Top Iraq Shiites Exert Influence on Constitution

[truthpusher]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/international/middleeast/06shiites.html?hp&ex=1107666000&en=e74b8fb2cb127d24&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Top Iraq Shiites Exert Influence on Constitution
By EDWARD WONG

Published: February 6, 2005

AJAF, Iraq, Feb. 4 - With religious Shiite parties poised to take power in the new constitutional assembly, leading Shiite clerics are pushing for Islam to be recognized as the guiding principle of the new constitution.

snip

At the very least, the clerics say, the constitution should ensure that legal measures overseeing personal matters like marriage, divorce and family inheritance fall under Shariah, or Koranic law. For example, daughters would receive half the inheritances of sons under that law.

On other issues, opinion varies, with the more conservative leaders insisting that Shariah be the foundation for all legislation.

Such a constitution would be a sharp departure from the transitional law that the Americans enacted before appointing the interim Iraqi government led by Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. American officials pressed Iraqi politicians drafting that law in early 2004 to guarantee equal rights for women and minorities. The Americans also persuaded the authors to designate Islam as just "a source" of legislation.

complete story:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/international/middleeast/06shiites.html?hp&ex=1107666000&en=e74b8fb2cb127d24&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[necso]

2. There remain

no worthwhile war objectives to be (cost-effectively) achieved in Iraq. None. (The whole kick-their-ass-take-their-gas thing is a delusion -- and propaganda. It isn't happening and isn't going to happen, at anything resembling a reasonable price.)

Time to come home -- and let them fight their civil war themselves.

[Mikimouse]

3. Were there ever any real 'war' objectives?

If we leave now, will we pay reparations to the Iraqi people for the devastation of their country and for each civilian killed? I hear the ICC calling to us.

[necso]

5. There were

never any worthwhile war objectives to be achieved, when one considers the particular circumstances. The expected outcome of having a clique of delusional idiots, with a ridiculous plan (once the State department plan had been discarded anyway), and with inadequate resources, attempt such a difficult endeavor is your basic unmitigated disaster. -- Disasters do not achieve worthwhile war objectives.

And while making clear that I have been uniformly opposed to the invasion of Iraq, I can envision the possibility that a reasonable, although costly, war objective could have been achieved. This would have involved much larger forces, decapitating and using the Iraqi government (which includes the military), an immediate push into the cities to ensure or restore order (which would have cost casualties), flooding the country quickly with tangible benefits in terms of goods and jobs, etc. Given all this (and more) it might have been possible to install a (reasonably) secular and (reasonably) democratic system that protected the interests of minorities (the prominent ones at least) and gave the great majority of the Iraqi people the feeling of being represented, protected and provided for.

Now, I still would not have considered that outcome to have been worthwhile. (It was a rather improbable outcome in any event.) If my view, one (generally) invades preemptively (in the "first person" anyway) only when one is actually, seriously and immediately threatened (specifically within the timeframe that it takes to defeat the threat) -- and there is no other way of dealing with the problem. (And the cost of attacking will be less than that of just bearing the blow.) For decades, and while they were a threat, we never directly attacked the Soviet Union -- because as long as we could retaliate, the risk of them attacking us was manageable short of this step. And Iraq was never a significant threat to us -- although it was something of a nuisance to Israel (but again no real threat).

As for the neocons' actual war objectives, generously, these were delusional. Less generously, these were treasonous (to benefit persons, corporations, or foreign nations at no benefit -- and at great cost -- to the US). What the neocons openly talked about was some "democratic", pro-US, pro-Israel, bla-bla-blah, Iraqi state. -- There was always pretty much zero chance of this happening.

As for the rest, it remains to be seen. We are greatly feared... and hated.

[Kimber Scott]

4. God, that freedom and liberty stuff is just spilling out all over the

place. Amazing how it works. Beacons of hope and all that jazz.

Thank God I'm an American girl, is all I have to say. Four years and Bush goes into retirement. Four years from now where will Iraqi women be? Under burkas, I suppose, and they will all be thanking George Bush for their liberty.

(edited for punctuation)

[kskiska]

6. NYT: Leading Shiite Clerics Pushing Islamic Constitution in Iraq

NAJAF, Iraq, Feb. 4 - With religious Shiite parties poised to take power in the new constitutional assembly, leading Shiite clerics are pushing for Islam to be recognized as the guiding principle of the new constitution.

