Iraqi women kidnapped, raped

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1406320,00.html

Baghdad - More than 400 Iraqi women have been kidnapped and raped amid the lawlessness gripping the country since the ouster of Saddam Hussein, the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq said on Sunday.

The group's director Yanar Mohammed said the four months since the US-led coalition took control had seen an "unprecedented" explosion of violence against women.

"More than 400 women have endured the pain and suffering of being kidnapped, raped and sometimes sold," she told reporters at a demonstration in Baghdad's Fardous Square.

"This violence is still a daily occurrence, especially on the streets of Baghdad, without attracting the least attention of the (US) soldiers."

Mohammed said the attacks had created a climate of fear among women which meant few dared venture out of their homes.

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[RealityDose]

1. I was surprised when I didn't hear of that happening

But of course it is true. You can't blame our soldiers though. They are the police force but they can't take a police report if they can't undertand the language. There was an article that there are not even enough translators for the nightly raids. How few translators do we have?

[oldcoot]

10. The U.S. Army fired gay and lesbian translators

One of the reasons we do not have enough translators is that the U.S. Army fired gay and lesbian translators. Many of these translators spoke Arabic. Some even spoke Korean (another valuable language). So you are right, it is not the fault of the average soldier. It is the fault of the leadership indulging in homophobia.

Welcome to DU!

[newyawker99]

15. Hi RealityDose!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[neuvocat]

20. Iraqi army was dissolved and the police were never paid.

[Mari333]

2. No post Invasion plan

and the BS uttered by the WH about womens rights in Afghanistan and Iraq was and always was total horseshit..
Anarchy is the rule there, and all that the Bush admin has done is what we all KNEW would happen..
The Taliban, Al Queda and radical Islamist men are taking over again...Bush pretty much created this with this illegal invasion, a magnet for the Radical Misogynists to take over..
There will never be free women in Iraq or Afghanistan now, unless the WOMEN ARE ARMED ...
Dont forget, the Talibornagain USers who back Bush arent too different then the Radical Shi ite men when it comes to women.

[MaineDem]

3. "a climate of fear among women "

Umm, no shit!

I sincerely hope the US forces over there are aware of this. I'm trying so hard not to be cynical about this but I honestly hope we take care of these people.

[ixion]

4. climate of fear

then, according to BushCo, they're right on track. PNAC is all about creating a culture of fear. Makes propaganda so much easier, don cha know.

[sugus]

5. They are "liberated". Thank you Mr Bush.

Too many times the remedy is worse than the disease.
With Saddam, iraqi women were better than with wild Bush destruction.

[oneighty]

6. The spoils of war.

Rape, rob and pillage.

180

[MaverickX]

7. I don't get it..

Is your point that in order to prevent crime like rape a nation must remain under a dictatorship? Conservatives have been arguing that for years.

[Cheswick2.0]

8. are they better off or aren't they

using words like dictatorship is meaningless in the middle east. Perhaps a secular dictatorship wasn't so bad compared to what is happening there now.

[raifield]

9. I don't think so..

Just that the dictatorship, in this particular case, prevented a lot of the crime that has flourished in what I suppose is a 'selected democracy', seeing as though we selected their representation.

[oldcoot]

13. The point is that we have made things worse

Although conservatives like to live in this fantasy that we liberated the Iraqi people, the simple fact is that we have made their lives worse. Under Saddam Hussein, Iraqi women enjoyed some freedoms. They were not as free as women in the United States but they were better off than women living in other Middle Eastern nations such as Saudi Arabia.

Unfortunately, Bush decided to invade Iraq without proper planning and it shows. As a result of the invasion, the Iraqis have lost the basics such as water and power. The invasion also created a climate of lawlessness with looters robbing innocent Iraqi people and Iraqi hospitals. In this climate, thugs have taken advantage of this situation to attack Iraqi women. Religious extremists also are taking this opportunity to force women to conform to their extreme brand of Islam.

If Bush had cared as much about helping the Iraqi people as getting his hands on Iraqi oil and giving his buddies lucrative contracts, he might have planned this invasion better. He might have sought advice from true experts and not "yes" men and women. He also might have thought about the best way to save the Iraqi infrastructure. Of course, if Bush really spent the time educating himself about the possible ramifications about this invasion he may never have invaded Iraq.

The lesson we must learn from this invasion is not that a dictatorship is the best form of government but that we should never wage war on a whim. Before sending American troops in harm's way, we need to how we are going to supply them and care for them after the war is over. We also need to have a realistic plan for rebuilding any nation we destroy.

[sugus]

17. Conservative Women in USA would see EVERY DAY the results of Bush Invasion

Bush Destruction has sunk in the chaos any social order, and it affects weakest directly: poor people, ancients, women and children. All this wasn´t necessary, just to stop a man.

Conservative Women in USA would see EVERY DAY the results of Bush Invasion, in Iraqi Women.

We have to wait next time American women go to vote massively, and if they are well informed, they will vote better.

[aquart]

11. This climate in Afghanistan brought about Taliban rule.

Iraq will exchange a secular dictatorship for a religious dictatorship with an interim period of American-caused chaos.

There will be no democracy. Democracy is not welcome there. Or did you think that eternal war against Israel was about religion or a postage stamp of land?

[MasonJar]

12. Women in Iraq

Earlier (perhaps March) I read that actually the women of Iraq had many liberties that most Muslim countries do not allow. They were educated, especially college educated,
; they did not have to wear those hideous black robes, etc. Yesterday at the March on D.C., one of the speakers was a female law student, speaking for the Arabic Law Students organization. She read from a passage of the Koran which clearly stated that women were equal to men. Obviously most Muslim men do not choose to read that section. It was very specific. Just like our born-agains, claiming their version of the Bible.

[sugus]

18. How many webpages about raped and kidnaped iraqi women?

3.230 webpages speaking about SAFIYA HUSSAINI in google.
28.000 webpages about AMINA LAWAL
128.000 webpages about NIGERIAN WOMEN (where sharia could condemn them to die stoned by infidelity.)

553.000 webpages about IRAQI WOMEN (They aren´t frequent news in our media)

http://www.rnw.nl/hotspots/html/ira030716.html
http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/07/iraq071603.htm
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/000688.html
http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/news/stories/030714s.htm
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/15/iraq/main563402.shtml
http://www.cricket24.co.za/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1406320,00.html
http://www.notinourname.net/war_on_the_world/rape_baghdad.htm
...

[study_war_no_more]

14. and good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye

and singing this will be the day that we die

[alcuno]

16. Iraq: A Nation of Men

And don't forget the children who are out on the street. I watched a heartbreaking story about the UNICEF drop-in center for street children. They showed a 12 year old girl who was turned out at 4:00 every day because they could not secure a place for any of them. The girl talked about the older boys "bothering" her and how she would try and sleep near where troops were stationed.

We are leaving 12 year old girls out alone on the streets to be raped. The fucking war (I apologize for swearing) ended 4 months ago and little girls are still left homeless to be preyed upon by men.

[lpbk2713]

19. I saw this piece too and was deeply troubled.

What will happen to these young girls when the troops move out and they no longer have unofficial protection? What really troubles me is knowing that if she is raped, under muslim law she will be killed. Bush obviously has no conscience at all for bringing such misery to these people.