Iraqi Women see Window of Opportunity Closing



Scheherezade Faramarzi reports on women's aspirations for Iraq. It sounds as though not only did Mr. Bremer not appoint many women to the Interim Governing Council, but even some of the ones left on it are Islamists who favor or acquiesce in Islamic personal status law. It really is a scandal that the US appointed so few women. One, Aqilah al-Hashimi, was assassinated (she had asked for and been refused US protection). The ones left had no experience or institutional base.