Sisters in War: A Story of Love, Family, and Survival in the New Iraq

Caughtupinaterrifyingwar,facingchoicesoflifeanddeath,twoIraqisisterstakeusintothehiddenworldofwomen'slivesunderU.S.occupation.Throughtheirpowerfulstoryofloveandbetrayal,interwovenwiththestoriesofaPalestinianAmericanwomen'srightsactivistandaU.S.soldier,journalistChristinaAsquithexploresoneofthegreatuntoldsagasoftheIraqwar:theattempttobringwomen'srightstoIraq,andtheconsequencesforallthoseinvolved.Ontheheelsoftheinvasion,twenty-two-year-oldZiaacceptsajobinsidetheU.S.headquartersinBaghdad,trustingthatdemocracywillshieldherburgeoningromancewithanAmericancontractorfromthedisapprovalofherfellowIraqis.ButasresistancetotheU.S.occupationintensifies,Ziaandhersister,Nunu,auniversitystudent,aretargetedbyIslamicinsurgentsandfindthemselvestrappedbetweentheirhopesforanewcountryandtheviolentrealityofamisguidedwar.AsquithsetstheirstruggleagainstthebroaderU.S.effortstobringwomen'srightstoIraq,weavingthesisters'storywiththoseofManal,aPalestinianAmericanwomen'srightsactivist,andHeather,aU.S.armyreservist,whoworktogethertofoundIraq'sfirstwomen'scenter.Afteroneoftheirfemalecolleaguesisgunneddownonahighway,ManalandHeathermustdecidewhethertheycankeepfightingforIraqiwomenifitmeansriskingtheirownlives.InSistersinWar,ChristinaAsquithintroducesthereadertofourwomenwhodaretostandupfortheirrightsinthemostdesperatecircumstances.Withcompassionandgrace,shevividlyrevealstheplightofwomenlivingandservinginIraqandoffersusavisionofhowwomen'srightsandIslammightbereconciled.