No democracy for women of Iraq

I hope most people have read the latest report on how women in Iraq are being treated now that we have brought "democracy" to that country.

Saddam Hussein was a hideous dictator who brutally killed many of his own people, but he ran a secular country where women could wear western clothing and be out on their own if they wished and not be beaten.

According to CNN.com: "As many as 133 women were killed in Basra last year -- 79 for violation of 'Islamic teachings' and 47 for so-called honor killings. Many beaten and beheaded, all bearing signs of torture."

And this is in just one city, what about the others?

From the start of this war one of my major concerns was given their freedom, what kind of society would Iraq put in place. My fear was that strict Islamic law would be brought in which would bring with it severe limitations on individual rights.

This seems to be happening right before our eyes as we protect those very leaders who bring this about.

This is what our brave young men and women are dying for over there today, so that Iraq can put in place a repressive regime that denies people basic human rights accepted by most of the civilized world? Oh yeah, that's right, the rest of the civilized world is in the 21st century while the Middle East is still mired in the Middle Ages.

This is another example of how poorly thought out the invasion was and further brings into question whether the invasion was the right thing to do in the first place. I would bet the women of Iraq wonder that very thing.

Mike Krueger

Carol Stream