Billmon: Down the River

Secular Iraqis said on Wednesday a proposed new constitution left no room for doubt about the Islamist path the country was heading down two years after a U.S.-led invasion was supposed to produce greater freedoms . . .

The draft says Islam is the official religion of the state and there can be no law that contradicts the "fixed principles of its rulings." . . . Language guaranteeing "rights and freedoms" is subordinate to the primary position given to Islam, opponents say.

Reuters
Iraq secularists denounce "Islamist" constitution
August 24, 2005

"When we came back from exile, we thought we were going to improve rights and the position of women. But look what has happened -- we have lost all the gains we made over the last 30 years. It's a big disappointment."

Safia Taleb al-Souhail
Iraq's ambassador to Egypt
Reuters interview
August 24, 2005