There's no surge in freedom for Iraqi women in Basra

[groovedaddy]

The State of the Union speech has evolved into a pageant that includes a relatively new tradition of the president publicly acknowledging invited guests. These guests usually are props intended to endorse the president's policies.

So, in 2005 in defense of the Iraq invasion, President Bush drew the world's attention to Safia Taleb al-Suhail, the daughter of an Iraqi tribal leader killed by Saddam Hussein's intelligence forces for plotting a coup against Saddam. It was great political theater.

"Three days ago in Baghdad, Safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country," a beaming President Bush said.

But on this day three years later, when millions of American women are contemplating cards, chocolates and flowers, women in Basra, Iraqi's second largest city, are under siege.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080214/COLUMNISTS09/80213065/1054/OPINION