Exactly how Islamic to make the document is the subject of debate.

At the very least, the clerics say, the constitution should ensure that legal measures overseeing personal matters like marriage, divorce and family inheritance fall under Shariah, or Koranic law. For example, daughters would receive half the inheritances of sons under that law.

On other issues, opinion varies, with the more conservative leaders insisting that Shariah be the foundation for all legislation.

Such a constitution would be a sharp departure from the transitional law that the Americans enacted before appointing the interim Iraqi government led by Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. American officials pressed Iraqi politicians drafting that law in early 2004 to guarantee equal rights for women and minorities. The Americans also persuaded the authors to designate Islam as just "a source" of legislation.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/06/international/middleeast/06shiites.html?ei=5094&en=9d100332d7bb408b&hp=&ex=1107752400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=all&position=

[Downtown Hound]

7. Let freedom reign!!!

Idiot freepers. After all your Islam bashing and harping about how you're going to bring freedom to Iraq, this is what it looks like. Morans.

[Chipper Chat]

10. I'm pissed at MY tax money being spent on this whole escapade.

150,000 human beings dead or injured - just for an Islamic Republic to rise from the ashes . What will be Condi's reaction when Sistani tells us to get the fuck out?
No statues of Bush in Baghdad. No more elections.
The new slogan: "Freedom is on the wane."

[kskiska]

11. And the purple ink hasn't even faded

from the Freeps' fingers

[Straight Shooter]

8. Well, they've watched bush's "Christian brigade" gain power

Monkey see, monkey do.

The bushies can shut up now. They sowed the seeds, and heaven knows what we all shall reap.

[Occulus]

9. Hey, Freepers: TOLD YA SO!!

NO FUCKING TEXT!!

[OHdem10]

12. As two very smart persons

with loads of Middle East Experience have said--do not expect
a Jeffersonian Democracy. If they can work together and show
tolerance and respect for minorities, freely elect their leaders
respect human rights---in other words the bar has not been set real
high here.

IMO, I do not think there was much understanding of that culture
when we went to war. That is a real sticy wicket.

I watched King Abdullah of Jordan and Pres Mubarik(Sp??) of Egypt.
They have been on C Rose a few times over the past 2 years. They are
working on reforms or opening up their societies. My goodnes, some
of the Bedhoin tribes live very primitively. I am not being
critical--I just think we need to appreciate what these leaders are sometimes up against. It has taken Jordoan over 2 years to get it through their "congress"( I forget what theiey call their official
bodies). Something as simple in adulltery-- if the woman is guilty
so is the man. The King says they have to teach what an issue is.
Nevertheless, they are moving along. Yes, I realize there are despots for leaders over there too.

My point is I do not think the WH realized what a job this"democracy"
is. The expectations have been lowered. At least Saddam ran a secular country based on Stalinism. Hopefully, they may be better able
to separate Church and State in Iraq. Unless of course
the Shia felt their Religion was repressed under Saddam. I do not
know. Stalinism does not usually permit Religion.

[Charles19]

Jeffersonian Democracy?

Having Islam as the basis for their constitution is a good thing. As a muslim if the Quran and Hadith are followed they are what the people should do. If they get hijacked by one group or another to impose their will, and gain more power that is not the spirit of Islam. However that is the spirit of humans, and it is what every government Islamist or not needs to protect against.

The government should actually shape a very good constitution with minorities having lots of safeguards, safeguards for womens rights, etc. Look at how the assembly is shaping up now with excellent representation for minority groups. Communists will have at least one seat, so will a lot of other fringe groups. One could make a very strong arguement already that this assembly is more representative of minority groups and the whole of the people than in the U.S. House or Senate. In both chambers it is all pro-corporate capitalists. Not the worse thing in the world, but there are very little consumer protectors in there. Kucinich maybe the only one I can think of.

Anyway I think the DU crowd should be pulling for all non-Iraqi parties to keep their influence as much as possible out of the constitutional process. If it is going to work in Iraq the people there need to get behind it. They won't get behind it ever, if there are some Bush amendments in it.

