More proof – as if anymore were needed – that whatever else their advantages, democracies are not above shooting themselves in the foot:
The Iraqi government has ordered all policewomen to hand in their guns for redistribution to men or face having their pay withheld, thwarting a U.S. initiative to bring women into the nation’s police force.
The Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, issued the order late last month, according to ministry documents, U.S. officials and several of the women. It affects all officers who have earned the title “policewoman” by graduating from the police academy. It does not apply to men in the same type of jobs.
Critics say the move is the latest sign of the religious and cultural conservatism that has taken hold in Iraq since Saddam Hussein’s ouster ushered in a government dominated by Shiite Muslims.
Religious organizations were the only hint of a political alternative that Saddam Hussein permitted to his Ba’ath Party – every other brand of party was ruthlessly supressed. So it shouldn’t come as any surprise I suppose that the Shia dominated Interior Ministry is being run by 7th Century droolers who run around with what ought to be superseded notions of femininity and honor.
I hope that the next go around, the Iraqi people have the opportunity to vote for a better class of leadership. It would a shame to think that we fought for this.
Sadly, Iraq will give us plenty to regret that we fought for it. Already has.
Just what did we expect from a theocracy that still advocates honor killings and the total subjugation of women.
They do still live in the 7th century – and no amount of personal freedom or restored self esteem is going to change a mindset that is truly that old.
It makes me wonder sometimes about the outrage we all feel – the shock we express when things like this or the honor killing in Canada happen. Why are we surprised or disappointed? This is a culture that is so far behind they will never catch up – not that they want to, as they show us time and time again.
“better class of leadership next time”….
are they going to open the ballots to donkeys and camels? If not, I’d say the chance of that lofty expectation is zero percent.