David Vance SubstackRead More
Was former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein a bad guy?
Yes, he was.
But after him has come something that is so MUCH worse. And we need to talk about it.
Under Iraq’s new law, girls can legally marry from the age of 9 in certain circumstances, depending on religious interpretations. The legal marriage age for boys has also been reduced from 18 to 15. The law gives religious authorities the power to decide on family matters, including marriage, divorce, and child custody, and abolishes a longstanding ban on child marriage under the age of 18, which had been in place since the 1950s. This change significantly reduces protections for women and children, exposing them to greater risks of exploitation and abuse. The law also restricts women’s access to fundamental rights, including divorce, child custody, and inheritance, which are all important for their autonomy and safety.
These new Islamic restrictions leave women and girls increasingly vulnerable in a country already facing significant instability. And the West is to blame.
It was the US and its western associates who moved to take down Saddam Hussein. But was he such a terrible leader?
While he presented himself as a religious leader at times to strengthen his legitimacy, particularly after the Gulf War, he was more of an opportunist who used Islam to his advantage. His Ba’athist regime was officially secular, and he had a history of persecuting religious groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood. Iraq’s Christian population has shrunk by 83% since the fall of Hussein and their lives became intolerable.
When Hussein fell there was much Neocon talk of building a more modern democracy in Iraq. That is not what happened and instead with each passing year Iraq goes further back in time towards the 6th century.
You have to feel bad for little girls who can now be legally married at 9.
The very thought horrifies me and yet this is how Islam rocks.
It’s a dark ages pathology.
