The Iraqi Constitution

Update: May 19. 2005
ITM has a new "(hopefully daily)" series on the Drafting of the constitution. Check out his first entry here

Update: Back to Iraq comments on the constitution.

Don't forget Juan Cole from the other day.

We can also add Abbas's, get this, Arab Reform Bulletin, "a Carnegie Endowment publication" as he argues for Iraq's Shi'a leadership. And that reminds me of what Sam said the other day in his interview with Mister Ghost

"MG: Now Sam, should al-Sistani, unelected and not chosen by the Iraqi people to govern them or even represent them, be a force in a modern democratic state?

Sam: No he is not a political force but a spiritual leader and he was so during Saddam regime as spiritual leader so nothing changed now a part from taking his advices and views become public and important for the time being. Once the democratic process established and mechanism for election and constitution set out then Sistani or whoever comes after him will not impose themselves on the politics of the state unless asked to give advice. Indeed he is now not giving his views unless asked to give and he only suggest whether the others will take his suggestion or not. However a man like him is so important in this time like a father in the family."

Until proven wrong, I would tend to take these two at their word.

Original post:

"OK, back to reality. Fellow Iraqi blogger, Akbar - Iraqi Rising, posted his worries regarding the writing of the Iraqi constitution and other political issues. Since I'm worried too, I thought I'd answer his request to discuss the issue on other Iraqi blogs."
Iraqi in America

I am not going to comment too much on the Iraqi constitution till I see something more concrete from the Iraqis themselves, as I really think that Iraqis themselves should work this out. but I don't think that Iraqis are planing to write from a blank sheet, I think that for the most part the TAL will serve as a blueprint to the basic Iraqi constitution, and all they have to add are some election rules, and bingo they have a descent constitution. My two cents.
But you never know maybe the Iraq will surprise us all with a homegrown version. Whatever they do I hope they make one that is in line with the rest of today's constitutional governments, so that it is automatically compatible with the EU, and the US, and the rest of the free world. Let's hope that at this point no one is driven by fear to write a less than free constitution, I mean what are they going to be afraid of, terrorist bombings, they got that now.

postdate: Let's not forget consequences of Failure as we were reminded recently in the Rolling Stone of all places Dr. Cole.

well we've got everyone else so why not al-Qaedas

"DUBAI (Reuters) - Iraq's al Qaeda blasted calls by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for Sunni Muslims in Iraq to participate in drafting a new constitution, saying those who did would be infidels, according to an Internet statement.

"The crusaders' hag (Rice) came to sully the land of the caliphate...and wants the participation of apostates and secularists claiming to be Sunnis," the group led by Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said in the statement posted on Tuesday on a Web site used by Islamists on Tuesday.

"Would anyone draft the constitution other than those who do not believe in God's book...," said the statement dated May 16."