Iraqi Constitution May Not Be As Bad As Left Would Have Us Believe
Aside from Howard Dean and others on the Left, the Iraqi Draft constitution appears to have provisions in it to protect, if not establish many of the rights and freedoms they claim will be denied so many.
I have pulled excerpts from the Draft for review. This is not an in-depth analysis, and the entire document was not reviewed. Source was from Washingtonpost.com
From the Preamble:
We the people of Iraq, newly arisen from our disasters and looking with confidence to the future through a democratic, federal, republican system, are determined - men and women, old and young - to respect the rule of law, reject the policy of aggression, pay attention to women and their rights, the elderly and their cares, the children and their affairs, spread the culture of diversity and defuse terrorism.
From Article 1
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.
Article 5
Power is transferred peacefully through democratic ways.
From Article 7
1. Any organization that follow a racist, terrorist, extremist, sectarian-cleaning ideology or circulates or justifies such beliefs is banned, especially Saddam's Baath Party in Iraq and its symbols under any name. And this should not be part of the political pluralism in Iraq.
2. The government is committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms, and works to protect Iraqi soil from being a center or passage for terrorist activities.
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.
Article 36
The State guarantees:
1. Freedom of expression by all means.
2. Freedom of the press, printing, advertising and publishing.
Article 37
Freedom to establish political groups and organizations.
Article 39
Iraqis are free to abide in their personal lives according to their religion, sects, beliefs or choice. This should be organized by law.
I don't know about everyone else, but this sounds like a sincere effort to ensure that Iraq can become the most progressive and fair democracy in the Arab region.
I have pulled excerpts from the Draft for review. This is not an in-depth analysis, and the entire document was not reviewed. Source was from Washingtonpost.com
From the Preamble:
We the people of Iraq, newly arisen from our disasters and looking with confidence to the future through a democratic, federal, republican system, are determined - men and women, old and young - to respect the rule of law, reject the policy of aggression, pay attention to women and their rights, the elderly and their cares, the children and their affairs, spread the culture of diversity and defuse terrorism.
From Article 1
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.
Article 5
Power is transferred peacefully through democratic ways.
From Article 7
1. Any organization that follow a racist, terrorist, extremist, sectarian-cleaning ideology or circulates or justifies such beliefs is banned, especially Saddam's Baath Party in Iraq and its symbols under any name. And this should not be part of the political pluralism in Iraq.
2. The government is committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms, and works to protect Iraqi soil from being a center or passage for terrorist activities.
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.
Article 36
The State guarantees:
1. Freedom of expression by all means.
2. Freedom of the press, printing, advertising and publishing.
Article 37
Freedom to establish political groups and organizations.
Article 39
Iraqis are free to abide in their personal lives according to their religion, sects, beliefs or choice. This should be organized by law.
I don't know about everyone else, but this sounds like a sincere effort to ensure that Iraq can become the most progressive and fair democracy in the Arab region.
