For Immediate Release
August 14, 2005
Contact: Karen Finney - 202-863-8148
GOP IGNORES REALITY ON IRAQ
Washington, DC - Not surprisingly, the RNC just can't seem to get the facts
straight. Unfortunately, this has become a dangerous pattern for the RNC and
the Bush Administration, having ignored the facts about Iraq, ignored the
advice and opinion of U.S. military experts, and choosing instead to mislead
the American people into the war based on inaccurate intelligence, without the
proper equipment for our troops, and without a clear plan for success. And,
today, we learn that they can't even keep the facts straight within their own
Administration, as reports indicate the U.S. will now "lower sights on what can
be achieved in Iraq."
"Not even the RNC spin machine can deflect from the fact that President Bush
has repeatedly ignored the facts, ignored the experts and ignored the concerns
of the American people with whom he has now overwhelmingly lost credibility,"
said Democratic National Committee communications director Karen Finney "Rather
than continue to distort the truth, it's time for the RNC and the Bush
Administration to come clean with the American people about what our real
strategy is in Iraq."
Here is what Chairman Dean actually said:
"First thing we need to do is have a plan for leaving. And, the second thing we
need to do is to make sure that to the best of our ability we can influence the
writing of the constitution. It looks like today, and this could change - as of
today, it looks like women will be worse off in Iraq than they were when Saddam
Hussein was president of Iraq. That's a pretty sad commentary on this
administration's ability to do anything right. And, if it turns out that this
constitution really does take away the rights that women have enjoyed in Iraq
before, then I can't imagine why we're there. The problem is now that there's
ample evidence to say that they didn't understand what they were getting into
and they still don't know what we're doing there. They changed their goals. The
troops are still not properly equipped. The constitution looks like it may take
away freedom from the Iraq people, at least half of them, instead of added to
them. What we need is a plan from the president of
the United States."
And, he's not the only one:
"MS. MITCHELL: Senator Biden, what should the endgame be? Big picture. Do we
need to create a democracy in Iraq? Is that even realistic? What is the
definition of success?
SEN. BIDEN: Well, my definition of success from the very beginning has been not
a democracy. It will not happen in my lifetime there will be a liberal
democracy. What I am hoping for, along with Republicans members of the Senate,
as well Hagel and Lugar and others, has been that there be a secure nation
within its borders that's basically a representative government where everybody
thinks they've got a piece of the action that is federated in part where there
is more autonomy given to the regions than ordinarily would be assumed in a
united democracy, and the institutions in place where there is enough ability
for that government, whatever is elected, to secure the physical safety of its
people and not be a threat to its neighbors. That is as good as it is going to
get and pray to God that that's what happens. But the idea of a liberal
democracy with institutions that function like Western democracies is beyond my
comprehension in the near term." Meet the Press, NBC, 8/14/05]
New Constitution Could Severely Restrict Rights of Women. Iraq's new
constitution could severely restrict the rights of women, not only curtailing
the freedom and opportunity they once enjoyed in Iraq, but also reducing by
half the nation's potential for economic and social progress. Chronicle, 8/11/05]
Fear That New Iraqi Constitution Will Undermine Women's Rights. Various drafts
of the constitution contain half a dozen provisions that women's rights groups
and other human rights groups have found worrisome. Of greatest concern to the
women's groups, though, is an article that would guarantee the followers of any
particular sect the freedom to abide, essentially, by their own family law,
requiring women to be subject to the narrow religious rulings of whichever
cleric happens to be in charge of her local sect. ''It's really a huge setback,
'' said Shirouk al-Abayachi, project manager of the Iraqi Women's Network..
''In a state of going forward,'' she said, referring to Iraq's budding
democracy, ''we are going backward.''
Women's Groups Express Concern About Direction of New Constitution. Women's
groups have expressed alarm at indications that the constitution's drafters
intend to remove family law from the jurisdiction of civil courts and place it
under the authority of religious courts that typically accord women fewer
rights than men in matters such as marriage, inheritance and divorce. Officials
say that issue hasn't been resolved.
American Officials Press for Changes in Constitution Because of Limits on
Women's Rights. American and Iraqi women's-rights advocates fear that Iraq's
new constitution, which is to be completed by Aug. 15, will limit women's
ability to participate in almost all aspects of society. Early drafts of the
constitution that have been made public are based on Islamic Shariah law, which
affect women's rights regarding such personal issues as marriage, divorce and
inheritance. But American officials, led by the new U.S. ambassador to Iraq,
Zalmay Khalilzad, are pressing for significant changes in the draft
constitution, including full equality in the law for women. News Service, 8/9/05]
Iraqi Women Activists Demand New Constitution Protect Their Rights. Iraqi women
activists called on parliament Monday to limit the role of Islam in the new
constitution and follow international treaties on the rights of women and
children. During a press conference, the group, which included Minister of
State for Women's Affairs Azhar al-Sheikhly, demanded the new constitution
safeguard their rights, which some feel have been threatened by proposals by
both Sunni and Shiite politicians to make Islam the main source of legislation.
**********
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