[proudbluestater]

13. Women, don't forget to follow 40 paces behind your man.

It's my understanding that women did very well under Saddam's rule. Many were educated and held jobs of prestige. Well, thanks Bush, women get the back seat once again. And I am forced to pay for it, too, you fuckhead.

[Rose Siding]

65. Oppression's On The March

Let oppression reign (because *freedom* rings)

Oppression fries?

I remember some pre-invasion, Ashley Banfield interviews. She spoke with several Iraqi women -in English, with hair uncovered, on downtown streets. We are DIRECTLY responsible for loosing this reactionary monster on millions more women.

[sonicx]

14. Freeper heads will explode over this...

Maybe US soldiers forgot to bring the bibles? Where's Ann Coulter? :crazy:

[daleo]

15. Bush never cared about democracy.

He doesn't appear to care about it in the U.S., why would he care in Iraq? He just wanted to get rid of Saddam and install a more cooperative puppet. The plan may have gone off the rails, although he may still cut some kind of deal with Shiites, or create a crisis to use military action against them. That does seem like a tall order now. It would be ironic if making war on the Shiites is his next move - it would complete his record of doing everything himself that he accused Saddam of.

Maybe he will just be content with civil war and chaos, as long as he can still keep the oil flowing with some regularity. That takes Iraq out of the game as far as Israel is concerned.

[oasis]

16. Bush's bungling has created a Frankenstien monster in the region.

We'll all have to deal with this before the decade is over.

[punpirate]

Maybe a lot sooner than that...

... given that al-Sistani is religiously and ideologically aligned with Iran. I still think that al-Sistani is shrewd enough to stay cool for a while, at least until the new elections this coming December.

But, think of the problem it creates for the Bushies--any potential attack against Iran will require air crews from bases in Iraq, and if Sistani senses that an attack is imminent, he'll probably try to short-circuit that attempt by insisting on US troop withdrawal, which would greatly complicate plans for an attack on Iran.

M'self, I think the Bushies will do an election end run, if possible--realizing that Sistani's party is making early gains, they'll try to influence the end tally. If not, well, then a manufactured crisis might be their next move. Given that the Bushies were planning death squad-like tactics well before the election results were known tells me they have every intention of staying and having things go their way. It would be, after all the disinformation coming from the government about Iraq in general, not unreasonable for us to expect more frequent reports of Sunni assassinations of elected officials, all carried out by death squads recruited by US forces....

[Disturbed]

17. I still don't think there will be a

Civil War in Iraq. I am still of the view that al Sistani will push to include the Sunis in power sharing. Once the U.S. pulls out if the Iraiqis can manage to force the U.S. out I believe that the differences will be settled. There may be some violent infighting but not on the scale of an outright Civil War. Al Sadr and his malitia combined with Shi'ites malitias may engage with some Ba'athists for a time but over a few years things will settle down and Iraq will sell oil to whomever meets their price.

[Azathoth]

18. It's freedom, Iran-style!

Good to see that everything is going according to plan over in the land of milk and honey we like to call Iraq...

[4dsc]

19. The Islamic Republic of Iraq

Just what OBL wanted all along!!

[Disturbed]

Iraqis who are in the political power circles..

will know if Negroponte/Allawi Death Squads are responsible for assasinations. I believe that al Sistani is a wise and patient man. He will mobilize his people when the time is right. There are millions that will give their lives on his Fatwas. The U.S. has seen a small resistence to date when compared to what al Sistani could generate.

[Mark E. Smith]

1. Goodbye Iraq, Hello Greater Iran

Top 2 priorities of Iraq's new Islamic fundamentalist govt:

1) Demand that Bush honor his promises and accede to the new Iraqi govt's request that US troops leave the country as quickly as humanly possible.

2) Request that Iran send in forces to help them deal with the Sunni insurgency.

[JoFerret]

20. Shia 'poll landslide' set to put religion at heart of Iraqi power

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1406861,00.html

Victory will end oppression of the poor south. Peter Beaumont, in Basra, on the election aftermath

Peter Beaumont, foreign affairs editor, in Basra
Sunday February 6, 2005
The Observer

There is a word used often by politicians in Iraq's deep south. It is tahmeech, meaning isolation.

It is used to say that for decades not a single government minister in Baghdad has come from Iraq's second city, Basra. It signifies a generation of discrimination against Shias by Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime.

