While the US has authority in Iraq, should the Iraqi constitution be amended ...

[Boojatta]

... to guarantee the right to same-sex marriage in Iraq?

Is government recognition of same-sex marriage a world-wide issue or is it something that applies only to the countries in some list of countries to be supplied by the person who answers this question?

The security angle is this: if the invasion of Iraq was made politically feasible by the events of 9/11, then it is beneficial for terrorists to observe that the long-term consequences of their actions are detrimental to their own goals.

How about other constitutional matters? For example, consider future visitors to Iraq (for example, members of international human rights organizations or members of international scientific organizations and not necessarily merely tourists). If such a visitor is alleged to have committed a petty theft and is convicted, then should the constitution allow punishment by amputation? What rights should there be to appeal to higher courts? Should it be possible for the Iraqi judicial system to require payment of money by the accused in order for the appeal to be permitted? (The idea is that presumably appeals do cost a judicial system money, but on the other hand the poor are entitled to justice even in a country that has corruption at the local judicial level.)

[Eugene]

1. The U.S. could not do it even if it wanted to.

First, the U.S. does not have the legal authority or the political sway
to write Iraq's laws. Iraq is theoretically sovereign and it is up to
its elected government to change the law.

Second, Iraq's ruling Shiite coalition follows the guidance of Grand
Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. You remember Sistani? He said that homosexuals
should be killed. Homosexuals are getting killed there.

It is taking all the influence America can muster just to get the Oil Law
passed so that Big Oil can take over Iraq's petroleum sector.

Finally, under the CPA, Bush & Co. pursued a more conservative agenda in
changing Iraq's legal code, outlawing abortion and imposing pro-business
laws. The Bush administration is not an instrument of progress in Iraq.

[Boojatta]

2. If the Iraqi government began executing death sentences (after public trials)

on Iraqis who have converted from Islam to Christianity, what would happen?

First, the U.S. does not have the legal authority or the political sway to write Iraq's laws. Iraq is theoretically sovereign and it is up to its elected government to change the law.

[Eugene]

3. If Iraq wanted to adopt Sharia law, the U.S. could not stop them.

The U.S. has some influence as it helps prop up the Iraq government,
but it does not have any direct input on Iraq's laws. The legal fiction
is that foreign forces are in sovereign Iraq with the consent of the
internationally recognized Iraqi government.

Anyhow, Sunni insurgents and Shi'ite militias already have Iraqi
Christians running for their lives.