Posted on 08/22/2005 4:01:21 PM PDT by houston1
The United States has eased its opposition to an Islamic Iraqi state to help clinch a deal on a draft constitution before tonight's deadline.
American diplomats backed religious conservatives who threatened to torpedo talks over the shape of the new Iraq unless Islam was a primary source of law. Secular and liberal groups were dismayed at the move, branding it a betrayal of Washington's promise to advocate equal rights in a free and tolerant society.
Stalemate over the role of Islam, among other issues, meant last week's deadline was extended for a week. Outstanding disputes could produce another cliffhanger tonight, triggering a further extension.
The Bush administration, keen to show the political process is on track, has waded into negotiations and pressured all sides to compromise.
Conservative Shias, dominant in the Iraqi government, had clashed with Kurds and other minorities who wanted Islam to be "a" rather than "the" main source of law.
According to Kurdish and Sunni negotiators, the US ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, proposed that Islam be named "a primary source" and supported a wording which would give clerics authority in civil matters such as divorce, marriage and inheritance.
If approved, critics say that the proposals would erode women's rights and other freedoms enshrined under existing laws. "We understand the Americans have sided with the Shias. It's shocking. It doesn't fit with American values," an unnamed Kurdish negotiator told Reuters. "They have spent so much blood and money here, only to back the creation of an Islamist state."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Why'd we go to war again? Are there any even remotely defensible reasons now? I could see the Democracy spreading, but even that's gone.
Secular and liberal groups were dismayed at the move, branding it a betrayal of Washington's promise to advocate equal rights in a free and tolerant society.
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This makes me ill. Blackmailed by a bunch of stone-age religous loonies who will not give up power in terms of RADICAL RELIGION controlling the government. The whole thing smells, and why do we ALLOW this to happen -- even the majority of the Iraqis did not want this to happen.
I am getting ill.
They just don't have any bells, do they?
...And this shocks anyone why?
Did anyone actually think a different outcome was going to happen?
To blazes with deadlines. Pound them some more until they get it right. Islam is a house of horrors, and this decision is folly!
Did anyone actually think a different outcome was going to happen?
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Many were hoping. The Iraqis can make their own choices -- they have here. If they want to control the radicalism of the Sunnis, they will. I really is up to them now.
"...an unnamed Kurdish negotiator told Reuters."
I think I'm going to wait a bit before I begin getting sick as I, perhaps naively, find this very hard to believe.
However, if true, well, (begin extreme venting verbiage now) I'd be tempted to just bomb the place till the pain went away.
(vent now over, thank you)
When the war began it was my opinion it was worth trying. Nothing else was working. Too bad for the middle east.
So, could someone refresh my memory, how much has it cost us, the American Taxpayers, to create this new Iran-like place?
This is all a bit premature...let's wait and see how the facts come out in the next couple of days. Fox News.com has nothing on its site other than the process has been delayed a couple of more days.
Yeah, it seemed like a good idea at the time. But with this islamic law stuff, seems we'd have been a lot better off with a tightly controlled saddam.
I only care about iraq's threat level to the USA and maybe Israel. I don't think any Americans should die for their citizens.
This is just stupid! We should NOT get sidetracked by this and we should NOT let it happen! We should not let Islam play a part in the new government of Iraq.
I along with another Ex-Muslim friend have expected this to happen. Now that the Iraqis are building their constitution around islamic law, the whole point of going to war to "spread democracy and freedom" is going to be gone down the toilet. Anyway, what good can one expect from people that believe in nothing else except Quran and Sunnah? Democracy is not even a word in Islamic Arab world!
Iraq: Bush's Islamic Republic
Yes, there's an occasional partisan swipe in the article, but it's still worth reading for the sobering picture it paints. Whether it's how things are going to turn out in Iraq isn't yet clear, but it's not looking good.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Look folksI don't like the fact that women have no more rights under this constitution than a hat rack either...but ask yourselves, how long was it in this country before women had even the most basic rights of citizenship? And I really do hope that no one on FR had the temerity to believe that an Islamic nation was going to ratify a constitution that respected any religion other than their own. I am saying yeah, we're pissed. Yeah it's not what we would've preferred. But it's done. It was their choice. I say we get their military trained up over the next year then get the F*%K out. Whatever happens, happens.
If this measure of turning Iraq into an Islamic state, is backed by our administration, then is is time bring our troops home.
They are not there to die and support an Iraq which end's up another Iran.
I have been a strong supporter of President Bush and our troops but it was because they were fighting for Democracy and FREEDOM in Iraq. Islamic power does not mean freedom, especially for the women of that country.
I will always support our troops, but if this administration allows Islamic power, I will support them by joining the ranks of those who want them to come back home. They are too valiant to die for Islam.
This just makes me sick. Jean Kerry would have not gotten away with this nonsense, so why should Bush? The incompetence in the White House is just striking.
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