Now, if the initial results of last Sunday's Iraqi elections prove to represent the final picture, the centre of political gravity has shifted inexorably south - away from the violence of the cities of the north, away from Baghdad and that city's technocratic class - towards the poverty-stricken, dust-blown Shia heartland.


....

While Kurdish and Sunni votes have yet to be counted, it is certain the days of the Shias' tahmeech are over. And it is not simply in its physical terms that the south has been long separated from the heart of government. In educational, political and social terms, the gulf is enormous. A tiny proportion of people in the south can be described as muthaqaf, or cultured and educated, compared to those in the north.

In the south, 60 per cent have not progressed beyond primary education, a difference compounded by the religiosity of the largely Shia south. How that Shia religiosity will fit into Iraq's new government and constitution, how it will connect with secular Kurds and Sunnis, has become a pressing issue. Central is the role of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who encouraged the formation of List 169 - the Candle List of largely Shia religious parties. It was Sistani too who ordered Shias to vote. And it was he who was influential in the decision of Shia politicians last year to walk out at the end of negotiations on the interim constitution. The question now is what role he will play in Iraq's new politics.

<<lots more>>

[Betty]

21. So they can have a theocracy just like we do.

bushler ought to be thrilled.

[otohara]

23. Praise Allah & Jesus

[VegasWolf]

25. and Falwell and Robertson and Grahm and Tammy Faye! n/t

[Chipper Chat]

35. Tammy Faye doesnt deserve to be on your list.

She is a far cry from Falwell & ilk.

[nolabels]

38. The title describes it wonderfully

http://www.redskybooks.net/cgi-bin/rsb455/scan/st=sql/tf=author/tf=title/tf=/mp=catsearch/se=Songbooks:%20Gospel.html

[BrklynLiberal]

22. Looks lilke W is gonna have some 'splainin' to do

It is going to be very interestng to hear how he wiggles out of this one.

[murray hill farm]

24. Oh...he will just call the election a fraud....

and it they will just have to do it again..and maybe again...until they get it"right".

[zbdent]

30. Well, wouldn't this be step one?

From an earlier thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1570542

[lala_rawraw]

32. I had a feeling...

Putin might "fix" things as payback for Ukraine... good lord, and now the dolly-money will go kaka in exchange for euros. We are so up a rat's arse it is beyond reason.

[zanana]

45. I think I know how he'll wiggle out of this one...

With their talent for adapting the English language to their benefit, I think they'll start calling it a "Theocratic Democracy". I would be very surprised if they didn't.

[lovuian]

26. So its Not Democracy its THEOCRACY we created Welcome

to the US run by the Christian Right!!!

[sasquatch]

27. This will hold up like cardboard in the rain when the BCF finds out

I can hear those election results being destroyed as I speak.

[Chipper Chat]

37. Uh, Ich glaube du nicht gern haben fur suss Michelle?

Ja ja! Sie ist eine Hundin.

[Hardrada]

39. Schweinehundin und Sau

Susse Michelle ist.

[Chipper Chat]

42. Gott im Himmel!

Ich hasse welche widerwillig Sau.

[Mark E. Smith]

28. Top 2 Priorities Of Iraq's New Shi'ite Fundamentalist Govt

1) Request that George W. Bush live up to his promises and remove all US forces from Iraq at the request of its newly elected govt.

2) Request that Iran send in forces to help deal with the Sunni insurgency.


Goodbye Iraq. Hello Greater Iran.

[VegasWolf]

29. oh, and join forces with Iran just in case georgie can't realize all that

oil is not his.

[Occulus]

36. Now THAT'S a frightening prospect.

A united Arab world could end up being the result of our little excursion. How very lucky for them. /sarcasm

[Straight Shooter]

31. Stupid George W. bush. Always certain, and always WRONG.

:nuke:

[Disturbed]

33. Is the Bush Junta this stupid?

Didn't they know that this would be a definite possibile outcome of Iraqi election? Don't they have contingency plans for this?

[reprobate]

34. They don't 'do' planning. Just trust in the godhead George The Dumb.

[Hardrada]

40. Trust in the Higher Father

Who gives His foreign policy advice to Shrub alone.

