Iraqi Update
As everyone may well know, the Iraqi Parliament extended the deadline for a constitution by a week. The Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish framers of the charter agreed on issues ranging from oil revenues to the country’s name but they put off decisions on women’s rights, the role of Islam and Kurdish autonomy. The last-minute postponement raises serious questions about the ability for the various factions, now and in the future, to reach the necessary compromises to have a unified state.
The Bush Administration contends that a compromise will be reached and as the American public continually polls against the war, they say they plan to “settle for far less than originally envisioned during the transition due to end in four months” (Washington Post).
Americans, if they still care, need to realize that Iraqi elected representatives that reflect more traditional Islamic values then Western ones. Democracy, as we know it, in unlikely to be planted in Iraq as this constitution comes into greater light. We are coming to realize that our vision of remaking the world in our own image will neither succeed nor particularly help in the “war” on terror.
Reading:
Salon - Women’s rights groups in the Middle East fear that Iraqi women will be the biggest losers in the country’s new Constitution.
Publius contends that the people of Iraq are more liberal than there repersenatives and that time will allow that to come through.
Iraq the Model gives good updates on the constituional process.
Hi !
I think democracy is a universak concept and value. Bigotism and fascism have pervaded arab nationalism and its corollary islamism in different flavors. the notions of justice, the rule of law, tolerance, respect for human rights, diversity, political organisation, freedom of expression and equality of all memmbers of human society etc… are aspirations of all individuals irrespective of their backgrounds. It is inconceivable for any rational person to introduce a tiers justice system or civilisation for underdeveloped nations. The imperial and colonial discourse of the last century justified itself by such claims of supremacy over the subjugated peoples of the colonies.
Supporting democratic NGOs and parties the world over as a matter of principles is amoral imperative. Arabo-islamic terrorism thrive thanks to the it gets abundantly from the member states of the Arab League.
The plight of Christians in Lebanon, Egypt and peoples such as the Kurds in the Middle East and Berbers in North Africa(Lybia, Algeria and Morroco), Darfur(Sudan) indicates the degree of laxism the democratic has allowed to the terrorists states of the Arab League.
The allies for democratic reforms that will ensure a world of more security and stability through democratic poloitical changes are to be found within these communities that oppose Arab-islamic expansionism and hegemonism.
Democratisation is the right step towards normalising and reforming the belliquosity of Islam and ending the dictatorship of arabism.
Should we, we in the West shy away from encouraging democratisation and emancipation of of other nations we would have failed and endangered our very own future!
Let’s hope more changes in the form of freer, more democratic societies and systems of governing will emerge and sprout allover the world with the USA spurring such reforms.
Comment by Uyuns — August 16, 2005 @ 8:47 pm
True and perfect democracy is a very scary, and in my mind BAD thing. Rule by a majority is oppression of a minority, simply because the majority will act self-interested and vote to give themselves advantages that they strip from the minority.
The problem is not that Iraq won’t create a “democratic” constitution - the problem is that the majority versus minority issue will create a continued civil war.
Comment by ZacharyRD — August 22, 2005 @ 2:13 am
Yep…
Weird enough for government work.
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Trackback by Andrew — November 1, 2006 @ 8:34 am
Nice…
0 and 1. Now what could be so hard about that?
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Trackback by Olivia — November 23, 2006 @ 10:44 pm