Cablegate: Daily Iraqi Website Monitoring - August 25, 2005

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 003482

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/PPA, NEA/AGS, INR/IZ, INR/P

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO IZ
SUBJECT: DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - AUGUST 25, 2005

SUMMARY: Discussions on the Constitution was the major
editorial theme of Iraqi websites on August 25, 2005. END
SUMMARY.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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A. "The Iraqi Constitution . . . The Downfall of the US
Reform Project" (Editorial by Fehed Al-Naser, 8/25)
B. "A Hasty Constitution . . . A Disgrace for a Great
Nation" (Editorial Sameer Ubaid, 8/25)
C. "Iraqi Draft Constitution . . . and the Incomplete
Birth" (Editorial by Hamza Al-Shamkh, 8/25)
D. "The Suggested Constitution and the Challenges"
(Editorial by Yousif Fadhil, 8/25)

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SELECTED COMMENTARIES
----------------------------------------
A. "The Iraqi Constitution . . . The Downfall of the US
Reform Project"
(Editorial by Fehed Al-Naser, Modern Discussion Web-Site,
(
)

"The American President George Bush expressed great joy on
the occasion of completing the Iraqi draft constitution.
His happiness also reflects an admission that the American
Middle East project for political reform, the termination of
tyrannical regimes, of granting freedoms, setting up
democracies, and acknowledging human rights has faced a
severe setback. We will all realize that the broad hopes of
the United States government's promotion of the era of
freedom and human rights in Iraq is facing a crisis as soon
as we take the first look at the Iraqi draft constitution .
. . The announced draft constitution was nothing more than a
bomb project. It is a warning of complicated political
affairs full of ethnic and sectarian wars with uncalculated
consequences. It was written to serve the interests of
particular sides and they are explicitly expressing their
ethnic and sectarian ambitions. By placing the name of
Saddam and his fascist party in the draft's introduction,
these sides are sending out a message to Iraqis that they
should accept this document in return for their salvation
from the former dictatorship's suppression . . . The Iraqi
constitution, if approved, will be a very harsh lesson for
the administration of the United States. It will witness
its visions of modern personal and civil freedoms being
replaced by the rights of sects, ethnicities, and tribes.
It is a document that recognizes human beings by their
ethnic and sectarian backgrounds and not by accomplishments,
ideas, and participation in building society . . . We can
forget about our hopes for our state being ruled by law.
We need to reconcile ourselves to the fact that our state
will be ruled by ethnic and sectarian authorities and aging
tribal traditions that deform our societal relations, and
create huge obstacles for freedom of political and
intellectual activities . . . Anyone who wants a free and
prosperous future for Iraq should say no to this
constitution."

B. "A Hasty Constitution . . . A Disgrace for a Great
Nation"
(Editorial Sameer Ubaid, Iraq 4 All News Web-Site,
()

"The issue will not withstand further debate, compliments,
or hiding, you either vote in favor of President Bush, Tel-
Aviv, and Tehran's constitution, or you reject in favor of a
united Iraq. The current constitution is similar to a United
State fast food meal and it isn't worthy of respect. It is
suitable for the era of occupation, where the administrative
law was considered a Qu'ran coming down from the Israeli
Noah Fieldman, with prophets named Bush junior, Bremmer,
Negroponte, Khalilzad, and Satterfield . . . The new,
hastily drafted constitution; written according to President
Bush's orders, and under the supervision of Khalilzad and
Satterfield, failed to meet Iraqis' ambitions even by five
percent. It only met some of the Kurds' ambitions for
separation, but at the expense of Arabic Iraqi people . . .
We can summarize the constitution by saying it pleased the
Kurds, displeased Shiites, and wasted Sunnis . . . Provided
the document, drafted in a purely Zionist manner was
approved, the south will belong to the Iranians and those
supporting them, the north will go to the Kurdish elite,
while the west will become another Somalia with no resources
and a very fragile economy. From an American point of view,
Iraq is a candidate to become the new Chechnya by attracting
extremists . . . What took place during the constitutional
discussions was nothing more than an American stage play.
Because the constitution was drafted before the war on Iraq;
today's discussions are only part of the play performed to
the world . . . For the first time in history, a foreign
Ambassador (Khalilzad) and his assistant (Satterfield),
played the role of monitor and inspector for an independent
nation's constitution . . . Has there ever been a situation
where a nation's constitution was drafted within days and
submitted to Parliament eight minutes before deadline.
Won't this movie of fantasy and disrespect ever come to an
end in Iraq? And who will tell Khalilzad and Satterfield
that enough is enough? . . . There should be an uprising of
the people to drive the occupation forces out of our
country. They should also fire the failed politicians, and
call for Iraq to be left to honorable Iraqis from all
backgrounds who know how to put together the best political,
government, and constitutional combination . . . At the end
. those who wish to vote in favor of such a constitution,
please send a greeting to the Zionists, and present Iraq to
Iran on a golden plate."

