The Iraqi women who toured the United States last month told us
that they were amazed by how misinformed many Americans were
about the lives of Iraqi women. Most Americans thought that
before the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi women were sitting
at home oppressed, heavily veiled and secluded, and that thanks
to the US invasion, they are now liberated. This is what the
Bush administration would like us to believe, but after
listening to our Iraqi friends many people now know better. To
further shed light on the true status of Iraqi women, CODEPINK
has released an in-depth report Iraqi Women Under Siege. We
encourage you to download this report, read it and pass it on to
others. The report shows that from 1958 to the 1990s, Iraq
provided more rights and freedoms for women and girls than most
of its neighbors. Though Saddam Hussein's dictatorial government
and 12 years of severe sanctions reduced these opportunities,
Iraqi women were active in all aspects of their society. After
the occupation, with the exce