US softens on Islam in constitution
THE United States has dropped its opposition to enshrining Islam as Iraq's main source of legislation in a bid to secure agreement on the text of a new constitution by a Monday deadline. Washington has been determined to see the target date met after a first deadline was missed last Monday, for fear that any loss of momentum in the political process will play into the hands of Sunni Arab insurgents. But the sources warned that the surprise shift of policy was as likely to complicate as to help the talks as the Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni negotiators remained deeply divided on the issue. "Last night's talks had a surprise element - the Americans appeared to give in to the demand from various Islamic groups that Islam be the main source of legislation," one source said, adding that US ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad was present at the negotiations. The role of Islam in lawmaking has proved a heavily divisive issue among negotiators with leaders of Iraq's Shiite majority insisting that religion be considered the main legal foundation, and that clerics should be given political roles. Kurds and other secularist groups oppose the Shiite demand, arguing that it would harm women's rights and Iraq's secular tradition. One Western diplomat with high-level involvement in the negotiations played down the significance of a strong role for Islam in the new constitution. "There's not a country in the region which does not have Islam as a main source of legislation," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "(The issue has) no real jurisprudential significance, it's more symbolic."
posted by Unknown @ 2:14 PM
13 Comments:
I wish I knew more about whether to be upset about this or not. Anybody have any more insights than I do?
You should be upset. This means Americans are funding the creeping Islamization of Iraq.
Sissyblue: And that's exactly what the Islamic world wants. Split the West by playing the appeasement-instinct in Europe and the isolationist instinct in the USA.
ERP:
Here are some questions to ask yourself to help decide whether or not you should be upset.
Do you enjoy the sight of women in burkas?
Do you get a kick out of public stonings, beheadings, and amputations?
Do you believe that non muslims need to be kept in their place?
Do you think that Iran would be a wonderful place to raise a family?
Do you think that it is just fine and dandy for US soldiers to die in order to implement a government that contradicts everything in the US Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights?
Then by all means support an Iraqi constitution based on Islamic Law.
This is horrific.
This would create Iran, part II.
I would suggest going to jihadwatch for more information on why this is NOT a good idea.
US soldiers dying to implement Sharia Law? If that's the case, to #$%@ with Iraq, get our boys out NOW.
This is pathetic. What does this show about the US State Department? Would it be the end of the world if an artificial "deadline" were extended a week or two?
I smell something rotten in "Denmark": and I think the odor is emanating from the closet Islamofascist-sympathizing US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, who has spent the past weak helping Hamas dismember Israel.
P.S. fjordman -- Thank you VERY much for the reciprocal link! -gunjam
by the way, US talk radio host Michael Savage has been saying for MONTHS now that Bush's venture into Iraq may turn out to be the biggest military folly in years -- if it turns out that Iraq becomes absorbed by Iran as part of a new "Greater Persia."
At first, I laughed him off, as I am very pro-war.
Now, however, after watching the Bush Administration apparently working overtime to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, I am no longer laughing at Savage's warning.
http://jammedgun.blogspot.com
rather than allow this we could immediately withdraw - or at least make the threat, as follows:
"if you do this we will vamsay! oh... and er um... good luck."
or this:
"we announce our support for the independent state of Kurdistan."
or we just accept that the new iraq will be more like pakstan than turkey, and move to the next front in the war: iran/syria/gaza.
Reliapundit,
I can find no way to be so passe' about this. It's our money and our blood that paid for this. And what did we buy, another Islamofascist government?
I hope you're right that we could just move on to the next phase of the War. However, I'm afraid the American Spirit will just shrivel up and die of shame.
We are not a country who can get by doing it all for ourselves. We've got to believe we're helping, or we have no will.
Gunjam,
I have a question for you. What do you mean when you say that Condoleeza Rice is an Islamofascist-sympathizer, and that she's been helping Hamas? This is news I have missed.
Pastorius
"There's not a country in the region which does not have Islam as a main source of legislation," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "(The issue has) no real jurisprudential significance, it's more symbolic."
Which countries is he talking about? Iran and Saudi Arabia? I'm sure that by them Islam is only 'symbolic'. Or maybe Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, where selling land to Jews and other non-Muslims is cosidered treason according to the Islamic based property laws?
Iraq is not the first case. A recent precedent was set when the US helped the Palestinian Authority formulate their laws.
It fits perfectly with Bush's "religion of peace" twaddle. Lots of us were willing to give him a pass on that one, figuring that it was just said knowingly as tactical diplomatic cant.
The room temperature dropped quite a few degrees while I read about this development. Is it possible that ... please, no ... Bush actually believed what he was saying, or has been persuaded to believe it so as to open an exit door from a room that has become too malodorous to breathe in any longer?
Have we have spent over a thousand American lives plus others among allies and Iraqis to replace a monstrous but essentially secular dictatorship with an Islamic state run under sharia law? If so, the Iraq war and occupation was a ghastly mistake.
If that's how it turns out, we can thank the insane politically correct notion that it's only a handful of bad leaders and terrorists we need to worry about, and that Islam is just another branch of the Family of Man with a few charmingly quaint customs.
Every time it looks like Bush has blown it, he surprises everyone by getting his opponents to do exactly what he wants, so I think I'll reserve judgment for a bit.
There'll be plenty of time to put my head in the oven when it's clear all is lost.
Sissyblue,
I agree with you. The overthow of Baathist Iraq had to be done. However the current push to make Islam the religion of Iraq from the Shiites is not unexpected. Islam is a drag on democratic institutions and civic culture. If people don't appreciate freedom of spech and press, fair court system, impartial public administration, etc., then democracy can be started, but it cannot be sustained.
sissyblue-
Not all the Iraqis feel that way. What hurts me most is that the US GOVERNMENT may be willing to sell out the true hope of Iraq, which is a secular representative government. The disrespect to our soldiers and their tremendous sacrifices is just mind boggling.....but it's from our own GOVERNMENT! To die for a Sharia state that was imposed with the encouragement of the US? From a country which has a female Secretary of State, is hypocrisy at it's most loathsome!
I sent a message to the brothers at Iraq the Model asking them to please spread the word for the Kurds not to bow to US pressure. They are looking into local news to see how accurate the reports are, and are going to spread the word if necessary. (I just LOVE the internet!!!!!)
If the Iraqis choose a Sharia state freely (not because of US pressure), then I do not wish to sacrifice one more US soldier's life for them. If there is hope that the "good guys" will resist, and that Iraq can turn into a successful secular society, it is probably worth it to stay a bit longer.
I completely agree with you about borders, and I support the Minuteman Project and Tom Tancredo 100%. Hence the nickname!
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