Iraqis Agree on Interim Constitution

The Associated Press reports that Iraqis have reached agreement on an interim constitution.

A spokesman explained how the two main sticking points were resolved:

He said the draft charter will recognize Islam as "a source of legislation" — rather than "the" source as some officials had sought — and that no law will be passed that violates the tenets of the Muslim religion.

The draft charter accepts the principle of federalism but leaves it to a future elected national assembly to decide the details of self-rule for Iraq's Kurdish minority.

It's a very good thing that the Iraqis have come to an agreement. I am concerned about the inclusion of "no law will be passed that violates the tenets of the Muslim religion." This language opens a door for many laws to be challenged as "violating the tenants of Islam."

I hope U.S. officials work hard behind the scenes to modify this language in the final Iraqi constitution so that there is less of a chance that laws ensuring secularism could be challenged or voided for "violating the tenants of Islam."

UPDATE: Steven Taylor, at PoliBlog, reveals additional details:

The document also sets aside for women 25 percent of the seats in the provisional legislature

"There was an agreement among all council members that Iraq will not be an Islamic state," Qanbar said. "The language was put in a way not to offend the Islamic identity of most of the people but nor to offend the other side and give the impression that it's an Islamic state."

These details ease my concerns.

Comments

[Ted]

I believe that the 25% for women isn't "set aside" like a quota. The report I saw said it had been made a "goal" as a comprimise.