Is Goldwater still dead? He had a solution. But have high hopes ican Bush can always play Nixon and simply declare "We have peace with honour" and then bug-out. Actually I think that is what the Bush plans to do since it's obvious his and Rumsfeld's plans are such a dismal failure.
Ican,
Some advice was given in a recent essay on the ongoing efforts to write a new constitution for Iraq:
Quote:Federalism can prevent Iraq civil war
By David L. Phillips (David L. Phillips is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of "Losing Iraq.")
Iraq's spiral of deadly sectarian violence has been between Arab Sunnis and Arab Shia. But if Iraq fragments, it will be along ethnic lines that pit Arabs against Kurds. The Kurds seek a secular republic with Kirkuk as the capitol of a federal Iraqi state called Kurdistan. If the constitution addresses their core demands, the Kurds might be flexible on other issues that threaten to break consensus during current negotiations on Iraq's permanent constitution.
Most Iraqis agree that the best way to balance the competing demands for democracy and unity is through a federal structure that assigns specific authorities to the national government while decentralizing control to regional and local governments.
*************************************************
The role of religion in Iraqi governance is another potential deal-breaker. The Kurds, who are staunchly secular and pro-Western, strongly resist efforts by clerics to apply Islamic law nationwide without restraint. Yet Islam is a powerful force shaping Iraqi society.
The circle can be squared by making Islam the official religion of Iraq and requiring that national legislation be consistent with Islamic law. The constitution should not, however, require the application of Islamic law to family matters such as marriage, divorce and inheritance. Consistent with the principle of decentralization, family law should be left to federal Iraqi states, which may enact any law they see fit, subject to the requirement that the law does not violate the rights of equal protection in the constitution. The Quran is subject to interpretation; conservative clerics must not push too hard. If the constitution guarantees federalism and secularism, Kurdish leaders would be flexible on other contentious issues.
One of the major problems facing Iraq right now is the August 15th deadline for the constitution.
I kinda doubt, having read the week's wrapup of the political situation there, that this is going to happen.
While they have the option of postponing this until Jan 15th, many are afraid that this will be seen as a sign that the new gov't is stalling and will bolster insurgents.
So, the Iraqis are caught inbetween a rock and a hard place; rush a constitution out too quickly, or encourage more attacks by making it seem as if you can't get anything done?
We'll see which one they choose
Cycloptichorn
dyslexia wrote:Is Goldwater still dead? He had a solution. But have high hopes ican Bush can always play Nixon and simply declare "We have peace with honour" and then bug-out. Actually I think that is what the Bush plans to do since it's obvious his and Rumsfeld's plans are such a dismal failure.
Perhaps you've solved Bush's personal problems, perhaps not. But you definitely haven't solved mine.
I have not solved the problem of who is more likely to solve these problems than George Bush.
In a name, Dennis Kucinich.
Anybody would have been an improvement over Bush. At the very least, we wouldn't be tied up in the Iraq quagmire that's so far cost us over 1,800 lives and 200 billion dollars on false justifications of WMDs and al Qaida connections.
Cycloptichorn wrote:One of the major problems facing Iraq right now is the August 15th deadline for the constitution.
I kinda doubt, having read the week's wrapup of the political situation there, that this is going to happen.
If the assembly hasn't agreed on a constitution by October, won't it be dissolved? If this happens, there would be new elections in December. Have they changed the original deadlines?
Shrug. From what I've read there exists an option for the gov't to ask to delay the deadline till jan 15th.
Don't take my word as gospel on that one, though
Cycloptichorn
wandeljw wrote:Ican,
Some advice was given in a recent essay on the ongoing efforts to write a new constitution for Iraq:
Quote:Federalism can prevent Iraq civil war
By David L. Phillips (David L. Phillips is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of “Losing Iraq.”)
...
My recommendation is that the three Iraq regions -- North, Central and South -- declare each of themselves "states" and adopt an Articles of Confederation modeled after the one adopted by the U.S.A. back in 1776. Yes, these U.S.A. Articles proved unsatisfactory and were later replaced by our Constitution in 1789. But they at least proved to be a workable start that led to something better 13 years later.
cicerone imposter wrote:Anybody would have been an improvement over Bush. At the very least, we wouldn't be tied up in the Iraq quagmire that's so far cost us over 1,800 lives and 200 billion dollars on false justifications of WMDs and al Qaida connections.
Anybody
Surely you don't mean
anybody. For example,
I am a member of that distinguished group called anybody
Yes ican even you would be an improvement over the Bush.
That settles it then!
You guys really and truly cannot stand George Bush! :wink:
ican711nm wrote:dyslexia wrote:Yes ican even you would be an improvement over the Bush.
adding insult to injury ican, I think that even I would be an improvement over the Bush.
An anarchist? ....... Well it worth thinking about.
