Iraqi Constitution

<p>Here’s a link to a partial translation of the Iraqi Constitution:</p>

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<p>A few highlights:</p>

<p>PREAMBLE </p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>We are the people of Iraq, who in all our forms and groupings undertake to establish our union freely and by choice, to learn yesterday’s lessons for tomorrow, and to write down this permanent constitution from the high values and ideals of the heavenly messages and the developments of science and human civilization, and to adhere to this constitution, which shall preserve for Iraq its free union of people, land and sovereignty.</p>

<p>Article (2): First, Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation:</p>

<p>a) No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam.</p>

<p>b) No law can be passed that contradicts the principles of democracy.</p>

<p>c) No law can be passed that contradicts the rights and basic freedoms outlined in this constitution.</p>

<p>Article (7): </p>

<p>1st — Entities or trends that advocate, instigate, justify or propagate racism, terrorism, “takfir” (declaring someone an infidel), sectarian cleansing, are banned, especially the Saddamist Baath Party in Iraq and its symbols, under any name. It will be not be allowed to be part of the multilateral political system in Iraq, which should be defined according to the law. </p>

<p>2nd — The state will be committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms and will work to prevent its territory from being a base or corridor or an arena for its (terrorism’s) activities. </p>

<p>Article (14): Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination because of gender, ethnicity, nationality, origin, color, religion, sect, belief, opinion or social or economic status. </p>

<p>Article (15): Every individual has the right to life and security and freedom and cannot be deprived of these rights or have them restricted except in accordance to the law and based on a ruling by the appropriate judicial body. </p>

<p>Article (16): Equal opportunity is a right guaranteed to all Iraqis, and the state shall take the necessary steps to achieve this.</p>

<p>And the Sunnis have a problem with this constitution—why?
Oh yeah, a lot of Baathist are Sunni, right?</p>

<p>Yes. The anti-Baathist language is one of the key sticking points at the moment.</p>

<p>The second area of Sunni disagreement centers around the degree of federalism. The Sunni’s need a concentration of power at the central government level. The Shi’ites and the Kurds benefit from regional autonomy.</p>

<p>It’s a sophisticated political dance. The Kurds and the Shi’ites can ramrod the Constitution through the National Assembly. However, the Sunnis control three regions and, therefore, can block the ratification in the popular vote.</p>

<p>The incentive for the Kurds and Shi’ites to get the Sunnis on board is obvious. There is a LOT of moderate language in this draft.</p>

<p>Why wouldn’t the Sunnis want to blow the thing up in the popular referendum? Because that is a surefire recipe for the US to pull the plug. The Sunnis need the US to protect their interests.</p>