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Rehashing Hash

I promised one of our regular readers, TJ, that I would address his comments in a post. I still plan on doing so. He challenged statements on the following:

• Liberals want Iran to have Nukes
• Border Security
• Republican Social Security Plans
• Impact of repealing the Death (or Estate) Tax
• Increasing military pay (couched in the idea that Bush "cut veterans benefits")

I am not avoiding these issues; I've been working on the post today, but it will not be completed today. I promised TJ it would and I apologize.

More to come...

Posted by Aaron at 06:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Foreign Statements on Katrina

Americans know that when crisis strikes in the world, we will do our best to assist. The fundamental basis of charity is to do so without expecting anything in return. We jokingly ask, "when will the world send us aid?" "When will Kofi get in front of the camera?" I appreciate the sentiment in criticizing the UN because of the arrogant assumptions they made during the Boxer Day Tsunami crisis. The UN scolded the United States and demanded charity.

But take a moment to see what nations are saying:

The fierce storm has left in its wake a still unknown death toll. In Mississippi alone it is estimated 125 people lost their lives in what French President Jacques Chirac called "terrible days" for Americans.

"In these painful circumstances, I wish to express the solidarity of the French people and my sincerest condolences for the tragic disappearance of so many of your compatriots," Chirac said in a letter to his US counterpart, George W. Bush, whom he addressed as "dear George".

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II voiced sorrow in a message to Bush.

"I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the deaths and injuries caused by Hurricane Katrina, and the scale of the damage and destruction now becoming apparent across the southern states," said the message made public by Buckingham Palace.

"My sympathy goes to you and the people of the United States, especially to the families of those who have lost their lives, to the injured and to all who have been affected by this terrible disaster."

An offer of support for the US rescue operation came from Russia's emergency situations ministry, which said it had two transport planes at the ready, together with rescuers, search helicopters and equipment for autonomous operations in a disaster zone.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah also assured Bush in a telephone conversation of the "support of the kingdom to its friend the United States during its misfortune."

King Abdullah said the kingdom, the world's top oil exporter, was prepared to "do everything that it can to help towards lessening the consequences of the hurricane."

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi sent a brief message of condolence and support to Bush.

"Dear George, I am with you and the American people in this moment of distress," read the message released by Berlusconi's office.

Sympathy also came from the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in a message to Bush as well as from Greece's prime minister.

"Our thoughts go out to the relatives of the victims and to all those who are suffering the consequences of this catastrophe," said the Greek leader, Costas Karamanlis.

As rescuers search for survivors and officials begin to assess the massive property damage from the fierce hurricane, the Chinese government hailed the resilience of the American people.

"The American people will overcome the aftermath of the disaster and rebuild their homeland," Chinese President Hu Jintao said in a message.

Hu is set to hold talks with Bush in Washington next Wednesday on his first visit to the US as China's head of state.

The OPEC oil cartel also sent a message of condolence to the US government and people, vowing to do its utmost to ensure the stability of the global oil market in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

"Our deepest sympathy goes out to the families and friends of all those who lost their lives or who have been injured in this natural catastrophe of unimaginable dimensions," the organisation said.

Thank you for your concern and pledges of aid.

Posted by Aaron at 06:22 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Concert for Katrina Victims

Good news:

The NBC Universal Television Group, which has been active in raising money during previous national disasters, has scheduled a live benefit special, A Concert For Hurricane Relief, in high-definition on NBC, MSNBC and CNBC at 8 p.m. Friday.

The hour music- and celebrity-driven broadcast will air live on the East Coast, tape delayed on the West.

The telethon, hosted by NBC's Matt Lauer, will be broadcast entirely from 30 Rock.

The special will feature performances by artists with ties to the affected areas, including Tim McGraw, Harry Connick, Jr., and Wynton Marsalis, ...

Bad news:

and feature an appearance by Leonardo DiCaprio, among others.

What's the over-under on him bringing up global warming? I have an idea--let's call global warming what it really is: weather.

Posted by Aaron at 03:43 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Walks, Talks and Quacks: WMD Found in Iraq

Thanks, Dangerus:

U.S. transferred uranium from Iraq without U.N. authorization

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States didn't have authorization from the U.N. nuclear watchdog when it secretly shipped from Iraq uranium and highly radioactive material that could be used in so-called "dirty bombs," U.N. officials said Wednesday.

The nearly 2 tons of low-enriched uranium and approximately 1,000 highly radioactive items transferred from Iraq to the United States last month had been placed under seal by the International Atomic Energy Agency at the sprawling Tuwaitha nuclear complex, 12 miles south of Baghdad, the officials said.

"The American authorities just informed us of their intention to remove the materials, but they never sought authorization from us," said Gustavo Zlauvinen, head of the IAEA's New York office.

U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham disclosed the secret airlift from Iraq on Tuesday as "a major achievement" in an attempt to "keep potentially dangerous nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists." The material was taken to an undisclosed U.S. Energy Department laboratory for further analysis.

The airlift ended on June 23, five days before the United States transferred sovereignty to Iraq's new interim government.

A roundup:

• 500 tons of yellow cake uranium stored at Saddam's al Tuwaitha nuclear weapons development facility, which was secured by U.S. troops after the invasion.
• 1.8 tons of partially enriched uranium discovered at al Tuwaitha, which was removed by the U.S. Energy Department in June 2004 amidst warnings it could be used to produce a dirty bomb.
• Centrifuge parts and blueprints hidden by one of Saddam's top nuclear scientists, who told U.S. interrogators that he was ordered to keep the bombmaking tools ready to resume production at a moment's notice.
• Satellite photos from 2002 that showed new construction at al Tuwaitha, which had been largely destroyed in U.S. bombing raids during the first Gulf War and Operation Desert Fox.
• The discovery of nearly two dozen artillery shells loaded with Sarin and mustard gas, which was reported in June 2004 by Iraq Survey Group chief Charles Duelfer.

Posted by Aaron at 12:37 PM | Comments (15) | TrackBack

Right Wing News All Wrong

We love John Hawkins. But I take exception (extreme exception) to his post on looting. He believes that there is no moral justification for looting--even if it were for food.

So I have a family and we haven't eaten in three days. What am I supposed to do? John is guilty of what we often criticize the left of doing: complain but offer no solutions. What are the 100,000 plus people who have no food supposed to do? And what about the children? It's not their fault their parents didn't heed the evacuation orders. So they should starve as well?

I'll go a step further and say that not only is looting food morally acceptable, but also medical supplies and medicine. I think it's perfectly acceptable for a person to walk into a CVS and get bandages, peroxide, even bug spray, and even break into the pharmacy to get needed medicine.

This looting business--and the images of it on TV--shames myself and should shame the rest of the black community. But only the looting of merchandise--not food.

Posted by Aaron at 12:01 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Racism in the MSM

I, of course, am not surprised.

Is this just me playing a race card? Or can my fellow conservatives begin to see that not all is right with race in this country and that it's not trumped up grievance-mongering in many cases.

From Wonkette (of all places):

So. White people "find" food. Black people "loot" food.

This would be different if one had food and the other was carrying a flat-panel HDTV.

Posted by Aaron at 11:22 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack

Where in the World is Kofi Annan?

Wherever he is, he isn't where Katrina hit.

Click here to see today's UN news. Nowhere does it mention anything about the aftermath of Katrina. No UN-sponsored relief efforts, no Kofi dashing down for a photo op. However, you might be pleased to know that Kofi is cutting his vacation short in order to prepare for a summit in September...the next in a very long line of summits. And of course, there is no criticism being aimed at him over his conspicuous absence.

Some might argue that America, as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, doesn't need UN or other foreign aid. Perhaps. But even the very small comfort of Kofi's "moral support" in a time of great crisis in our deep South might go a long way toward healing the ever-widening rift between the US and the UN.

