This is from an explanation of “What the Kurds Want” from their representative to the U.S., Qubad Talabani (the son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani), in this morning’s WSJ [subscription required]:
Similarly, equal rights for women should be a given in any democracy. Sadly, that is not the case in Iraq. Despite the best efforts of the U.S., the Kurds and the Iraqi left, certain groups want to relegate women to second-class citizenship. The imposition of an undefined Shariah law in Iraq would place an unelected clergy in charge of Iraqi society, a recipe for disaster and a betrayal of civil liberties.
As the justification for the discriminatory provisions that some want to apply to Iraqi women is supposedly religion, it is vital that we have individual freedom of conscience. After all, self-determination is individual as well as communal. In a secular Iraq, religion and the individual would be respected. Religion would not be open to political abuse and the Islamic traditions of most Iraqis would be given their due. The traditions of other religions would be equally respected, and Iraqis would be free to affirm whatever beliefs they wish.
If the U.S. is going to participate in this process – and let’s have our eyes open: we are a key participant and we are going to be deemed responsible for the result however it comes out – we must demand nothing less than this.