The Plight of Women in Basra

"We warn against not wearing a headscarf and wearing makeup.
Those who do not abide by this will be punished.
God is our witness, we have notified you."

These words were painted in Arabic in red paint just outside the main downtown market in Basra, Iraq. And they are no mere threat. Last year, 133 women were killed in Basra - 79 for violation of "Islamic teachings" and 47 for honor killings:

"There are many motives for these crimes and parties involved in killing women, by strangling, beheading, chopping off their hands, legs, heads...two women were killed in front of their kids. Their blood was flowing in front of their kids, they were crying. Another woman was killed in front of her 6-year-old son, another in front of her 11-year-old child, and yet another who was pregnant."

"The attacks on the women of Basra have intensified since British forces withdrew to their base at the airport back in September, police say. Iraqi security forces took over after British troops pulled back, but are heavily infiltrated by militias."

Whether or not you feel we were justified in going to war, and whether or not you think we should leave, let's be honest about two things:

(1) To call the people we're fighting "animals" is unfair to animals.

(2) If and when we leave, there will be a bloodbath and barbarism beyond belief in the civil war that will follow.

To agree with these statements does not necessarily commit you to either side of the "leave or stay" debate, but to deny them suggests that you cannot or will not look reality in the face.