No, we don't need the money. Donations from generous Americans and money from various funds will cover the losses. But is it that hard to make a statement? Call a press conference? We know how much bureaucrats love press conferences...

I guess we'll have to muddle along without Kofi.

Posted by Pam at 10:21 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Dowd on A Woman President

I shudder when I see the ads for this ridiculous show, Commander-In-Chief, on Monday Night Football. You just know she's going to weigh everything carefully and then come down on the side of the liberals, right?

La Dowd decides to spend some ink as a TV critic here, and why not? After all, the Times' theatre critic spends his time opining on politics, why not let Slow-Mo cover the boob tube?

Nobody wants the vice president, a political independent, to be Madame President. Not the president, who tells her before he dies to resign so his ally, the archconservative speaker of the House played by Donald Sutherland, can get the job. Not the president's chief of staff. Not her sulky, sexy conservative teenage daughter. Even her supportive (and faithful) politico husband gets skittish after East Wing staffers begin calling him "the first lady" and arrange his meetings with the White House chef.

Did you ever notice how the biggest liberals in Hollywood end up playing "conservatives" (or people who displayed "conservative traits"? Carroll O'Connor played Archie Bunker, Ted Danson played Becker, Michael Douglas was Gordon Gecko, and now Donald Sutherland straps on his conservative suit. It's obvious that he's going to be played as the villain here--"archconservative" couldn't mean anything else.

The creator and writer, Rod Lurie, also had an embattled woman vice president in his 2000 movie "The Contender." (He named his TV president and vice president Bridges and Allen; the stars playing those roles in 2000 were Jeff Bridges and Joan Allen.)

Oh lord. The Contender was one of the most unintentionally funny movies I've ever seen; the whole second half is a larf riot if you aren't taking the picture seriously. Why do I get the feeling that the C-in-C will not be religious at all?

Dowd slides seamlessly into the real world. Well, actually it's with a jarring thud:

As Geena Davis was bursting into the Oval Office, and the other TV president, Martin Sheen, was dropping in on Cindy Sheehan in Crawford, Hillary was plotting for real.

Her political activism began with her 1969 Wellesley commencement speech, when she slapped back a Republican senator, Edward Brooke, for criticizing the students' Vietnam War protests. She praised "that indispensable task of criticizing."

You can almost sense that MoDo is all set to render some opinion on Hillary with her devastating wit, can't you? Neither can I.

But by hanging back and trimming her positions, by keeping her powder dry until a more politically advantageous time, she may miss the moment when Americans are looking for someone to emerge from her cowering party to articulate their anger about Iraq or their fear about a Supreme Court that will scale back women's rights and civil rights here, as Islamic courts do the same in Iraq.

Hillary may get caught flat-footed. Or she may be right in betting that there's no need to do anything rash now, like leading.

She may be right, she may be wrong. How much do they pay Maureen to come up with pearls of wisdom like this?

Of course Hillary's doing the smart thing by not kowtowing to the idiot "cut and run" crowd; that's really a small (but vocal and activist) part of the Democrats. Howard Dean, for Pete's sake, doesn't want to pull out immediately. It's just the idiots like Dowd.

Posted by pat at 01:05 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Mark Alexander on Cindy Sheehan: Responsibility

After reading Aaron's post (a few posts below this one) regarding Cindy Sheehan and his view that had she lived during WWII she might have been tried for treason, I came across this article by Mark Alexander on Town Hall. This paragraph jumped out at me (emphasis mine):

Cindy Sheehan, of course, has every right to free speech, but Ms. Sheehan is also responsible for the exercise of that right. Her crusade is not about "grief," as her Angry Left cronies claim; it is about the arrogance and selfishness that uniformly characterize the Left's causes. Her fallen son deserves the gratitude of all Americans, yet Ms. Sheehan's actions merely minimize his noble sacrifice.

I believe this is what Aaron was trying to get across.

Alexander also makes this observation:

Objectivity, however, has never been the guiding principle of Leftmedia "journalists." To wit, no headlines have featured or news leads have featured comments from the parents of Army Cpl. Forest Jostes, 22, who served with Casey Sheehan in the 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry. On 4 April 2004, Forest died beside Casey in the same battle with Jihadis.

Last week, Forest's parents, Von and Diane Ibbotson, had this to say about his death: "We were at a crossroads, but we decided from the day he died that we were going to honor him, his sacrifice. We support the President, and we have made a conscious effort to not make this political."

Of Ms. Sheehan's behavior, Forest's parents said, "We both lost sons in the same battle, but the similarities pretty much end there. Cindy Sheehan has a right to protest, wave signs, march or whatever, a right she wouldn't have had it not been for men like our sons. My son gave his life for the freedom we enjoy in this country; I hope that the Iraqi people have that someday. We feel sympathy for Mrs. Sheehan, but we're angry because she presumes to speak for so many. I resent the fact that she says she 'speaks for the millions' and is the face of the Gold Star families. That is not so."

So indeed, let them wave their signs and have their protests. Just don't tell everyone else they aren't allowed to disagree.

Posted by Pam at 09:11 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Americans Are Better People than Arabs

Americans are far superior to Arabs and others in the Middle East.

One million lives of "those people" are not worth the glory of Democrats in power in America.

F*ck the Iraqis. The Democratic party needs a platform--a statement--that will rally the emotionalism of America.

Whatever happens after we cut and run because of this "senseless war" that stopped the genocide in Iraq is not worth the price of one more dollar spent on "those people."

So says the Arab-American (and national joke) Helen Thomas:

It's time for the Democratic Party to take a courageous stand and call for the withdrawal of troops from the senseless war in Iraq.

Its human cost and the billion-dollars-a-week tab in Iraq should give all Americans pause.

Would the Republicans have hesitated to challenge the Democrats if the shoe were on the other foot? Did the opposition party give President Clinton any slack while he was in office?

What is the logic of Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Joseph Biden, D-Del., and other so-called moderate Democrats still backing the unprovoked war in Iraq when they know they were sold a bill of goods?

Furthermore, they are urging that more troops be sent to Iraq. And they are doing so at a time when the generals in Iraq are giving mixed signals. Some are talking about a draw-down of troops in a year, others in four years.

Are the Democratic leaders afraid to admit they were wrong? Does the credibility of the administration -- and, therefore, the country-- mean anything to them?

Both Clinton and Biden are presumed presidential contenders in 2008. That leaves Democratic voters -- many of whom are anti-war -- with no choice if either wins the party nomination.

Can Biden and Clinton give young men and women any valid reason why they should lay down their lives in a war that we didn't have to fight in the first place?

The fallback position apparently runs like this: "We're there and we have to stay there now. We can't cut and run."

I heard the same refrain during the dying days of the Vietnam War. And so did the moderate Democrats.

Whether viewed as a "mistake" or a "noble cause," the fact is that Vietnam survived and thrived after we departed. It is a participant in the global economy and fairly friendly to us.

I always thought the debacle in Vietnam and its aftermath had taught us a lesson. But apparently not.

Not all Democrats are so clueless. In an opinion article on Wednesday in The Washington Post, former Sen. Gary Hart, D-Col., wrote that "history will deal with George W. Bush and the neoconservatives who misled a mighty nation into a flawed war that is draining the finest military in the world ... diverting Guard and Reserve forces that should be on the front line of homeland defense, shredding international alliances that prevailed in two world wars and the Cold War ... and weakening America's national security."

But he is also tough on his own party and asks: "What will history say about an opposition party that stands silent while all this goes on?"

Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., is proposing a total pullout of U.S. troops by Dec. 31, 2006. Why wait a year?

