One In Three

Today, Iraq is having its second provincial election since Sadam Hussein was removed. That's cause for celebration, but not a drop of credit goes to Former President Bush and his comrades in terror. All credit goes to the Iraqis themselves, who are surviving an American invasion killing nearly 100,000 innocent civilians and destroying their entire infrastructure in the process.

It is not possible to bomb a people into freedom. Today the polls open because of their own courage, resilience and hope.

And clearly Iraqi women have a double gene for courage. CNN.com reports that 4,000 Iraqi women are running for office. Due to something like America’s impossible-to-decipher electoral system, one out of every three seats is guaranteed to go to a woman.

The struggle before them is enormous. CNN reminds us, “Under Hussein, Iraq was one of the more secular Arab countries, but the 2003 U.S. invasion unleashed extremist militias. Now, many activists say women have been forced back to the Dark Ages, forced to be submissive, anonymous and fully veiled.”

Sure, they have a long way to go, but just look at them. I have one piece of advice for the men who'll be taking office alongside them : Don't expect these women to fetch your tea.