Civil War and Women's Rights in Iraq

NPR's Renee Montagne, on June 8's "Morning Edition," referred to the "pre-civil war" in Iraq while discussing the killing of Abu Musba al-Zarqawi. Over on Informed Comment, Professor Juan Cole has been calling the horror in Iraq a civil war -- without the "pre" -- for some time now.

The Independent for June 8 reports that Iraqi women are losing their secular rights. The article ends on a somber note:

There is a growing fear among educated women, however, that the extreme dangers of daily life will allow the issue of women's oppression to remain unchallenged.

It's very depressing to consider that Iraqi women had greater rights under a dictator than they do after the U.S. invasion. Of course, in the midst of a civil war, everyone's rights are in trouble.