'Freedom lost' - Special Report - Iraq

[Breeze54]

Freedom lost

Thursday December 13, 2007
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2226600,00.html

After the invasion of Iraq, the US government claimed that women there had 'new rights and new hopes'.
In fact their lives have become immeasurably worse, with rapes, burnings and murders now a daily occurrence.
By Mark Lattimer

They lie in the Sulaimaniyah hospital morgue in Iraqi Kurdistan, set out on white-tiled slabs. A few have been shot or strangled, some beaten to death, but most have been burned. One girl, a lock of hair falling across her half-closed eyes, could almost be on the point of falling asleep. Burns have stretched the skin on another young woman's face into a fixed look of surprise.

These women are not casualties of battle. In fact, the cause of death is generally recorded as "accidental", although their bodies often lie unclaimed by their families.

"It is getting worse, especially the burnings," says Khanim Rahim Latif, the manager of Asuda, an Iraqi organisation based in Kurdistan that works to combat violence against women. "Just here in Sulaimaniyah, there were 400 cases of the burning of women last year." Lack of electricity means that every house has a plentiful supply of oil, and she accepts that some cases may be accidents. But the nature and scale of the injuries suggest that most were deliberate, she says, handing me the morgue photographs of one young woman after another. Many of the bodies bear the unmistakable signs of having been subjected to intense heat.

"In many cases the woman is accused of adultery, or of a relationship before she is married, or the marriage is not sanctioned by the family," Khanim says. Her husband, brother or another relative will kill her to restore their "honour". "If he is poor the man might be arrested; if he is important, he won't be. And in most cases, it is hidden. The body might be dumped miles away and when it is found the family says, 'We don't have a daughter.'" In other cases, disputes over such murders are resolved between families or tribes by the payment of a forfeit, or the gift of another woman. "The authorities say such agreements are necessary for social stability, to prevent revenge killings," says Khanim.

In March 2004 George Bush said that "the advance of freedom in the Middle East has given new rights and new hopes to women ... the systematic use of rape by Saddam's former regime to dishonour families has ended".

This may have given some people the impression that the American and British invasion of Iraq had helped to improve the lives of its women. But this is far from the case.

more....

"may have given some people the impression that the American and British invasion of Iraq had helped to improve the lives of its women."

Only a fucking idiot would think invading and bombing another country for no reason would somehow "improve' anyone's lives!! :grr:

[malaise]

1. George Bush must be tried for War crimes

He has created a disaster in Iraq with his illegal war and occupation.
Just reading this makes me ill. Freedom is on the march by ass.
K & R

[Breeze54]

2. He ands his cohorts should be tried and hung but

they won't be. Nothing will happen to them.

They'll all skate away to Paraguay or Dubai and live lives of luxury. :grr:

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

America need not ever expect anything but well deserved scorn if its war criminals are not held accountable.

edit: I meant to respond to the OP.

[Breeze54]

5. I agree... it' will be a long road back to respect

for the USA after this idiot leaves the WH. The next president has their work cut out for them
if it's a Dem president. If not, expect more of the same. I can't and WON'T stand for that! :grr:
We just can't let that happen.

[malaise]

4. I don't support the death penalty

but they should be locked up in lock down for life in places where they lock up others. They are fugging criminals.

[Breeze54]

6. I don't support the death penalty either...

but I might be willing to make an exception in this case. They deserve worse!

But that was just an expression... fear not.

Maybe your idea is better. Put them in Arbugrhab (sp?) prison! (if it was still standing)

[Breeze54]

7. ......

:kick: