The United States has been working to guarantee equal opportunity for women in the new Iraq. However, this effort conflicts with the recent decision to allow sectarian groups greater powers (particularly Muqtada al-Sadr) in the government. Now, the Iraqi government has quietly ordered all women in the police force to turn over their weapons to men in an apparent bow to religious extremists.

Once again, the question raised by these stories is what we are building for $1.7 trillion. In the end, Iraq appears likely to fall under the control of religious groups aligned with Iran or at least associated with anti-American views. More importantly, we are building a system on principles that we find deeply offensive and abusive to minorities and women. With Americans shouldering debt of $50,000 per family is it appropriate to expect working mothers to pay money to a country where they would be denied positions or authority due to their gender?

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