33% of the constitutional timetable gone

Today, the “Democracy denied in Iraq” counter stands at 71 days. That is exactly one-third of the 213-day period allowed by Paul Bremer’s “Transitional Administrative Law” for the National Assembly elected January 30th, and the government accountable to it, to work on drafting Iraq’s new Constitution.
And the government hasn’t even been formed yet!
It’s not clear how much longer this might take. Allawi throwing his hat in the ring as a wannabe government member will probably complicate the government-formation negotiations yet further…
I’m working really hard on thinking through a column on this whole topic for my column in this Thursday’s CSM.
To be frank, I feel kind of torn. I think it’s really important to get the Constitution “right”, to have it well negotiated among representative leaders, and I don’t think that process should be rushed by the pressure of externally imposed deadlines. On the other hand, I think it’s really important for the Iraqis to be able to exercise sovereign self-government absolutely as rapidly as possible, and that nothing– least of all any actions undertaken by the US– should stand in the way of that.
I’m getting close toward formulating a proposal that I think can meet both those needs. But I’ll probably be up late tonight…

4 thoughts on “33% of the constitutional timetable gone”

  2. Israel does not have a written constitution. The British do not have a written constitution. The U.S. constitution provided few benefits for the majority of Americans for over 150 years. So why must the Iraqis wait for a new constitution before the U.S. occupation force transfers power to them?
    Iraq’s original constitution, together with the widely misunderstood Shariah (Islamic law derived from the Quran and other sources), provide a reasonable basis for Iraqi self rule — at least until the Iraqis themselves draft and approve a new constitution.
    Good to see through
    http://www.twf.org/News/Y2003/0916-Constitution.html

  3. Salah, you are absolutely right. There is certainly nothing wrong at all with Iraq’s constitution. Furthermore, the U.S. had no right whatsoever under Geneva IV to rescind it. Of course, in order to transform Iraq into a state that would suit their designs they had to dismantle all of its government and civil institutions, and so the constitution clearly had to go.

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