Iraq Constitution

Okay. So I guess the whole point of our toppling a theocratic regime was to create a polarized, theocratic republic. The NY Times has the text of the proposed Iraq Constitution

Chapter One

Article One

The Republic of Iraq is an independent state.

Article Two

The political system is republican, parliamentary, democratic and federal.

1. Islam is a main source for legislation.

-- a. No law may contradict Islamic standards.

-- b. No law may contradict democratic standards.

-- c. No law may contradict the essential rights and freedoms mentioned in this constitution.

2. This constitution guarantees the Islamic identity of the Iraqi people and guarantees all religious rights; all persons are free within their ideology and the practice of their ideological practices.

3. Iraq is part of the Islamic world, and the Arabs are part of the Arab nation.

I'm not too worried about the emphasis on Islam int he constitution... But I just want to point out this ultimate symbol of the American ignorance of the Middle East. The administration was pushing for a secular democracy, but realized that it wasn't goign to happen, as the Telegraph (UK) reports:

The United States yesterday finally abandoned the fading dream of turning Iraq into a beacon of secular democracy in the Middle East, as it backed demands for the new constitution to enshrine Islamic religious law.

Well, this is still on hold because Iraq Assembly got three extra days. How much can they get done in three days? I hope more than the AP reading I got done in that amount of time (albeit cruelly caffeine-deprived and thoroughly exhausted).

New York Times reports:

Shiite and Kurdish leaders said they had come close to completing the constitution on Monday night, but had bogged down over a handful of issues they say can be resolved in the next few days. Most of the disputes pitted them against leaders of the embittered Sunni minority, who had been shut out of the negotiations for much of the past week.

But the Sunnis were not alone in their opposition; they were joined on some major issues by a group of secular Iraqis, led by Ayad Allawi, the former prime minister. Mr. Allawi's group is concerned about what its members describe as an Islamist-minded coalition of the majority Shiites that is pushing for a large autonomous region in the oil-rich south.

Oyyyyy, this is complicated. The day I finish my procrastinated work... I shall Wikipedia all this Iraq stuff. I really haven't paid attention to any foreign policy. It's one of those things I hate reading about, but after I do... I always feel more accomplished.

I must say... If this constitution that was filed just before the deadline passes... They're doing a better job on civil liberties than we are:

CHAPTER TWO

Article 35

-- a. Human freedom and dignity are guaranteed.

-- b. No person can be detained or interrogated without a judicial order.

-- c. All kinds of physical and psychological torture and inhumane treatment are prohibited, and any confession is considered void if it was taken by force, threats and torture. The person who was harmed has the right to ask for compensation for the financial and moral damage he/she suffered.

Can you try imagining a Bush White House working around THOSE kinds of guidelines int he CONSTITUTION. I know that our own Constitution was purposely left flexible... but our current leader is doing an uncceptable job of protecting it and its original values. Maybe our Founding Fathers were a little too generous in assuming that future presidents won't abuse their power to become King George II of the U.S.