Article
Nathan J. Brown
Report
Constitution Drafting Update
Published on Aug 8, 2005
Having passed up the opportunity of requesting a six-month extension, Iraq’s National Assembly is required to pass a draft constitution within a week or face dissolution and new elections. Iraq’s current leaders, as well as their American backers, have decided to make constitution writing the centerpiece of their efforts at political reconstruction, making the stakes particularly high. In this analysis I will show:
- How much of the international analysis and lobbying distracts from the central issues and provided overly legalistic understandings of how the constitution would operate;
- Why the central purpose of the constitutional process—striking a bargain among Iraq’s various groups—is so difficult; and
- Why the drafters as well as external analysts should devote far more attention to practical issues of enforcement rather than general ideological language.
Click on the link to above for the full text of this Carnegie report.
About the Author
Nathan J. Brown
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Middle East Program
Nathan J. Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, is a distinguished scholar and author of nine books on Arab politics and governance, as well as editor of five books.
- For Younger Palestinians, Crisis Has Become a Way of Life
- The Perils of the Palestinian Authority’s New Party LawCommentary
Nathan J. Brown
Recent Work
Carnegie India does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie India
- Risk and Retaliation: Israel, Iran, and the Evolving Situation in West AsiaArticle
An Israeli response to Iran’s October 1 attack is imminent. The key question is of its intensity and potential fallout, both within Iran, in terms of nuclear security policy changes, and across the broader region. The coming days are likely to reshape West Asia irreversibly.
Gaddam Dharmendra
- Is U.S. Foreign Policy Too Hostile to China?Commentary
Experts weigh in on whether the United States is too hostile toward China.
Stephen Wertheim, Evan S. Medeiros, Vijay Gokhale
- India’s Sustained Economic Recovery Will Require Changes to Its Bankruptcy LawPaper
As India’s economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, Indian businesses need efficient financial structures to regain their ground. Key reforms to India’s Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code could fill these gaps.
Anirudh Burman
- Cross-Border Data Access for Law Enforcement: What Are India’s Strategic Options?Paper
Access to cross-border data is an integral piece of the law enforcement puzzle. India is well placed to lead the discussions on international data agreements subject to undertaking necessary surveillance reforms.
Smriti Parsheera, Prateek Jha
- The BRI in Post-Coronavirus South AsiaArticle
After the coronavirus pandemic wanes, how will China’s reorientation of the Belt and Road Initiative to address global health concerns influence its relationships with South Asian countries?
Deep Pal, Rahul Bhatia
