Battle for Algiers

Man, things have such a different perspective when you have a Sinus Infection. I reiterate that last semester really screwed up my health a bit.

So, Battle for Algiers. Well, I wasn't really shocked at the level of involvement that the women had in the revolution; the native people were an oppressed majority against an Elite french majority, and they had to use every resource they had at their disposal to prove to the UN and the rest of the world-even to France- their wish to be independent. This, of course, required the use of female agents carrying bombs and supplies to other members on the front lies on to specific locations to strike fear. While the movie did not show it, research on my own behalf dictates that women also carried pistols and carried out assassin-style executions like the one seen against the cop within the movie.

What really struck me was the start of the movie and the general himself, which led to some questions. Torture was the clear method to gain the information they desired, meaning they were willing to do anything in order to protect the lives of French citizens. Which begs the question, why wasn't their implication of torture or other human rights violations used on women? They were involved with the war as much as the men, and I can't really imagine that they would just allow these potential sources of information to simply skirt away. The general was not stupid, and while I admit that he had an honorable air to him, I don't think he was beneath torturing a woman in order to protect French citizens from the Algerian rebels. After all, once he had caught the insurgents, he was ready to negotiate the terms of Algerian independence.