I'm personally in favor of legalized prostitution ala the Netherlands model. But here's
one more reason for Christian fundamentalists to be happy that their beloved Holy Chimperor got rid of that evil Saddam (besides the killing, looting, and other general mayhem that has gone on)...
"Pleasure Marriages" are on the rise...
"Pleasure marriages" were outlawed under Saddam Hussein but have begun to flourish again. The contracts, lasting anywhere from one hour to 10 years, generally stipulate that the man will pay the woman in exchange for sexual intimacy. Now some Iraqi clerics and women's rights activists are complaining that the contracts have become less a mechanism for taking care of widows than an outlet for male sexual desires.
The renaissance of the pleasure marriage coincides with a revival of other Shiite traditions long suppressed by the former regime. Interest in Shiite customs has accelerated since Shiite parties swept Jan. 30 elections to become the biggest bloc in the new National Assembly.
"Under Saddam, we were very scared," says Al-Zaidi, 39, a lawyer from Sadr City, a sprawling Shiite neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. "They would punish people. Now, all my friends are doing it."...
...A woman agreeing to a pleasure marriage that involves a one-time encounter might be able to count on about $100. For a muta'a that runs longer, she might be paid $200 a month...
So make sure to let your friendly neighborhood fundamentalist know how well George's new "democracy" is working out.