Some Democrats think the party should simply take a back seat, bide its time and watch the administration defensively struggle for answers to Cindy Sheehan, the California mother who lost her son, Casey, in Iraq. Her vigil continues adjacent the president's Texas ranch.

Bush told the Veterans of Foreign War the United States will accept nothing less than "total victory over the terrorists and their hateful ideology."

His new argument is that anti-war protesters who want the troops brought home quickly "are advocating a policy that would weaken the United States."

Bush himself acknowledged there were no ties between the deposed dictator Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 attacks. The 9/11 commission concluded that there was no evidence of "a collaborative operational relationship" between Saddam and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network.

The U.S. invasion of Iraq has changed that equation. The Iraqi resistance is being helped by outsiders -- whether terrorists or sympathizers -- who were not in Iraq before we attacked.

Did Bush think that at least some Iraqis would not stand and defend their country? Is patriotism simply a U.S. phenomenon?

White House reporters have noted that in addressing military families, Bush is citing statistics on Americans killed in Iraq -- a figure now approaching the 2,000 mark. But the candid test will be when he notes the numbers of Iraqis who have been killed since the United States invaded their country.

Democrats have gone about their lives after giving the president a blank check to do anything he thought was necessary. They think they have absolved themselves of responsibility. It's somebody else's war.

But they might find that if they don't get some backbone and take a stand soon, the voters might not be that forgiving.

Posted by Aaron at 08:17 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Cindy Sheehan's True Colors

I am printing this statement in full. Many complained that she is simply a grieving mother and that it is horrible to even criticize her statements and ideas since she is simply grieving and saying things she might not mean.

After reading this statement, I can say with confidence that Cindy Sheehan is a horrible, nasty and disgusting human being. She, like so many others, become ticks on the backs of heros and claim virtue by proxy. Note that the people that came out (many who were mother's of slain soldiers) and exercised the same right Cindy has--these mothers are brainwashed and support murder and mayhem.

If this were the 1940's and I was a democrat, I would have her tried for treason:

I finally figured out George Bush's NEW reason for staying in Iraq. This reason has also been co-opted by the Move America Forward (forward to what: Fascism?) and the poor mothers who would be honored if their sons were killed in George Bush's war for greed and power.

Since the Freedom and Democracy thing is not going so well and the Iraqi parliament is having such a hard time writing their constitution. Since violence is mounting against Iraqis and Americans and since his poll numbers are going down everyday, he had to come up with something.

I have continually asked George Bush to quit using Casey's name the name of the other Gold Star Families for Peace loved ones to justify his continued killing. He continues to say this: 'We have to honor the sacrifices of the fallen by completing the mission.' So the mission is now this: WE MUST CONTINUE KILLING AMERICANS BECAUSE AMERICANS HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED!!!

How can anyone, anyone in their right minds support this line of reasoning' I have been silent on the Gold Star Moms who still support this man and his war by saying that they deserve the right to their opinions because they are in as much pain as I am. I would challenge them, though, at this point to start thinking for themselves. Iraq DID NOT have WMD's; Iraq WAS NOT linked to Al Qaeda and 9/11; Iraq WAS NOT a threat or danger to America. How can these moms who still support George Bush and his insane war in Iraq want more innocent blood shed just because their sons or daughters have been killed' I don't understand it. I don't understand how any mother could want another mother to feel the pain we feel. I am starting to lose a little compassion for them. I know they have been as brainwashed as the rest of America, but they know the pain and heartache and they should not wish it on another. However, I still feel their pain so acutely and pray for these 'continue the murder and mayhem' moms to see the light.

I didn't do my blog last night because I was so exhausted. I am now lying awake at night thinking and worrying about a couple of things. First of all, how can we keep the momentum of Camp Casey going' Our first step is a bus tour consisting of three buses going through 3 different parts of the country, stopping at various places to do rallies and 'visit' Congress people's offices. I had a brainstorm during my press conference yesterday'our first stop will be at Mr.Tom Delay's office. I just opened my mouth and the words came out and the Bus Tour organizers re-worked the bus schedule so we could make that happen. But before we even issued the invitation to Tom Delay, his office had released a statement saying that he was 'too busy to meet with me.'

In taking Camp Casey to Congress we are creating problems for the very people who voted to give George the authority to invade an innocent country and cause the deaths of so many people. We will eventually target every Congress person, pro-peace or anti-peace alike, Republican or Democrat, and ask them the same questions we are asking the president. Except with Congress, we are going to add one more thing: 'Since there is no Noble Cause, you need to develop a speedy exit strategy and bring our troops home as soon as humanly possible.' Check out BringThemHomeNowTour.org for more info on our bus tour and how you can be involved.

The second thing that worries the crap out of me is the almost icon status that I have achieved. I never set out to become the 'Rosa Parks of the Peace Movement.' I ventured out on August 6, 2005 to hold George Bush accountable and to raise awareness about his lies and misuse and abuse of power. I didn't set out to become anyone's hero. I am a regular mom who just wants peace and no one else to be murdered for the deceptions of our government. I love the love and support of America: it is what sustains me through these very difficult times and the reich-wing smear campaign. I am blown away and humbled that people are coming from all over the world to meet me and have their pictures taken of me. I am honored when people ask me for my autograph and I love meeting the little ones. I think we really need to focus our energies on the cause of peace, though'and the message, not the messenger. I am not a perfect person. I am strong and I do have the cajones to tell the world that our 'emperor' has no clothes, but it is done out of love of Casey and the others who have died and who are in harm's way and out of the simple fact that at the end of the day I have to look at myself in the mirror. If I didn't do everything in my power to end this monstrosity of an occupation in Iraq, how could I do that? I promised my boy that I would make the world a better place for his unborn nieces and nephews, and I mean to keep that promise.

We are going to have an eventful day at Camp Casey. We are holding a big rally and so are the 'pro-continue the killing because Americans have died already' people. I am a little apprehensive about this. We know that the Sheriff's know that the other people are coming to stir up trouble and provoke us into violence. Well, that is not going to happen on the Camp Casey side. We will not resort to the same tactics as their leaders.

Camp Casey is a place of peace and love and we won't let ignorant citizens bring us down. At this point the smears are amusing me, rather than hurting me.

I will keep you all posted about today's events. Please pray for us that everyone keeps a cool head.

Peace!!!!

Yes, I said TREASON. Freedom of speech is not the right to say and do anything. She is actively promoting defeat of our soldiers and, although she claims otherwise, desires a higher body count to tout on her hate America tour.

Posted by Aaron at 07:33 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Hurricane Trivia

A Category 5 hurricane hit the United States during the terms of all these presidents but one. Which president's term in office did not see such a storm?

• Franklin Roosevelt
• Richard Nixon
• Bill Clinton
• George H.W. Bush

Answer below...

Bill Clinton

I guess there was no global warming going on during his administration. Geez! Did this guy face anything challenging during his administration (other than Rwanda and terrorism, which he ignored)?

Posted by Aaron at 07:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Linking Myself

One of the things I like about blogging is the way you can quickly discover the story behind the story. I saw a story at Lucianne about a 10-year-old winning an art contest, read the story, and then checked out the website of the group holding the contest. It's quite stunning, even coming from our friends in the "reality-based community".

Posted by pat at 02:04 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Draft Iraqi Constitution

Personally, I think it's beautiful (at least the Preamble). It is not Western, but these people have such a pride and they understand they represent a seachange in that reason. Pray for these Iraqi patriots. God bless them.

UPDATE: shoot down to Article 14! Read it carefully and ask yourself if there was not another document they consulted! WOW! All I can say is WOW!

[I am not going to italicize the text to make it easier to read]

PREAMBLE

We the sons of Mesopotamia, land of the (messengers), prophets, resting place of the holy imams, the leaders of civilization and the creators of the alphabet, the cradle of arithmetic: on our land, the first law put in place by mankind was written; in our nation, the most noble era of justice in the politics of nations was laid down; on our soil, the followers of the prophet and the saints prayed, the philosophers and the scientists theorized and the writers and poets created.

