They crossed the high seas; they poured out their billions; they sacrificed their sons … to "liberate" Iraqis … but what we, the women of Iraq got, is article 41.
In 1959 the Iraqi government amended the Personal Status Law. Article 118 came into being as part of our constitution.
It gave the women of Iraq the most progressive of all Arab and Islamic women's rights legislation until this very day. No discrimination in salaries, no discrimination in uniforms, the separated Mums get to keep the home until the children are of age, and so many other items that made the female community of Iraq one of the most progressive female communities within the Arab, Islamic and regional states -- from that time … until we got "liberated".
Now we have article 41.
In brief, it says go to your cleric and he will deal with whatever issues you have.
Girls had the choice either to don the Islamic hijab or walk abroad in safety, quaintly dressed in all manner of modern garments. It was a private matter that was entirely resolved inside the family and according to its own convictions, its own beliefs. Now it's not safe for a girl to step outside her home unless fully covered. How much more liberated can you get??
More than anything else this morning, that is the must read. It's from "Article 41" at McClatchy Newspapers' Inside Iraq. Over in the New York Times, Andrew E. Karmer's "Bomber Kills 16 at Iraqi Reconciliation Banquet" is an act of recapping and apparent trend spotting:
A suicide bomber blew himself up on Monday at a banquet intended to be a reconciliation feast between provincial officials and former Sunni insurgents in Diyala Province, killing 16 people and wounding at least 28.
[. . .]
The bombing was the second this month aimed at leaders of the so-called Sunni awakening. On Sept. 13, a suicide bomber killed Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi, known as Abu Risha, the Sunni tribal leader who unified several tribes to fight Sunni extremists in Anbar Province, in western Iraq. He died 10 days after meeting with President Bush at a military base in Anbar.
Oh, Kramer, the signs are all around . . . Rock me on the water.
From yesterday's snapshot:
In news of other attacks, Reuters reports a the targeting of various officials such as Sunday's Kut attack aimed at the police chief of the Wasit province (two bodyguards were injured) that continue today with a bombing targeting the police chief of Kirkuk (two bodyguards wounded) and an attack on the mayor of Kirkuk (1 bodyguard killed, seven wounded). Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reveals there were more officials targeted "General Secretary of the National Accordance Group, Najaf Branch, Adel Waheed Abood was targeted by gunmen and sustained two bullets this morning; one in the neck and another in the shoulder. The Health Department in Najaf says his condition is critical. He was a nominee for the position of Governor in Najaf governorate."
That is the actual trend. It was obvious Sunday, it was obvious yesterday and it's only more obvious this morning. Check out AP's first paragraph in news of violence today:
A suicide driver killed three Iraqi policemen and wounded 20 people when he detonated his car at the entrance of police headquarters Tuesday in Basra, raising more fears over the southern city's deteriorating security situation.
Also Tuesday morning, two parked car bombs went off nearly simultaneously in a shopping street in eastern Baghdad, killing six civilians and wounding 20 people, just yards away from a line of pensioners outside a local bank, the police said.
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mcclatchy newspapers
the new york timesandrew e. kramer
