Historically, Iraq has afforded women more rights relative to other countries in the Middle East. After the US invasion/occupation of Iraq, there has been a resurgence of conservative Shiite politicians trying to overturn laws protecting women's rights in marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Dr. Raja al-Kusai is a gynecologist from Iraq who is currently part of the national assembly and helping write the new constitution. She has been one of the fighting voices for women's political and social rights.
An article on ABC via Reuters states:
Kusai wants the new Iraqi constitution to treat men and women as equals, but others want to put tighter controls on women's rights in the tradition of Islamic law, known as sharia.
Several of these Shiite leaders are now part of the new government and have a heavy influence on the potential re-codification of sharia laws, which restrict women's rights in several significant ways. If sharia were to be re-implemented, "Men would be allowed up to four wives. A woman would need to write into her marriage contract her right to work. Women would inherit only half what male relatives receive — though they would still be able to drive cars, vote and even be members of parliament." Well, that's a relief!
I think it is important to recognize a connection between the coercive acts of the United States military and the loss of women's rights within the country under attack. The emasculation of men (of color) from a greater force almost demands the simultaneous oppression of women. Almost every historical moment of colonization and de-colonization has forced the rights of women be put to the side in order for a new "democracy" to emerge. This is a frustration since it is on the very backs of these women that a new nation is built. Why is that? How do we stop history from repeating itself over and over?
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"Historically, Iraq has afforded women more rights relative to other countries in the Middle East."
But at what cost? Life under the Baathist's was hardly a pro-choicers idea of nirvana.
"though they would still be able to drive cars, vote and even be members of parliament." Well, that's a relief!"
Thats a hell of a lot more than they can do in many Islamic countries. At least progress is in the right direction.
"the coercive acts of the United States military"
We coerced them into treating their women like humans instead of like farm animals, to be bought and sold? Maybe you should go over there and visit for a while to see what it's like for a woman to live under Islamic law. I've been there, and if I was a woman, I believe I'd be welcoming the US military with open arms(like the majority of their population is).
"The emasculation of men (of color) from a greater force almost demands the simultaneous oppression of women"
The only ones being "emasculated" are the same group that ran the "rape rooms" and filled the desert with the mass graves. The rest of the men have been "freed" to pursue their own religious and economic goals.
If newfound religious freedom results in oppression of women that's because the some religion is domineering and patriarchial. Conservative Islam is just that. It is the most oppressive religion in existence.
Stop putting down the newfound freedom of an oppressed people, and blaming those who freed them. Is it so hard to focus on the real problem, the real oppressors? Radical Islam and the state of fear and intimidation it creates and thrives on is what needs to change. When the middle east is as secular as western civilization then most of these problems will be reduced.
Why were you in Iraq?
Dude, I think we can hardly call our "Western civilization" secular. I do not deny that Radical Islam sucks, in fact it is terrible to women, I am just trying to point out the connection between US coercion and loss of women's rights. It is a historical fact. I think it is just too simplistic to blame the Islamic Fundies, I think it is more complicated then that. And I will continue to blame the mastermind, the white, Eurocentric, oppression of Western colonial rule as long as they continue nasty, bloody campaigns in the name of colonial conquest, sorry, democracy.
Sorry, i didn't mean to imply that I'd been to Iraq. I've been to Bahrain, Saudi, and Dubai, UAE, Egypt, Turkey, Tunesia, Israel, most of western europe, the carribean, and south america with the Navy.
Eurocentric colonial rule is a conspiracy theory. Instead of blaming Eurocentric colonials, why don't you blame the freemasons? or the trilateral commision, or the carlyle group, or the zionist one world order?