The Status of Women in Islamic Countries and the US

Making News

Iran's Nuclear Program on Hold ()

The consensus of all 16 of America's intelligence agencies is that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003. The latest National Intelligence Estimate says that the program remains on hold.  Bob Drogin reports on intelligence for the Los Angeles Times.

Guests:

• Bob Drogin: National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times

Main Topic

Misogyny in Islamic Countries and the US ()

A Bangladeshi woman was hounded out of her country for comments about the Koran and women's rights. Now she's had death threats from Muslims in India. In Saudi Arabia, a rape victim's sentence of 200 lashes has inspired international outrage. After facing a barrage of questions at last week's Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, promised the courts will review the sentence for the 20-year old woman who was raped—along with a male companion—by seven men. In the United States, women were not given the right to vote until 1920.  Current law allows a woman to be elected President, but Hillary Clinton is the first to have a real chance. Misogyny, however, is by no means dead, as demonstrated by many Facebook headlines about her candidacy. Moreover, when a woman supporter asked Senator John McCain, "How do we beat the bitch?," he famously did not rebuke her for using that term. Is misogyny enshrined in Islamic law? What about the United States? We look attitudes toward women in religion and culture.

Guests:

• Farida Deif: Women's Rights Researcher, Human Rights Watch
• Laleh Bakhtiar: In-House Scholar, Kazi Publications
• Bernard Haykel: Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University
• Jonathan Tilove: National Correspondent, Newhouse News Service
• Michael Kimmel: Professor of Sociology, State University of New York-Stony Brook

Links:

• World Economic Forum on gender equality
• Haykel's 'Revival and Reform in Islam'
• Tilove's article on misognystic response to Hillary Clinton
• Kimmel's 'Manhood in America: A Cultural History'

Reporter's Notebook

Two Presidents Try to Concentrate Power, with Different Results ()

Yesterday's elections in Russia and Venezuela were watched around the world for signs of how democracy is faring in those very different countries. Vladimir Putin and Hugo Chavez were both accused of unfairly using government resources to influence elections important to their own political futures. In Russia, the results went as expected and Putin won, but Venezuela saw what can only be called an upset. Chavez lost.  Moisés Naím, editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, was Venezuela's Minister of Trade and Industry before Chavez took power.

Guests:

• Moises Naim: Editor-in-Chief, Foreign Policy magazine, @moisesnaim