Are we forcing Iraq to draw up a slapdash McConstitution?

[Armstead]

The US is pressing Iraq to come up with a Constitution according to our timetable -- i.e. fast to satisfy our national Attention deficit Disorder.

Build a country by Monday, we're telling them.

But Iraq is a complicated nation with so many factions and different interests pulling in different directions. Traditionalists vs. Modernists. Pro-Women's Rights vs. Caveman Patriarchs. Different Islamic sects and tribal/family groupings. Different classes...etc., etc.etc.

Trying to reconcile all of these differing factions and interests is a difficult job. But the USis pressing them to come up with something fast, so that we can begin to think about pulling out while accompling our own national "goals."

Don't the Iraqis need a lot more time to sort all this out than we are allowing? Should we be forcing them to build their country on our timetable?

[ironman202]

1. of course

Bush is looking for a quick prop up of some sort of skeletal gov then he's going to cut and run

[zippy890]

2. Yeah - whats the rush?

seems like bad policy to FORCE a deadline on it --

[Journeyman]

3. They can always borrow ours. . .

we're hardly using it anymore. . .

[Armstead]

5. LOL

Funny but sadly true

[bluestateguy]

4. They (the neo-conservatives) just want to have another victory day

Like election day on January 30, where they pretend that everything is all right, and that QED the election means the war must have been justified. The fact that the White House's handpicked candidate was defeated soundly, or that the Sunnis boycotted, or that 40 people were killed in various attacks that day are just kind of conveniently forgotten.

Nothing has improved since then, and now the AEI/PNAC types want to have another day where they can pretend like they have something to celebrate, and pretend that they actually favor democracy.

[melnjones]

6. Didn't our Articles of the Confederation work out pretty well?

Er, uh, take 4 years to get ratified, only to be replaced less than a decade later by the Constitution. Yes, our expectations on Iraq are a little ridiculous.

[Armstead]

8. A McConstitution

[ktowntennesseedem]

7. Why don't we just give them ours???

We're sure as hell not using it anymore.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. True

[Career Prole]

10. Hell, yes! Do you read Juan Cole's "Informed Comment" blog?

He's been covering the constitution difficulties and he knows of what he speaks.

http://www.juancole.com/

:hi:

[Armstead]

11. What's so stupid is this was all foreseen beforehand

All of these different factions pulling in different directions. This was predicted before we ever invaded.

But did they listen? Noooooooo....

[Career Prole]

12. You're absolutely correct. And wait until the Turks and Kurds

mix it up...also foreseen.

Who let the chimp out of the cage?!

[alfredo]

13. the constitution will be ignored.

What good is a constitution during a civil war?