The war in Iraq has put the condition of Iraqi women firmly on the global agenda. For years, their lives have been framed by state oppression, economic sanctions and three wars. Now they must play a seminal role in reshaping their country's future for the twenty-first century. Nadje al-Ali challenges the myths and misconceptions which have dominated debates about Iraqi women, bringing a much needed gender perspective to bear on the central political issue of our time. She traces the political history of Iraq from post-colonial independence, to the emergence of a women's movement in the 1970s and Saddam Hussein's early policy of state feminism. The book also discusses the increases in social conservatism, domestic violence and prostitution, and shows that, far from being passive victims, Iraqi women have been, and continue to be, key political actors. The impact of Islam on women's lives is analysed in the context of the recent invasion and occupation, and it is argued that US-led calls for liberation may in the long term serve to oppress the women of Iraq further.