Posted on 06/30/2005 9:43:11 PM PDT by jmc1969
BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 30 - At least two of the 15 Sunni Arabs proposed as members of the committee that will write Iraq's permanent constitution have been accused of being senior members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party, and two others have openly declared themselves strong supporters of the party.
The Baath Party, dominated by members of the country's Sunni Arab minority, brutalized and exiled many current members of the Iraqi National Assembly, which is likely to consider the proposed slate of Sunnis early next week.
Under Iraq's provisional law, a new constitution must be written by Aug. 15 or the government must ask for an extension of up to six months. Once a constitution is written, it must be submitted to a national referendum.
When contacted by telephone, Mr. Isa denied that he had ever been a member of the Baath Party, and he said that while Mr. Aref had once been a member, he had never been in a senior position.
"All the candidates comply with the terms of membership," Mr. Isa said. "We don't have any of the damned Baath Party members among us."
He added, "We told the committee that we will not change any of the names and the list would stay as it is."
Mr. Aaraji said, though, that because of the accusations, the committee had decided to submit all of the proposed names to Iraq's de-Baathification commission for vetting. The development has raised the ire of Sunnis inside and outside the committee; some dismiss as unimportant whether the nominees are former Baathists of any rank.
Mr. Hamoudi, chairman of the committee, confirmed that certain sections were being written. But the full committee, including the Sunnis, will debate all sections of the document before it is completed, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The NYTs?
The US needs to be pushing these people hard to STFU and work.
Yea, and they know what STFU stands for??????????????????
wELL DID they really need to STFU, I don't know why they Haven't STFU??? Did they work?
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