Recognizing God's right upon us; obeying the call of our nation and our citizens; responding to the call of our religious and national leaders (and our national forces and politicians) and the insistence of our great religious authorities and our leaders and our reformers, we went by the millions for the first time in our history to the ballot box, men and women, young and old, on Jan. 30, 2005, remembering the pains of the despotic band's sectarian oppression; inspired by the suffering of Iraq's martyrs -- Sunni and Shiite, Arab, Kurd and Turkomen, and the remaining brethren in all communities -- inspired by the injustice against the holy cities (and the south) in the popular uprising and (burnt with the sorrows of the mass graves, the marches and Dujail and others); recalling the agonies of the national oppression in the massacres of Halabja, Barzan, Anfal and against the Faili Kurds; inspired by the tragedies of the Turkomen in Bashir, and as in other parts of Iraq, (the people of the western region have suffered from the liquidation of its leaders, symbols, tribal leaders and displacing its intellectuals, so we worked hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder) to create a new Iraq, Iraq of the future, without sectarianism, racial strife, regionalism, discrimination and (elimination).

Terrorism and "takfir" (Editors Note: takfir means to declare someone an infidel) did not divert us from moving forward to build a nation of law. Sectarianism and racism did not stop us from marching together to strengthen our national unity, set ways to peacefully transfer power, adopt a manner to fairly distribute wealth and give equal opportunity to all.

We the people of Iraq, newly arisen from our disasters and looking with confidence to the future through a democratic, federal, republican system, are determined -- men and women, old and young -- to respect the rule of law, reject the policy of aggression, pay attention to women and their rights, the elderly and their cares, the children and their affairs, spread the culture of diversity and defuse terrorism.

We are the people of Iraq, who in all our forms and groupings undertake to establish our union freely and by choice, to learn yesterday's lessons for tomorrow, and to write down this permanent constitution from the high values and ideals of the heavenly messages and the developments of science and human civilization, and to adhere to this constitution, which shall preserve for Iraq its free union of people, land and sovereignty.

Please click below for full text.

CHAPTER ONE: BASIC PRINCIPLES

Article (1): The Republic of Iraq is an independent, sovereign nation, and the system of rule in it is a democratic, federal, representative (parliamentary) republic.

Article (2):

1st -- Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation:
(a) No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam. (b) No law can be passed that contradicts the principles of democracy. (c) No law can be passed that contradicts the rights and basic freedoms outlined in this constitution.

2nd -- This constitution guarantees the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people and the full religious rights for all individuals and the freedom of creed and religious practices like (Christians, Yazidis, Sabaean Mandeans.)

Article (3): Iraq is a multiethnic, multi-religious and multi-sect country. It is part of the Islamic world and its Arab people are part of the Arab nation.

Article (4):

1st -- Arabic and Kurdish are the two official languages for Iraq. Iraqis are guaranteed the right to educate their children in their mother tongues, such as Turkomen or Assyrian (and Armenian), in government educational institutions, or any other language in private educational institutions, according to educational regulations.

2nd -- the scope of the phrase "official language" and the manner of implementing the rules of this article will be defined by a law that includes:
(a) issuing the official gazette in both languages. (b) speaking, addressing and expressing in official domains, like the parliament, Cabinet, courts and official conferences, in either of the two languages. (c) recognition of official documents and correspondences in the two languages and the issuing of official documents in them both. (d) the opening of schools in the two languages in accordance with educational rules. (e) any other realms that require the principle of equality, such as currency bills, passports, stamps.

3rd -- Federal agencies and institutions in the region of Kurdistan use both languages.

4th -- The Turkomen and Assyrian (are two other languages that will be official in administrative areas where those groups are located in large numbers.)

5th -- Any region or province can take a local language as an additional official language if a majority of the population approves in a universal referendum.

Article (5): The law is sovereign, the people are the source of authority and its legitimacy, which they exercise through direct, secret (general) ballot and its constitutional institutions.

Article (6): Government should be rotated peacefully through democratic means stipulated in this constitution.

Article (7):

1st -- Entities or trends that advocate, instigate, justify or propagate racism, terrorism, "takfir" (Editors Note: takfir means to declare someone an infidel), sectarian cleansing, are banned, especially the Saddamist Baath (eliminates the word Party from previous text) in Iraq and its symbols, under any name. It will be not be allowed to be part of the multilateral political system in Iraq, which should be defined according to the law.

2nd -- The state will be committing to fighting terrorism in all its forms and will work to prevent its territory from being a base or corridor or an arena for its (terrorism's) activities.

Article (8): Iraq shall abide by the principles of good neighborliness and by not intervening in the internal affairs of the other countries, and it shall seek to peacefully resolve conflicts and shall establish its relations on the basis of shared interests and similar treatment and shall respect its international obligations.

Article (9):

1st -- (a) The Iraqi armed forces and security apparatuses consist of the components of the Iraqi people, keeping in consideration their balance and representation without discrimination or exclusion. They fall under the command of the civil authority, defend Iraq, don't act as a tool of oppression of the Iraqi people, don't intervene in political affairs and they play no role in the rotation of power.
(b) Forming military militias outside the framework of the armed forces is banned. (c) The Iraqi armed forces and its personnel -- including military personnel working in the Defense Ministry and in any offices or organizations subordinate to it -- are not allowed to run as candidates in elections for political office. They should not engage in election campaigning for candidates and should not take part in activities forbidden by the regulations of the Defense Ministry. This ban includes the activities of the previously mentioned individuals acting in their personal or professional capacities, but does not include their right to vote in the elections.

d) The Iraqi national intelligence service shall gather information and assess threats to national security and offers advice to the Iraqi government. It is under civilian control; it is subjected to the supervision of the executive authority; it operates according to the law and to recognized human rights principles.

e) The Iraqi government shall respect and implement Iraq's international commitments regarding the nonproliferation, non-development, non-production, and non-use of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Associated equipment, material, technologies, and communications systems for use in the development, manufacture, production, and use of such weapons shall be banned.

2nd -- Military service shall be regulated by a law.

Article (10): The holy shrines and religious sites in Iraq are religious and cultural entities. The state is committed to maintain and protect their sanctity and ensure the exercising of (religious) rites freely in them.

Article (11): Baghdad is the capital of the republic of Iraq.

Article (12):

1st -- The flag, emblem and national anthem of Iraq shall be fixed by law in a way that symbolizes the components of the Iraqi people.

2nd -- Medals, official holidays, religious and national occasions and the (Islamic and Christian) calendars shall be fixed by law.

Article (13):

1st -- This constitution shall be considered as the supreme and highest law in Iraq. It shall be binding throughout the whole country without exceptions.

2nd -- No law that contradicts this constitution shall be passed; any passage in the regional constitutions and any other legal passages that contradict this constitution shall be considered null.

CHAPTER TWO: RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS

PART ONE: RIGHTS

FIRST: Civil and political rights.

Article (14): Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination because of sex, ethnicity, nationality, origin, color, religion, sect, belief, opinion or social or economic status.

Article (15): Every individual has the right to life and security and freedom, and cannot be deprived of these rights or have them restricted except in accordance to the law and based on a ruling by the appropriate judicial body.

Article (16): Equal opportunity is a right guaranteed to all Iraqis, and the state shall take the necessary steps to achieve this.

Article (17):

1st -- Each person has the right to personal privacy as long as it does not violate the rights of others or general morality.

2nd -- The sanctity of the home is protected. They cannot be entered or searched or violated except by judicial decision and in accordance with the law.

Article (18):

1st -- An Iraqi is anyone who has been born to an Iraqi father or an Iraqi mother.

