Iraq Improves Stance On Gays

Last week, Deb Price of the Detroit Press managed to get the Iraq government's spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, to now condemn the killing of Iraqi gays, when she demanded, "Does the Iraqi government condemn the killings of Iraqis targeted specifically because they're homosexual?" The spokesman responded, "Iraqi government condemn each and every killing -- whoever are being killed. Definitely we condemn it. Due to any reasons."

Price calls the latest statement "encouraging", especially in light of al-Dabbagh's previous comment on the U.S. State Department's report regarding anti-gay hit squads in Iraq: "There was information in the report that we cannot accept here in Iraq. The report, for example, spoke about the phenomenon of homosexuality and giving them their rights. Such statements are not suitable to the Iraqi society. This is rejected. They should respect the values and traditions here in Iraq."

In her column, Price calls for American intervention on behalf of Iraqi gays, saying, " U.S. officials need to do more -- publicly denounce any targeting of sexual minorities in the fledgling democracy. In Iraq, all of the violence against innocent civilians is horrifying. But if a stable, relatively peaceful Iraq is ever to emerge and join the ranks of civilized nations, it will have to be a place where government tries to safeguard the rights of all, including its most vulnerable citizens." Yes, indeed, Ms. Price.