Worst Nightmare For ISIS/Daesh: A Female Muslim Pilot
Des Cambaliza | | Sep 29, 2014 12:01 AM EDT |
The United Arab Emirates's first female fighter pilot led an airstrike mission this week against ISIS, also known as Daesh. Major Mariam Al Mansouri joined other pilots from the United States and four other Arab countries in Syria, UAE Ambassador to the U.S. said.
Al Mansouri, 35, is a highly trained and fully qualified fighter pilot, Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba said in an interview with MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Thursday.
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Al Mansouri told CNN that men and women are equal in terms of defending their own country.
"We are in a hot area so that we have to prepare every citizen," Al Mansouri said. When the need arises, it is everyone's responsibility to fight for their country, thefemale pilot added.
In an interview earlier this year, she relayed her dream of becoming a fighter pilot since she graduated from high school. However, women were not allowed to join the air force at the time.
Although her family was supportive of her career goal, she had to wait 10 years before she could realize that dream, Al Mansouri said in an interview with Deraa Al Watan magazine.
She said her high average grade of 93 might have boosted her chance to pursue her goal. Moreover, she believes that competing with oneself inspires learning instead of competing against the males.
When UAE joined America's coalition against the Daesh, Al Mansouri was given a chance at leadership.
Daesh, which aims to establish an Islamic state across Arab nations, lashes women for minor disobedience.
A CNN report commented that Al Mansouri could be the terrorist group's worst nightmare.
When asked about the coalition's goal to defeat the Daesh, Al Otaiba said that it is important for them to step up, referring to moderate Arabs and Muslims.
"This is more of a threat against us than it is against you," Al Otaiba said. The terrorist group's existence is a threat to their lifestyle, he added.
The coalition, directed by U.S. President Barack Obama, was formed early this month while the first airstrike against the Daesh was carried out Tuesday.
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