C. "Iraqi Draft Constitution . . . and the Incomplete
Birth"
(Editorial by Hamza Al-Shamkh, Al-Badeal Al-Democrati (The
Democratic Alternative) Web-Site,
()

"Many politicians are making statements to local and foreign
media outlets about the absence of deep differences that
could prevent the completion of the Iraqi constitution draft
on time . . . But unfortunately, these statements don't
reflect what is actually going on. There are many
differences and disagreements among the different components
of the Iraqi people. This is quite natural taking into
consideration the variety of religions, doctrines,
ethnicities, and political parties that are involved . . .
After the expiration of the second deadline the draft was
submitted to the National Assembly. Unfortunately, it
wasn't finished. This was due to the unresolved differences
between the participants. So, they agreed upon another
three-day extension . . . Postponements and extensions are
useless if the parties involved refuse to compromise . . .
Everyone should have the unity of Iraq and its people as
their primary goal. This should not be done by media
statements, but by having the courage and the resolve to
come to an agreement. This agreement needs to be something
that keeps the entire sectarian, political, and intellectual
trends on the front burner. Without this agreement the
draft constitution will not see the light of day, nor will
it be submitted to a referendum by mid-October . . . So we
have the right to ask all concerned parties, will these
three days witness a miracle and will you present a final
draft to the National Assembly. Or will we witness another
round of struggles that take us back to square one."

D. "The Suggested Constitution and the Challenges"
(Editorial by Yousif Fadhil,
http://www.nahrain.com/d/news/05/08/25/nhr082 5a.html)

"I smiled as I watched the scenes of joy coming from all
over Iraq when the draft constitution was finished. Then I
read draft constitution and heard the plans of the Sunni
faction and Sadr movement and saw the demonstrations in
Kirkuk and other regions. I went to the Iraqi websites and
read the statements from American president George Bush and
other American politicians talking about the possibility of
dividing Iraq into three small states! . . I then asked
myself what stance should I take on this constitution? I
have seen Kurds place demands on the constitution. I have
heard the Shiites concerns addressed and province's demands
for the fair distribution of the oil wealth and a non-
centralized rule met . . . But our concerns will remain as
long as the intensions of the political parties are not
good. Is there a way to overcome bad intentions? This is
the biggest challenge Iraq will face. Iraq's progress and
prosperity will depend on good intension and good intensions
are the sole guarantee for our economic and political unity
. . . I'm an Arab and I suppose I have rights so why do I
consider them a gift? These rights that the Kurds, the
Turkmen, the Persians, and the Keldo-Assyrians enjoy are a
natural and civilized part of what it means to be an Iraqi.
Yes they are all included in the constitution however
practical implementation takes time. The people need to be
educated about these rights in order to have them be shaped
in the community. If we can achieve this then we have
succeed in writing our constitution . . . Writing a
constitution isn't hard, it is the implementation of its
principles that is difficult to do. Iraq had permanent
constitution but our leader paid no attention to it. The
peak of these violations took place under Saddam Hussein's
rule. As I said before if federalism or non-central rule
doesn't include good intentions with the correct
implementation all of this effort will not achieve anything
. . . It's worth mentioning that there is still a chance to
change the constitution if we find any problems in it."

Khalilzad

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