Any woman who earned the right to serve as an officer, even if they are not on the front lines, will have their pay held in order to force compliance.
The Iraqi government is taking a turn to the right, and will hamper stability in Iraq by taking half of the nation's brainpower out of commission.
Policewomen are needed otherwise there would be no officers to search female suspects, which men are not allowed to do, although women have joined the ranks of suicide bombers.
Women are also required in investigating rape, which stigmatizes women in Iraq, because few victims feel comfortable reporting it to men.
Female police officers could protect themselves better because ordinarily a service weapon remains with them off the job. Without police work, women are more vulnerable.
Iraqi law prevents policewomen from advancing to commanding-officer levels.
In 2004 U.S. trainers began recruiting women for the Iraqi police and were so swamped with applicants that they had to turn many away. About 1,000 women graduated from the program in the first year alone.
The Iraqi government ignores the needs of poor women and meanwhile the next opportunity for more security and social advances is stifled by Iraq.
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