U.S. deems Iraq women's rights paramount

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/breaking_news/12283641.htm

U.S. deems Iraq women's rights paramount

Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. ambassador called Tuesday for the protection of women's rights in Iraq's new constitution, saying it was an important element for the country's success.

After meeting with representatives from some Iraqi women's groups, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said they agreed that the equality of women "is a fundamental requirement for Iraq's progress."

The ambassador said that the U.S. government is expecting a constitution that would ensure full rights to all Iraqis, regardless of their sex, ethnicity or gender.

"My focus is to help get a constitution that does this. Of course, the Iraqis will decide but we will help in any way that we can," he said.

<</SNIP>>

[Mandate My Ass]

1. and here we can't get the pill in certain states

That's it. I'm moving to Iraq. :eyes:

[hobbit709]

2. Amazing!!!

We want rights for everyone around the world except here.

[rodeodance]

3. Repugs always raise the rhetoric when it comes to getting the women's

vote.

[endarkenment]

4. Perhaps this is none of our business?

Don't get me wrong - I want equal rights for everyone. However it is simply none of our business what constitution the Iraqis decide to put together, that would be the Iraqi's business.

[jonkronz2003]

6. "Perhaps this is none of our business?"

It became our business I think when nearly 2000 US citizens (men and women) died for their opportunity to draft a constitution. Don't get me wrong, we should never have gone in there-it is an illegal war, but walking away without something positive coming out of it seems to me such a waste of young lives. Just my humble opinion.

[endarkenment]

7. So we should stay there and kill them 'till they put

a constitution together that we find acceptable? How arrogant of us.

Suppose they decide to keep the oil industry nationalized. Should we stay there and kill them until they agree to carve it up and sell it off to our oil companies?

[jonkronz2003]

10. Not at all

Just sorry that the reason we are there (the current reason-"freedom's on the march") is meaningless if we end up with an islamic state. Sorry for the families and the people that died-what a tragic waste!

[WhiteTara]

11. before we decided to "liberate" the Iraqis

the women there had great freedoms, didn't wear that burka thing, held positions of power. Now we have given the fundies there free reign. this misadministration is disgusting and trying to pretend that they care about what happens to women. If they did, there would be no question about women's rights here...hell, we might have passed the ERA. :rant:

BTW, welcome to DU jonkronz2003 :hi:

[mknmehappy]

12. True, its theirs, let them decide

[Benhurst]

5. Maybe they can bring up women's rights at the funeral. Oh, wait

a minute, that's going to be in Saudi Arabia, a nation known for it's progressive stance on women's rights.

[Barrett808]

8. This fight is already lost in the south - see "Bush's Islamic Republic"

Iraq: Bush's Islamic Republic
By Peter W. Galbraith
26 July 2005

On June 4, Jalal Talabani, president of Iraq, attended the inauguration of the Kurdistan National Assembly in Erbil, northern Iraq. Talabani, a Kurd, is not only the first-ever democratically elected head of state in Iraq, but in a country that traces its history back to the Garden of Eden, he is, as one friend observed, "the first freely chosen leader of this land since Adam was here alone."

While Kurds are enormously proud of his accomplishment, the flag of Iraq—the country Talabani heads—was noticeably absent from the inauguration ceremony, nor can it be found anyplace in Erbil, a city of one million that is the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region. Ann Bodine, the head of the American embassy office in Kirkuk, spoke at the ceremony, congratulating the newly minted parliamentarians, and affirming the US commitment to an Iraq that is, she said, "democratic, federal, pluralistic, and united."

The phrase evidently did not apply in Erbil. In their oath, the parliamentarians were asked to swear loyalty to the unity of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Many pointedly dropped the "of Iraq." The shortest speech was given by the head of the Iranian intelligence service in Erbil, a man known to the Kurds as Agha Panayi. Staring directly at Ms. Bodine, he said simply, "This is a great day. Throughout Iraq, the people we supported are in power." He did not add "Thank you, George Bush." The unstated was understood.

(more)

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18150

[anaxarchos]

9. This is similar to the Spanish and Portuguese using...

...christianity as a cover for their initial conquest of Latin America or the Brits claiming "civilization" as the basis for colonizing India. It's silly on the face of it. Everyone knows that all other rights derive from the right of self-determination. How do we know that? Well, it's in the Declaration of Independence for one thing. The right of people to rule themselves is the meaning and the only possible meaning of "Liberty". "We conquered them in order to free them" is a stunning hypocrisy.

In comparison, the fact that pre-invasion Iraq was one of the most advanced states in the area on the issue of women's rights is merely a minor irony.

... it's only a matter of time before Bush starts quoting Kipling.