The Women Of Iraq

When I first read this article last night I cried for the second time in a day. I'm not known for shedding tears but I empathize with these women because I understand the struggle to be yourself in a judgemental society. At least I don't have to dodge bullets or be physically afraid.

Before we brought "democracy" to Iraq, it was the most liberated society for women in the Middle East. They held positions of authority under Saddam, they owned businesses, could drive a car, travel where they wanted, they could dress as they wished. Now, not so much. In fact, not at all.

Now they live in fear for their lives, restricted in a way that is reminiscent of the middle ages and just about as much fun. For the women of Iraq, time has gone backwards with little hope of positive change in the near future.

I'm single for a reason and I like it that way. There is no way in hell I am going to let any man make life decisions for me, much less tell me how to dress, who I can talk to, what I can do with my time or who my friends are, but that is now the reality for Iraqi women.

Instead of being able to conduct themselves in public like they did five years ago, they now live in constant fear. Fear of being kidnapped, raped and killed, or if the survive that then they fear being killed by their own family for being unclean and bringing shame to the family. The saddest part of this is that these crimes are perpetrated by their own sect, it doesn't matter which one since the idea is to dominate, humiliate and terrify those who are weaker.

Our ill-advised invasion of a sovereign country has ruined these women's lives and when we leave they will have paid the highest price, lost the most with the least amount of hope that life will improve. While Iraq tears itself apart in a civil war that American warmongers refuse to see, the women are the true victims because their status will be lower in every state. Iraq may divide into three countries but the women will not know the difference. Life will be the same for them whether they are Kurd, Shia or Sunni.

Medieval.

Makes you proud to be an American, spreading light, truth and freedom to a world that was better off a few years ago. And here I thought it was Afghanistan we were going to bomb back to the stone age.

Oh well, I guess half a job is better than none according to this administration. They got to have a purple finger, didn't they?