Iraq, prior to the Bush invasion in 2002, was headed by Saddam Hussein, a totalitarian military dictator, but a secular.

Hence, his government was more secularized than most Arab countries under sharia or Islamic religious law.

Okay, I agree with you partly.
Women in Iraq, prior to the U.S. invasion, did have more rights than, say in Saudi Arabia, where they are not allowed to drive a car, much less vote.

But I do not see how the U.S. invasion affected the overall rights of Iraqi women.

Obviously, Iraqi women who are trying to keep their households healthy and fed, would suffer by having to live in a war zone. I agree in advance, that the lives of Iraqi women have not been improved by the U.S. invasion at this moment in time.

But Iraqi women did vote in the January election. And the high turnout was a major positive benefit of the U.S. invasion.

I opposed the Iraqi war. I think Bush made a mistake by invading Iraq. But some good things CAN and have happened as a result of it too.

I see your point about Saudi Arabia and Kuwait and I agree with it. The U.S. support of those countries has more to do with keeping the cheap oil supply flowing than the rights of women in the region.

But getting back to the Palestinians and the Israelis. How can you possibly argue that women aren't better off living in Israel than in any Islamic country practising sharia including the PA?