joint statement.