[leftchick]

43. stupid? perhaps...

insane? absofuckinglutely! Everyone with a modicum of intelligence KNEW this would happen before the invasion. Everyone except the insane neo-cons with their visions of American Imperialism in the ME! Isn't it great to be sucked into it right along with the lunatics?

:(

[0007]

44. The insane neo-cons sucks em in and then ... sucks em off!!

"President Bush said he was very happy with the results of the election. He was even more pleased that Proposition 26 legalizing gay marriage in Mosul was defeated." --Jay Leno

"Voter turnout was lowest among Iraq's Sunni minority. Saddam Hussein was Sunni and many in the group resent the loss of power. They feel alienated by the current political climate and are unwilling to accept the election results, and may react with violence. They're just like Democrats, except they might actually do something." –Jon Stewart

[CHIMO]

41. Shiite win sparks joy from Toronto to Najaf

Haroon Siddiqui says Canadian Shiites are elated at the seismic shift that's about to occur in Iraq

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1107643814346&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

[Dark]

46. Why is it the South always fucks everything up for everyone? n/t

[Bridget Burke]

47. Is there an Iraqi equivalent to Ohio?

Isn't that the state that, finally, gave Bush his "mandate"?

[bemildred]

48. I will bring al-Sadr into government, says the man tipped to be Iraq's

new PM

A couple good bits further down.

A leading contender to become Iraq's new prime minister has offered to welcome Moqtadr al-Sadr, the demagogic Shia cleric behind bloody uprisings against coalition forces, into a new government expanded to include those who boycotted the election.

Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a moderate Shia whose United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) list is certain to top last weekend's poll, told The Telegraph that Sadr, wanted for alleged involvement in the hacking to death of a fellow cleric, was "a good person" who could play a constructive role in the new Iraq.

"Moqtadr Sadr's father was killed by Saddam Hussein," he said. "He has a large number of followers. We can involve them. If they are not killers, and if we have no evidence against them, then we can give them a chance to share in the political process."

His comments show the lengths to which Iraq's likely new leaders are prepared to go in order to divide the insurgency and marginalise its most fanatical elements. Last spring, American spokesmen were insisting that Sadr, whose rebel Mahdi army has killed British and American troops, be "killed or captured". Sadr, who on Friday called for all coalition troops to be withdrawn, also has ties with figures in Iran who might welcome failure in Iraq.

telegraph.uk

[rpannier]

49. Well...

scrubbie brings in his demagogic Christian clerics and the probable new Iraqi PM brings in his. scrubbie should be thrilled.

[alittlelark]

50. A whacked theocracy !!! Just what we need more of in the ME !!!!

Sharia law is about as bad as it gets. But then 'old testament' law is as bad or worse, and we are heading that direction ourselves.

I guess they consider it to be OK as long as the neo-cons get to keep our 14 permanent Iraqi bases...... <snark>

[JAbuchan08]

51. Democracy is what Democracy is representation for all

"the enemy of my enemy is my friend" and Polls put support for the occupation at roughly 0%, okay, like 2%. Dig what I am saying man.

[The Magistrate]

52. You Know, My Friend

If it were not so serious, the spectacle before us in Iraq would keep a smile on my face and stiches in my side. Incompetence is very close to evil in my books, but it can be damned funny to watch....

"It was worse than a crime: it was a mistake."

[bemildred]

62. Incompetence in those one opposes can be a good thing.

Although to be sure not an unmixed blessing. I don't really think the
Shrubites have a lot of control at this point. One thinks of a six-
year-old clutching the rail of a roller-coaster as it descends.

If one opposes the empire, as I do, there is a certain pleasure in
watching it crumble at the hands of these fools. Yet you are right,
had we lived up to our billing, defenders of freedom and human rights
and so on - instead of descending into this squalor - it would have
been a good thing.

[daleo]

53. Bush will try something soon I think

Maybe try to scrub the elections. Watch for the propaganda, who they begin to demonize and who they begin to lionize. Maybe it has spun out of the neo-cons control, though.

[SoCalDem]

54. I think the US propaganda within Iraq will have little, if ANY effect

on IRAQ.. The US GOVT propaganda is aimed at FOX TV and the "base" here in the US.

I have a gut feeling that the rank and file Iraqis "know" what's going on..Our little "Arab TV" venture that's housed in a brand new multi-million dollar complex just outside DC, is a huge FLOP over there.. "Our newspapers and magazines aimed at Iraqi citizens are also FLOPS".. There is no shortage of "news" available to Iraqis, so THEY will choose their sources.. It's got to be a hard sell for people who have electricity for a few hours a day, and limited water...who have soldiers beat down their doors in the night...who are afraid to send their kids to school... No amount of "Good-Times-Happy-Days-are-here-again" News will fly with them ...

[Disturbed]

55. Did Bush and his Junta really want an ..

actual Democracy in Iraq? Did they push for Iraqi self determination and control of their own oil?

[Gin]

56. I expect the vote to go for Alawi.....you know they have ways to

make that happen....they have had experience right here at home.

[SoCalDem]

57. If he "manages to win", he will probably not serve very long

(if you get my drift)..
The Iraqi people and the revved-up Islamic leaders will NOT stay indoors in front of their TVs to "see what happens".. They will be out in the streets , in massive numbers, and we may not have a "choice" as to whether or not we keep our forces there..

Iran is working behind the scenes with the Shi'ites, and will be instrumental in setting up their government.. They seem to want Allah, and who are WE to tell them how they should run their country..

So... our forces better keep those vehicles gassed up and ready to roll... we may be beating a hasty retreat like we did from the Embassy in Saigon..

They did not vote on touch screens, so unless the US is counting the votes, Allawi probably will not win.. He is "our guy" and the people know it.. They do not want us OR our puppet..

[ckramer]

60. No, hell no

All they want is oil, cheap labor, Iraqi market selling US products...

[daleo]

66. I was thinking more of U.S. propaganda

Something along the lines of the need for a "do-over" since the election is not turning out the way they want. Granted, they haven't been successful with Iraqis for the most part. But if he can get a sufficient number of Americans to agree that the election was undemocratic, then he can insist on continuing the occupation and ignoring the result of the election.

As you say, there is the problem of Iraqis hitting the street en masse and overwhelming the U.S./U.K. military forces by pure numbers. That would get very ugly for everyone.

Maybe he will just be forced to take the loss, call it a win, and get out. Then the propaganda machine would rev up to convince everyone that this was what was desired by Bush all along - the thousands of U.S. and allied deaths, hundreds of billions of dollars, and tens to hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths were all worth it, to overthrow Saddam and install a religious government in his stead. It would be a masterful bit of propaganda if it worked.

[Magleetis]

58. Will Boooosh

learn from his mistakes? Probably not. Many people advised against this war and now the chickens will come home to roost. You were wrong Booosh. Too bad so many died.

[Mikimouse]

59. What mistakes would those be?

<sarcasm off>

[reprobate]

63. His birth was probably his first mistake. Should have stayed where he was

[Mikimouse]

64. Good point....

One could probably make a good case for de-replication in his case.

[ckramer]

61. Man, they should have used the Diebold machines!

[OKNancy]

67. Kick

[ckramer]

68. Iraqi Shia leaders demand Islam be the source of law

6 February 2005

NAJAF - Iraq’s Shia leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani and another top cleric on Sunday staked out a demand that Islam be the sole source of legislation in the country’s new constitution.

One cleric issued a statement setting out the position and the spiritual leader of Iraqi Shia made it known straight away that he backed demands for the Koran to be the reference point for legislation.

The national assembly formed after last month’s historic elections is to oversee the drawing up of the new constitution.

The role of Islam has been at the heart of months of debate between rival parties and factions as well as the US-led occupation authority which administered Iraq until last June.

Sistani leads the five most important clerics, known as marja al-taqlid, or sources of emulation, who had portrayed a more moderate stance going into the election.

The surprise statement was released by Sheikh Ibrahim Ibrahimi, a representative of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq al-Fayad, another of the marja.

“All of the ulema (clergy) and marja, and the majority of the Iraqi people, want the national assembly to make Islam the source of legislation in the permanent constitution and to reject any law that is contrary to Islam,” said the statement.

kjt

[indianablue]

69. Sounds like here only just replace Islam for Christianity. n/t

[HysteryDiagnosis]

70. Nope... Mr. Dick flatly stated that this will not happen, I imagine we may

have to bomb the crap out of these people again.