40 women. One man.

Their goal?

To protect him.

Yeah yeah, I know it sounds like a lame T.V. reality show, but I find Libyan leader Gadhafi and his all-women security team fascinating.

Oh, and today he became the new chair of the African Union.

When Gadhafi was in Uganda last year, a photographer friend of mine told me about the group who has been protecting the Libyan “leader” for years (though keep in mind he has never actually been elected).

At first, I didn’t believe it. It sounded too absurd. An all-women security group taught to kill and nicknamed the “Amazonian Guard?”

Nahh… I thought.

As it turns out, I was wrong. They do exist.

Basically, the women who apply to be Gadhafi’s personal bodyguards first go through an intense training regime at a special academy, where they learn martial arts and how to use firearms. Um, and kill, I suppose.

According to press reports the women were hand-picked by the man himself and are all virgins and/or lesbians. And most are Cuban, allegedly. That came from Ukranian T.V. mind you, so I have doubts about the authenticity of it all.

The question that gets me is why? Why women? Are they less likely to take bribes? Are they more loyal? Are they less likely to kill him? Or does he just like women?

Who knows.

Apparently the women are allowed to wear western style clothing and high heels, but I’m going to come out and say, I don’t think you can do a proper job of being a bodyguard in heels. I think, in fact, that heels are a very very bad idea.

Just saying.