Reply #57: For women, Iraq today..

[Hell Hath No Fury]

is not the same place it was before the invasion.

There are no "secular" parts of Iraq now -- those days are long gone.

Most Iraqi women -- even in Baghdad -- have taken to wearing traditional Islamic garb when outdoors because of the threats from the relgious militias that have sprung up since the invasion and the potential for sexual crimes against them. It is a sad new reality for them. By wearing traditional garb when out covering her stories, Jill Scott (correctly) was acting in a manner to protect herself from unneccessary scrutiny and potential harm.

That she was wearing them upon release didn't even make me blink an eye.

As for any "smell" about this story, there really is none. Her release was most likely achived by the payment of a ransom by her family -- like most of the other hostages. That to is a new reality in Iraq.