| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"^Harry Hope" |
| Date: |
01 Aug 2005 09:26:53 PM |
| Object: |
More good news from Iraq. Nope, no quagmire here |
More good news from Iraq
Iraqi Bloggers Central reports some very good news about the Iraqi
Constitution. (Emphasis mine.)
As far as I can tell, the deadline for the formal extension on the writing
of the Iraqi consitution has passed without a request and the document will
therefore be completed by August 15 and then voted on by the Iraqi people on
October 15. Reuters reports:
Drafters of the constitution will have to resolve a host of sensitive
issues that cut across sectarian lines if they are to get their task done on
time.
Hammoudi said only one chapter of the document remained to be written
and expected it would be done in the next 10 days. But it is the most
sensitive chapter, dealing with federalism.
"We will work day and night to finish it on time. Even our Sunni
brothers insist on finishing it on time," he said.
A women's group called More Than One Source held a news conference to
express their concern over the document, saying Islam should not be the only
basis for Iraqi law, as desired by some influential Shi'ite religious
leaders.
"We demand Islam to be one of the sources in legislation, but not the
principal source in it," said Rend Raheem, the Iraqi ambassador to
Washington, a member of the group.
"We are not afraid of Sharia. We are afraid of arbitrary interpretations
of Islam, which will restrict freedom."
The American ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, praised the
constitutional process but urged Iraqis living in guerrilla strongholds to
avoid being recruited by "terrorists."
"I warn Iraqis in central and western Iraq to avoid falling into the
trap laid by their enemies," he told a news conference.
Insurgent bombings and assassinations have gone on unabated as Iraqis
have tried to keep the political process on track.
The schedule calls for the draft constitution to be written by Aug. 15,
put to a referendum by Oct. 15 and elections for a new government to be held
under the charter by Dec. 15.
If the Sunnis are determined to finish on time as well, then tthe
Constitution will probably be done on time. With the women's groups lobbying
to remove the clause about Islam being the only source of laws, and the
Sunnis most likely doing the same, there's a good possibility that the
clause will be altered at least, if not removed.
.
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