IRAQ: Nancy — Oops, they mean Hillary — for president
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The leader of a group of Iraqis allied with U.S. forces to secure their area south of Baghdad knows who his favorite candidate for U.S. president is: the woman. The question is, which woman?
Sheik Mustafa Kamel Hamed Shibeeb Jubouri, who dropped by to visit some foreign journalists recently, began lavishing praise on Nancy Reagan when asked whom Americans should put into the White House. Jubouri, who commands the so-called Sahwa, or Awakening Council, forces in a volatile region outside the capital, praised her charisma and forceful personality, apparently confusing Reagan with Hillary Clinton.
Later, he stopped referring to Nancy and began referring to Hillary as he went out of his way to explain that contrary to the belief of many Westerners’, Muslims in Iraq would not oppose the idea of a woman running a country. ‘My daughter is an engineer. My wife is a teacher,’ he said. ‘Women are half of society, and if true Islamic law is put into practice, women should not have to cook or even take care of the children by themselves.’
Instead, he said they should be relieved from such burdens to pursue other goals. Like being president.
‘Tell Hillary I am a supporter!’ Jubouri declared, adding that the presidential hopeful was always welcome to visit his part of Iraq. In return, he’s hoping for a visit to the White House, should she be elected.
— Tina Susman in Baghdad
