Iraqi constitution created |
March 8, 2004: On March 8th, 2004, an interim constitution for Iraq was signed. It was meant to provide order during the transition of governments in Iraq. It contained a bill of rights and establishes Islam as Iraq’s official religion.[1] "It's more a set of guidelines than an enforceable legal document," said Joseph Siegle, the Douglas Dillon fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.[2] The constitution was written by a group of 25 Iraqi members call the Iraqi Governing Council. This council was elected by US officials and represented various Iraqi ethnic and religious groups. The new government was based on the concept of federalism. The regions that make up Iraq weren’t allotted much power. The federal government controlled the country’s foreign policy, national security matters, fiscal and monetary policy, and management of Iraq's oil and other natural resources. The document also contained a 14-article bill of rights[3] and a military controlled by the civilian government.[4] It gave citizens the freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, due process, and other civil rights. The government was greatly influenced by the US and its policies. This document clearly shows the United States’ foreign policy. By adopting the idea of internationalism, the United States shaped the Iraqi constitution to be more like its own.
[1] Otterman, Sharon. "IRAQ: The Interim Constitution." Mar 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. Dec 2014.
[2] Otterman, Sharon. "IRAQ: The Interim Constitution." Mar 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. Dec 2014.
[3] Otterman, Sharon. "IRAQ: The Interim Constitution." Mar 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. Dec 2014.
[4] "Iraq War Timeline." Msnbc.com. MSNBC, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.
[1] Otterman, Sharon. "IRAQ: The Interim Constitution." Mar 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. Dec 2014.
[2] Otterman, Sharon. "IRAQ: The Interim Constitution." Mar 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. Dec 2014.
[3] Otterman, Sharon. "IRAQ: The Interim Constitution." Mar 2004. Council on Foreign Relations. Dec 2014.
[4] "Iraq War Timeline." Msnbc.com. MSNBC, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2014.