The rise of future Islamic extremism across Iraq was expected the day the United States invaded the country in 2003. Washington’s mission to remove the late dictator Saddam Hussein might have been fulfilled but the curse of religious fundamentalism has made the lives of freedom loving Iraqis very scary, particularly women. Hardline Shia and Sunni extremists are regularly forcing young Iraqi women to follow strict Islamic laws. According to earlier reports many women and girls have been found killed across southern Iraq, allegedly for disobeying strict Sharia orders.
It is clear from Iraq’s political and security turmoil over these years that religious fundamentalists(Shias and Sunnis)have taken undue, yet, expected advantage to spread a stricter Islamic way of life into the Iraqi communities. The ordinary Iraqis are paying heavy prices for this social development. The fact that women hairdressers are being targeted by the Islamic fanatics is absolutely ludicrous. Hairdressing is a way of earning a living, yet conservatives led by the Al Qaeda believe that it is sinful for Iraqi women to make themselves look beautiful in the public.
The rise of Islamic fundamentalism is a clear evidence that Iraq’s road towards democracy would be bumpy and treacherous. The coalition forces, that is the US forces, are trying to reduce the overall violence in the country by wooing separate ethnic groups for maintaining peace in respective areas. But the international community has failed to wipe the country of religious extremism which is growing in strength with every passing day. Influential Shia, Sunni and Kurdish individuals are making the situation much more complicated by trying to make most of the political vacuum with the interim Iraqi government virtually a spectator.
Source Link: Instablogs
Image Link: Bismarck
