TERROR IS LOSING By PAUL WOLFOWITZ, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense

One such [web] site shows Iraqi women demonstrating against Resolution 137, passed by the Iraqi Governing Council, which threatened women’s rights.

These women – who were exercising their right of free speech to demonstrate for women’s rights – were dressed in very conservative Muslim fashion. Yet, as one of them put it: ”We didn’t wait all these years without the most basic rights to be denied them now.”

An Arab reporter asked if she were Sunni or Shi’a. She snapped: ”I’m an Iraqi citizen first and foremost, and I refuse to be asked such a question.”

In increasing numbers, likeminded Iraqi women – and men – are making it clear they expect basic rights. People are listening. Not only did this pressure force the repeal of Resolution 137, but, when the new Iraqi interim constitution was signed March 8, it contained assurances of equal rights – and substantial representation – for women.

It also provides for other fundamental pillars of true democracy, including separation of powers and an independent judiciary, rule of law, fundamental civil rights and civilian control of the military. That’s a significant step forward that came from heated and healthy political debate – debate that would have been impossible a year ago.

While such debates do show that Iraqis disagree among themselves, they demonstrate – more importantly – that Iraqis can debate those issues openly and democratically. Significantly, in a recent opinion poll of Iraqis, 56 percent said things were going better today than a year ago; 71 percent said they thought they would be better off a year from now.