How Iraq became a prison for women

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=f08e9c7f-cf2a-4e32-a901-ba8ddca3a178

Published: Friday, May 02, 2008

When there were no weapons of mass destruction, U.S. President George W. Bush reframed the Iraqi invasion as a means of building democracy and restoring women's rights.

But like the entire misadventure, things have gone badly wrong. From the 1960s through most of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraqi women were among the most liberated and liberal of all Muslim women. Girls went to school, women worked, wore what they chose, drove cars, ran for office and spoke their minds.

It was the international sanctions against Iraq that destroyed the economy and drove women from the labour force.

Yet far from restoring women's rights, on the Americans' watch, Iraq has become a prison for women.

Its constitution, passed in 2006, says no law can go against Islam. It is now barely safe for women to go out without wearing not only a burka, but gloves.

I see women's FACES, and they don't use burkas in Iraq.

EDITED TO ADD

"But Abir loves her country and returned in 2007, dressed more conservatively but still unveiled."

people here had almost nothing to say when there were hearings recently on capitol hill debating equal pay for equal work. Women's rights seem to be a non-issue these days. Perhaps we should send this to Olberman, it deserves our National attention!

yesterday. BTDT. You know, because women already HAVE all those rights - what's the problem?

Add to that a continuing backlash and we seem to get just what you see: total indifference.

and has never been worn in the Middle East.

What you meant to say was the abaya, a full body scarf that doesn't cover the face.

Even in conservative Iran, women can get away with simple head scarves as long as they're wearing loose clothing with long sleeves.

The burqa differs in that it is an inhumane garment that also covers the face with a loose mesh. The woman can see directly ahead, but is unable to see obstacles on the ground in her path, nor can she see anything or anyone approaching from the side, like a car.

Religious men always want to put women into shapeless garments. I often think they wish us all dead, and barring that, insist on our wearing shrouds so they can pretend we are. That certainly is the case with the FLDS. It was also the case to a lesser extent in the "modest" clothing a good Irish Catholic girl was supposed to wear.

The religious zealots in Iraq are no different. The tragedy is that they've been allowed the power to force it.

It is really too bad that men cannot control themselves, so they have to control women instead. Pisses me off.

were the full body ones, with a small mesh opening for the eyes. Looked like Hefty bags. And usually black - torture in areas where the summer temps easily hit 120.

party. It would seem women's rights have been attacked and chipped away at from outside and more recently, inside the party to the point where this is no longer a hot button issue.

war. Probably suits them just fine, anyway.

It's disgusting.