2nd -- Iraqi nationality is a right to all Iraqis and it is the basis of their citizenship.

3rd -- (a) It shall be forbidden to withdraw the Iraqi citizenship from an Iraqi by birth for any reason. Those who have had their citizenship withdrawn have the right to reclaim it and this should be regulated by law.
(b) Iraqi citizenship shall be withdrawn from naturalized citizens in cases stated by law.

4th -- Every Iraqi has the right to carry more than one citizenship. Those who take a leading or high-level security position must give up any other citizenship. This shall be regulated by law.

5th -- Iraqi citizenship may not be granted for the purposes of a policy of population settlement disrupting the demographic makeup in Iraq.

6th -- Citizenship regulations shall be determined by law, and the proper courts should hear suits arising from the regulations.

Article (19):

1st -- The judiciary is independent, with no power above it other than the law.

2nd -- There is no crime and no punishment except by the text (Editors Note: of law). And there is no punishment except for an act that the law considers a crime at the time of its commission. No punishment can be enacted that is heavier than the punishment allowed at the time of the crime's commission.

3rd -- Trial by judiciary is a right protected and guaranteed to all.

4th -- The right to defense is holy and guaranteed in all stages of investigation and trial.

5th -- The accused is innocent until his guilt is proven in a just, legal court. The accused cannot be tried for the same accusation again after he has been freed unless new evidence appears.

6th -- Every individual has the right to be treated in a just manner in all judicial and administrative procedures.

7th -- Court sessions will be open unless the court decides to make them secret.

8th -- Punishment is for individuals.

9th -- Laws do not apply retroactively unless otherwise has been legislated, and this exception does not include laws of taxes and duties.

10th -- Punitive law shall not be applied retroactively unless it is best for the defendant.

11th -- The court shall appoint an attorney to defend defendants charged with a felony or a misdemeanor who don't have an attorney and it shall be at the state's expense.

12th -- (a) (Arbitrary) detention shall not be allowed.
(b) Arrest or imprisonment is not allowed in places other than those designated for that according to prison laws that are covered by health and social services and are under the control of the state.

13th -- Preliminary investigation papers shall be shown to the concerned judge no later than 24 hours from the time of the detention of the accused and cannot be extended except once and for same duration.

Article (20): Citizens, male and female, have the right to participate in public matters and enjoy political rights, including the right to vote and run as candidates.

Article (21):

1st -- An Iraqi shall not be handed over to foreign bodies and authorities.

2nd -- Political asylum to Iraq shall be regulated by law and the political refugee shall not be turned over to a foreign body or forcefully returned to the country from which he has fled.

3rd -- Political asylum shall not be granted to those accused of committing international or terror crimes or to anyone who has caused Iraq harm.

SECOND: Economic, social and cultural rights

Article (22):

1st -- Work is a right for all Iraqis in a way that guarantees them a good life.

2nd -- The law regulates the relation between employees and employers on an economic basis, while keeping in consideration rules of social justice.

3rd -- The state guarantees the right to (found or) join syndicates or professional unions. This shall be regulated by law.

Article (23):

1st -- Private property is protected and the owner has the right to use it, exploit it and benefit from it within the boundaries of the law.

2nd -- Property may not be taken away except for the public interest in exchange for fair compensation. This shall be regulated by law.

3rd-- (a) An Iraqi has the right to ownership anywhere in Iraq and no one else has the right to own real estate except what is exempted by law.
(b) Ownership with the purpose of demographic changes is forbidden.

Article (24): The state shall guarantee the freedom of movement for workers, goods and Iraqi capital between the regions and the provinces. This shall be regulated by law.

Article (25): The state shall guarantee the reforming of the Iraqi economy according to modern economic bases, in a way that ensures complete investment of its resources, diversifying its sources and encouraging and developing the private sector.

Article (26): The country shall guarantee the encouragement of investments in the different sectors. This shall be regulated by law.

Article (27):

1st -- Public property is sacrosanct, and its protection is the duty of every citizen.

2nd -- Regulations pertaining to preserving and administrating state property, the conditions set for using it and the cases when giving up any of the property may be allowed shall be regulated by law.

Article (28):

1st -- Taxes and fees shall not be imposed, amended, collected or eliminated except by law.

2nd -- Low-income people should be exempted from taxes in a way that guarantees maintaining the minimum level necessary for a living. This shall be regulated by law.

Article (29):

1st-- (a) The family is the foundation of society and the state should preserve its (Editors Note: the family's) existence and ethical and religious value.
(b) The state shall guarantee the protection of motherhood, childhood and old age and shall take care of juveniles and youths and provide them with agreeable conditions to develop their capabilities.

2nd -- Children have the right to upbringing, education and care from their parents; parents have the right to respect and care from their children, especially in times of want, disability or old age.

3rd -- Economic exploitation of children in any form is banned and the state shall take measures to guarantee their protection.

4th -- Violence and abuse in the family, school and society shall be forbidden.

Article (30):

1st -- The state guarantees social and health insurance, the basics for a free and honorable life for the individual and the family -- especially children and women -- and works to protect them from illiteracy, fear and poverty and provides them with housing and the means to rehabilitate and take care of them. This shall be regulated by law.
(2nd -- The state guarantees the social well-being and health care for Iraqis in case of old age, sickness, disability, becoming a refugee or orphan, or unemployment; works to protect them from ignorance, fear and poverty; provides them with housing and rehabilitation; and takes care of them. This shall be regulated by law.)

Article (31):

1st -- Every Iraqi has the right to health services, and the state is in charge of public health and guarantees the means of protection and treatment by building different kinds of hospitals and health institutions.

2nd -- Individuals and associations have the right to build hospitals, dispensaries or private clinics under the supervision of the state. This shall be regulated by law.

Article (32): The state cares for the disabled and those with special needs and guarantees their rehabilitation to integrate them in society. This shall be regulated by law.

Article (33):

1st -- Every individual has the right to live in a correct environmental atmosphere.

2nd -- The state guarantees protection and preservation of the environment and biological diversity.

Article (34):

1st -- Education is a main factor for the progress of society and it is a right guaranteed by the state. It is mandatory in the primary school and the state guarantees fighting illiteracy.

2nd -- Free education is a right for Iraqis in all its stages.

3rd -- The state encourages scientific research for peaceful purposes in a way that benefits humanity and it promotes excelling, creativity and the different manifestations of excellence.

4th -- Private and national education is guaranteed and regulated by law.

PART TWO: Freedoms

Article (35):

1st -- (a) The freedom and dignity of a person are protected.
(b) No one may be detained or investigated unless by judicial decision. (c) All forms of torture, mental or physical, and inhuman treatment are forbidden. There is no recognition of any confession extracted by force or threats or torture, and the injured party may seek compensation for any physical or mental injury that is inflicted.

2nd -- The state is committed to protecting the individual from coercion in thought, religion or politics.

3rd -- Forced labor, slavery and the commerce in slaves is forbidden, as is the trading in women or children or the sex trade.

Article (36): The state guarantees, as long as it does not violate public order and morality:

1st -- the freedom of expressing opinion by all means.

2nd -- the freedom of press, publishing, media and distribution.

3rd -- freedom of assembly and peaceful protest will be organized by law.

Article (37):

1st -- Freedom to establish and belong to political organizations and parties is guaranteed, and it will be organized by law.

2nd -- No person can be forced to join or remain a member of a political party or organization.

Article (38): The freedom of communications and exchanges by post, telegraph, telephone and by electronic and other means is guaranteed. They will not be monitored or spied upon or revealed except for legal and security necessity in accordance with the law.

Article (39): Iraqis are free in their adherence to their personal status according to their own religion, sect, belief and choice, and that will be organized by law.

Article (40): Every individual has freedom of thought, (conscience and ideology.)

Article (41):

1st -- The followers of every religion and sect are free in:
(a) the practice of their religious rites, including the Husseiniya Rites (Editors Note: these are Shiite rites.) (b) the administration of religious endowments and their affairs and their religious institutions, and this will be organized by law.

2nd -- The state guarantees freedom of worship and the protection of its places.

Article (42):

1st -- The Iraqi citizen has freedom of movement and travel and residence within Iraq and outside it.

2nd -- No Iraqi can be exiled or forced out or forbidden to return to his nation.

Article (43):

1st -- The state is keen to strengthen the role of civil society groups and to support, develop them and preserve their independence in accordance with peaceful means to realize legitimate goals. This shall be regulated by law.

2nd -- The state is keen to advance Iraqi tribes and clans and it cares about their affairs in accordance with religion, law and (enhances its noble) human values and in a way that contributes to developing society and it forbids tribal customs that run contrary to human rights.

Article (44): All individuals have the right to enjoy the rights stated in international human rights agreements and treaties endorsed by Iraq that don't run contrary to the principles and rules of this constitution.

Article (45): Restricting or limiting any of the freedoms and liberties stated in this constitution may only happen by, or according to, law and as long as this restriction or limitation does not undermine the essence of the right or freedom.

CHAPTER THREE: THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES

Article (46): Federal authorities are made up of legislative, executive and judicial authorities and practice their specialties and duties on the basis the separation of power.

PART ONE: THE LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY.

Article (47): The federal legislative authority is made up of the Council of Representatives and the Council of Union.

FIRST: The Council of Representatives (Parliament).

Article (48):

1st -- The Council of Representatives is made up of a number of members at a proportion of one seat for every 100,000 people from the population of Iraq. They represent the entire Iraqi people and are elected by general, direct, secret ballot, and they take care to represent all groups of people.

2nd -- A candidate for membership in the Council of Representatives must be a fully qualified Iraqi.

3rd -- Conditions for candidates and voters and everything connected to elections will be regulated by law.

4th -- The Council of Representatives will promulgate a law dealing with how to replace its members when they resign or are removed or die.

5th -- It is not permitted to hold membership in the Council of Representatives and another official position.

Article (49): Members of the Council of Representatives shall take the constitutional oath in front of the council before starting their work, as follows:

"I swear by God almighty to carry out my legal duties and responsibilities with dedication and devotion and to preserve the independence and sovereignty of Iraq and to look after the interests of its people and to see to the safety of its land, sky, water, wealth and democratic, federal system and to work to preserve the public and private freedoms and the independence of the judiciary and to abide by honestly and impartially implementing the legislation. God is the witness of what I say."

Article (50): The Council of Representatives shall establish an internal system to regulate its work.

Article (51):

1st -- The Council of Representatives should determine the correctness of the membership of a member by a two-third majority within 30 days of the registering of an objection.

2nd -- The council's decision may be challenged before the Supreme Federal Court within 30 days of the day it was issued.

Article (52):

1st -- Sessions of the Council of Representatives shall be public unless it is necessary to do otherwise.

2nd -- Session reports shall be published in the way the council sees fit.

Article (53): The president of the republic calls on the council to convene by a presidential decree within 15 days of the date that the results of the general elections have been certified. The session shall be held under the chairmanship of the oldest member, to elect the president of the council and his deputies. Extensions for more than the previously mentioned period are not allowed.

Article (54): In its first session, the council shall elect by absolute majority its president, then a first deputy and a second deputy by direct, secret balloting.

Article (55):

1st -- The duration of the council's cycle is four calendar years, starting with the first session and ending by the end of the fourth year.

2nd -- The election of a new Council of Representatives takes place 45 days before the cycle ends.

Article (56): The Council of Representatives has two legislative seasons a year, running for eight months. Internal rules will determine how they shall be held. The season in which the general budget is submitted to the council shall not end before it is approved.

Article (57):

1st -- The president of the republic, the prime minister, the president of the Council of Representatives or 50 members of the council may call for an extraordinary session, and the meeting shall be confined to the issues that have made it necessary to call for the session.

2nd -- The legislative season for the Council of Representatives may be extended for no longer than 30 days to accomplish the tasks that require this, based on a request from the president of the republic, the prime minister, the president of the Council of Representatives or 50 members.

Article (58):

1st -- Quorum for sessions of the Council of Representatives shall be reached by the attendance of the absolute majority of its members.

2nd -- Decisions shall be made in the Council of Representatives by simple majority, (as long as it has achieved the required attendance and) as long as it has not been stated otherwise.

Article (59):

The Council of Representatives is given the following duties:

1st -- Legislating federal laws.

2nd -- Overseeing the performance of the executive authority.

3rd -- Certifying treaties or international agreements by a two-thirds majority of the members of the Council of Representatives, as will be regulated by law.
(4th -- Electing the president of the Republic)

5th-- Approving the appointments of:
(a) the head and members of the Federal Cassation Court, the head of the General Prosecutors Office and the head of the Judiciary Inspection Department by absolute majority, based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council. (b) ambassadors and those with special ranks, based on the recommendation of the Cabinet. (c) the army chief of staff, his deputies and those who hold the title of division leader and up, the head of the intelligence service, based on the recommendation of the Cabinet.

6th -- (a) Questioning the president of the republic based on a request that mentions the reason for questioning, passed by an absolute majority of the Council of Representatives.
(b) Relieving the president of the republic of his duties by absolute majority of the members of the Council of Representatives after he has been convicted from the Supreme Federal Court in one of the following cases:

1 -- Violating the constitutional oath.

2 -- Violating the constitution.

3 -- Grand treason.

7th-- (a) A member of the Council of Representatives has the right to ask the prime minister and the ministers questions about any subject that falls under any their specialties, and each has the right to answer the members. He/she who asks the question is the only one who has the right to comment on the answer.
(b) At least 25 members of the Council of Representatives may propose a general topic for discussion to clarify the policy or performance of the Cabinet or one of the ministries, and it is then presented to the president of the Council of Representatives, and the prime minister or the ministers set a date to come before the Council of Representatives to discuss it. (c) A member of the Council of Representatives, with the approval of 25 members, may direct an interpellation to the prime minister or the ministers to hold them accountable for the affairs under their specialty. Discussing the interpellation may not take place before seven days from the date it was submitted.

8th -- (a) The Council of Representatives may withdraw confidence from a minister by absolute majority, and he/she is considered (resigned) from the date of the withdrawal of confidence. The issue of confidence in a minister can only be put forth at his request or because of a request signed by 50 members as a result of discussing an interpellation directed to him. The council may not decide on the request except after at least seven days from the day it has been submitted.
(b)

1 -- The president of the republic may submit a request to the Council of Representatives to withdraw confidence from the prime minister.

2 -- The Council of Representatives, based on a request from one-fifth of its members, may vote to withdraw confidence from the prime minister. This request may not be submitted except after an interpellation directed to the prime minister and after at least seven days from the submission of the request.

3 -- The Council of Representatives decides the withdrawal of confidence from the prime minister by absolute majority of its members.
(c) The Cabinet shall be (considered resigned) in the case that confidence is withdrawn from the prime minister. (d) In the case of a vote withdrawing confidence from the whole Cabinet, the prime minister and ministers remain in their positions to run the daily affairs for a period no longer than 30 days until a new Cabinet is formed (in accordance with article 74 in this constitution). (e) The Council of Representatives has the right to question and relieve the officials of independent associations from their duties according to the procedures relating to the ministers and by absolute majority.

9th -- (a) Approving the declaration of war and a state of emergency by a two-thirds majority, based on a joint request by the president of the republic and the prime minister.
(b) The state of emergency may be declared for 30 days, which may be extended by approving it each time. (c) The prime minister shall be given the necessary powers to enable him to run the country's affairs during the period of a declaration of war or a state of emergency. These powers shall be regulated by law in a way that does not run contrary to the constitution. (d) The prime minister presents to the Council of Representatives the measures adopted and the results during the period of a declaration of war or a state of emergency within 15 days from the time they have ended.

Article (60):

1st -- The Cabinet presents the general budget bill and the final accounting statement to the Council of Representatives for approval.

2nd -- The Council of Representatives has the right to rearrange between the parts of the general budget, reduce its total amount of money and it may, when necessary, propose to the Cabinet to increase general costs.

Article (61):

1st -- The rights and privileges given to the president of the Council of Representatives and his deputies and the members of the council shall be fixed by law.

2nd--

a) A member of the Council of Representatives enjoys impunity that covers the opinions he expresses during the time of convening (Editors Note: the council); he shall not be sued before courts for this.

b) A member may not be arrested during the duration of the council's cycle unless he is accused of a felony and by the approval of the absolute majority of the members that he be stripped of his immunity or if he was arrested red-handed.

Article (62):

1st -- The Council of Representatives shall be dissolved by the absolute majority of its members, based on a request from third of its members or a request from the prime minister and with the approval of the president of the republic. The council may not be dissolved while interpellating the prime minister.

2nd -- The president of the republic calls for a general election in the country no later than 60 days after the council of representatives has been dissolved. In that case, the Cabinet is considered (resigned) and it continues to run the daily affairs.

SECOND: The Council of Union.

Article (63):

1st -- A legislative council called the "Council of Union" will be established and will include representatives of regions and provinces (that are not part of a region. The makeup of the council, the conditions for membership, specialties and all things related to it will be organized by law regulated by the majority of two thirds of the Council of Deputies.)

PART TWO: THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY

Article (64): The federal executive authority consists of the president of the republic and the Cabinet. It carries out its authorities based on the constitution and the law.

FIRST, The President.

Article (65): The president of the republic is the president of the country and the symbol of the nation's unity and represents the sovereignty of the country and oversees the guarantees of adherence to the constitution, the preservation of Iraq's independence and unity and the security of its territory, in accordance with the law.

Article (66): The candidate for the president's post must:

1st -- be Iraqi by birth from Iraqi parents.

2nd -- be legally competent and have reached the age of 40.

3rd -- have a good reputation and political experience and be known for his integrity, rectitude, justice and devotion to the homeland.

4th -- not have been convicted of a crime that violates honor.

Article (67):

1st -- The rules of nomination for the president's post shall be regulated by law.
(2nd -- The rule for choosing a deputy or more to the president shall be regulated by law.)

Article (68):

1st -- The Council of Representatives selects from among the candidates a president of the republic by a two-thirds majority.

2nd -- If no single candidate gets the required majority, the two candidates with the highest votes will compete and whoever wins a majority of votes in the second round is declared president of the republic.

Article (69): The president of the republic is sworn in in front of the Council of Representatives, using the wording mentioned in article 49 in the constitution.

Article (70):

1st -- The term of president of the republic is limited to 4 years.

2nd -- ((a) The term of the President of the republic ends with the end of the term of the Council of Deputies.
(b) The president of the republic continues carrying out his duties until the end of the election of the new Council of Deputies and its first meeting. The election of the new president should be done within 30 days from the day of its first meeting. (c) In case the post of the president becomes vacant for any other reason, a new president will be elected to complete the incumbent's term.)

Article (71): The president of the Republic enjoys the following powers:
(1st) issuing special amnesty, upon a recommendation from the prime minister with the exception (of personal right) and those convicted in international crimes, terrorism, financial or administrative corruption or crimes against personal rights. (2nd) endorsing treaties and international agreements following approval by the Council of Representatives (and deemed endorsed after 15 days from the date of receiving.) (3rd) endorsing and issuing laws enacted by the Council of Representatives. They are considered validated 15 days (from the date of receiving.) (4th) calling for the elected Council of Representatives to convene within a period not exceeding 15 days from the date that election results are ratified, and in other cases stated in the constitution. (5th) awarding medals and badges upon recommendation of the prime minister and in accordance with the law. (6th) receiving ambassadors. (7th) issuing republican protocols. (8th) endorsing execution verdicts issued by the proper courts (9th) taking leadership of the armed forces for ceremonial and commemoration purposes. (10th) practicing any other presidential powers mentioned in the constitution.

Article (72): The law determines the salary and allowances for the president of the republic.

Article (73):

1st -- The president of the republic can present a written resignation to the prime minister, and it is considered valid after seven days of the date it is lodged to the Council of Representatives.

2nd -- A "deputy" of the president of the republic replaces the president during his absence.

3rd -- The deputy of the president of the republic replaces the president of the republic when the post is empty for any reason, and the Council of Representatives has to elect a new president within a period not exceeding 30 days from the date the post is vacant

4th -- In the case when the post of the president of the republic is vacant, the president of the Council of Representatives replaces the president if there is no deputy for him, and a new president should be elected in a period not exceeding 30 days from the time the position is vacant, according to the laws of the constitution.

SECOND, The Cabinet.

Article (74):

1st -- The president assigns the candidate of the parliamentary majority to form a Cabinet during the first 15 days from the date of the first session of the Council of Representatives. (With the exception in the case mentioned in subsection b in the 2nd section of article 70 in this constitution so that the assignment comes within 15 days from the day of the electing of the president.)

2nd-- The prime minister is assigned to name members of his Cabinet within a period of 30 days, at the longest, from the date of the assignment.

3rd -- The president assigns a new candidate to be the prime minister within 15 days if the prime minister assigned to form the cabinet during the period mentioned in the 2nd clause fails.

4th -- The assigned prime minister presents the names of the members of his cabinet and its ministerial platform to the Council of Representatives. He is considered to have won confidence when his ministers are approved individually and his ministerial platform is approved by an absolute majority.

5th -- The president will take up the assigning of another candidate to form a cabinet within 15 days if the Cabinet does not win confidence.

Article (75):

1st -- The prime minister must meet the conditions set for the president of the republic. He must have a university degree or an equivalent and must be no younger than 35.

2nd -- Ministers must meet the same conditions set for candidates to the Council of Representatives. A minister must have a university degree or an equivalent.

Article (76): The prime minister is the direct executive responsible for the general policy of the nation, the general commander of the armed forces and carries out the administration of the Cabinet and presides over its sessions. The prime minister has the right to remove ministers, with the consent of the Council of Representatives.

Article (77): The prime minister and the ministers carry out the constitutional oath of office before the Council of Representatives in the manner laid out in Article 49 of the constitution.

Article (78): The Cabinet carries out the following duties:

1st -- planning and implementing the general policy of the state; general plans; supervising the work of the ministers and offices not subordinate to a ministry.

2nd -- proposing draft laws.

3rd -- issuing regulations, instructions and decisions to implement the laws.

4th -- preparing the draft of the general budget and the final accounting statement and development plans.

5th -- recommending to the Council of Representatives for approval the appointments of undersecretaries of ministers, ambassadors, those who have special ranks; the army chief of staff, his deputies and those who are division leaders or higher; the head of the national intelligence service and the heads of the security apparatuses.

6th -- negotiating treaties and international agreements and signing them or designating someone to sign.

Article (79):

1st -- The president of the republic becomes the acting prime minister when the position is empty for any reason.

2nd -- The president of the republic must name (another candidate to form the Cabinet within a period that does not exceed 15 days) and in accordance with the provisions of Article 74 in this constitution.

Article (80): The salaries and allowances of the prime minister and the ministers and those at their rank shall be fixed by law.

Article (81): The responsibility of the prime minister and the ministers before the Council of Representatives shall be collective and personal.

Article (82):

1st -- The work of the security apparatuses and the intelligence service shall be fixed by law; their duties and powers shall be specified and they shall work according to the principles of human rights and shall be subjected to the supervision of the Council of Representatives.

2nd -- The national intelligence service is tied to the Cabinet.

Article (83): The Cabinet shall lay down a system of internal rules to regulate its work.

Article (84): The forming of ministries and their functions and responsibilities and the powers of the minister shall be regulated by law.

PART THREE: THE JUDICIARY

Article (85): The judiciary is independent and will be represented by courts of different kinds and levels, and they will issue their rulings according to law.

Article (86): Judges are independent, with no authority over them in their rulings except the law. No authority can interfere in the judiciary or in the affairs of justice.

Article (87): The federal judiciary will include the Supreme Judiciary Council, the Supreme Federal Court, the Federal Cassation Court, the Prosecutor's Office, the Judiciary Inspection Department and other federal courts that are organized by law.

FIRST: The Supreme Judiciary Council

Article (88): The Supreme Judiciary Council will administer judicial affairs in accordance with the law.

Article (89): The Supreme Judiciary Council will exercise the following powers:

1st -- administering and supervising the federal judiciary system.

2nd -- nominating the head (and members) of the Federal Cassation Court, the chief prosecutor and the head of the Judiciary Inspection Department, and presenting them to parliament for approval.

3rd -- proposing the annual budget for the federal judiciary system and presenting it to parliament for approval.

SECOND: The Supreme Federal Court

Article (90):

1st -- The Supreme Federal Court is an independent judicial body, financially and administratively.

2nd -- The Supreme Federal Court will be made up of a number of judges and experts in (Islamic Jurisprudence) and law, whose number and manner of selection (work) will be defined by a law that should be passed by two-thirds of the parliament members.

Article (91): The Supreme Federal Court will have the following duties:

1st -- overseeing the constitutionality of the laws and standing regulations.

2nd -- interpreting the text of the constitution.

3rd -- ruling in cases that emerge from the implementation of federal laws and (decisions, rules, instructions and measures taken by federal authority. The law guarantees the right of the Cabinet and people concerned as well as others the right to appeal directly in the court.)

4th -- ruling in disputes between the federal government and the governments of the regions and the provinces and local administrations.

5th -- ruling in disputes between the governments of the regions or provinces.

6th -- ruling in accusations against the president of the republic, the prime minister and the ministers shall be regulated by law.

7th -- endorsing the final results of parliamentary general elections.

8th -- (a -- ruling in disputes among federal judiciary and regional judicial authorities and the provinces that are not part of a region.) (b -- ruling in disputes between regional authorities and provinces that are not part of a region.)

Article (92):

Resolutions of the Supreme Federal Court are binding for all authorities.

THIRD: General Provisions:

Article (93): Establishing private or exceptional courts is forbidden.

Article (94): The law shall regulate the establishment of courts, their kinds, degrees, duties and the means of appointing judges, members of the General Prosecutors Office, the provisions for disciplining them and moving them into retirement.

Article (95): Judges shall not be impeached except in the cases determined by law; the law will also specify the rules pertaining to them and regulate disciplinary actions against them.

Article (96): It is forbidden for a judge or a member of the prosecution to:

1st --simultaneously hold a judicial position and a legislative or executive position or any other job.

2nd -- belong to any party or political organization or engage in any political activity.

Article (97): The military judiciary shall be fixed by law and the responsibilities of the military courts, which are limited to crimes with a military nature committed by members of the armed forces and security forces, shall be specified within the limits of the law.

Article (98): It is forbidden to legislate into a law provisions protecting any administrative action or decision from being challenged in court.

Article (99): It is permissible by law to establish a state council to handle the tasks of the administrative judiciary, advising, phrasing, representing the state and all other public associations in front of the judiciary, except what the law exempts.

PART FOUR: INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATIONS

Article (100): The Supreme Commission for Human Rights and the Supreme Independent Commission for Elections and the Integrity Agency are considered independent associations subject to the supervision of the Council of Representatives. Their work is regulated by law.

Article (101):

1st -- The Iraqi Central Bank, the Financial Inspection Office, the media and communications agency, and the offices of (religious) endowments are considered financially and administratively independent associations. Each of their activities is regulated by law.

2nd -- The Iraqi central bank is responsible before the Council of Representatives, and the Financial Inspection Office and the media and communications agency are tied to the Council of Representatives.

3rd -- Offices of endowments are affiliated to the Cabinet

Article (102): An agency shall be established called the Institution of the Martyrs, affiliated to the Cabinet, and its operations and powers will be regulated by law.

Article (103): A public agency will be founded to guarantee the right of the regions and of provinces that do not belong to a region to fair participation in the administration of the various federal state institutions, missions, fellowships, delegations and regional and international conferences. It shall be made up of representatives of the federal government, regions and provinces that do not belong to a region, and it shall be regulated by law.

Article (104): A general body shall be established by law to monitor and allocate federal incomes; the body shall consist of experts from the federal government, the regions and the provinces and representatives from them. It should shoulder the following responsibilities:

1st -- verifying fairness in distribution of international grants, aid and loans based on what the regions and the provinces that do not belong to a region deserve.

2nd --ensuring that federal financial resources are being used and distributed in the best way.

3rd -- ensuring transparency and justice when allocating money to the regional governments and provinces according to the decided ratios.

Article (105): A council, to be called the federal public service council, shall be established and it shall be responsible for regulating the affairs of the federal public office, including appointments and promotions. Its formation and responsibilities shall be regulated by a law.

Article (106): It is allowed to establish other independent associations according to need and necessity and by law.

CHAPTER FOUR: POWERS OF THE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES

Article (107): The federal authority will maintain the unity of Iraq, its integrity, independence, sovereignty and its democratic federal system.

Article (108): The federal authorities will have the following exclusive powers:

1st -- drawing up foreign policy, diplomatic representation, negotiating international accords and agreements, negotiating and signing debt agreements, drawing up foreign sovereign economic and trade policies.

2nd -- drawing up and executing national defense policy including setting up and operating the armed forces to ensure the protection and security of Iraq's borders and its defense.

3rd -- drawing up financial and customs policy, issuing currency, organizing trade policy among regions and provinces in Iraq, setting the general budget for the nation, drawing up currency policies and establishing and administering a central bank.

4th -- organizing issues of weights and measures.

5th -- organizing issues of nationality and naturalization, residence and asylum rights.

6th -- organizing a policy of broadcast wavelengths and the mail.

7th -- setting the general and investment budgets.

8th -- planning policies connected to water resources from outside Iraq and guaranteeing levels of water flow into Iraq, according to international law and custom.

9th -- conducting the general census of the population.

Article (109): Oil and gas is the property of all the Iraqi people in all the regions and provinces.

Article (110):

1st -- The federal government will administer oil and gas extracted from current fields in cooperation with the governments of the producing regions and provinces on condition that the revenues will be distributed fairly in a manner compatible with the demographical distribution all over the country. A quota should be defined for a specified time for (affected) regions that were deprived in an unfair way by the former regime or later on, in a way to ensure balanced development in different parts of the country. This should be regulated by law.

2nd -- The federal government and the governments of the producing regions and provinces together will draw up the necessary strategic policies to develop oil and gas wealth to bring the greatest benefit for the Iraqi people, relying on the most modern techniques of market principles and encouraging investment.

Article (111): The following duties will be shared by the federal and regional authorities:

1st -- administering customs, in coordination with the regional (governments and the provinces that didn't make it into a region), and this will be regulated by law.

2nd -- organizing and distributing the main electrical power resources.

3rd -- drawing up environmental policy to guarantee the protection of the environment from pollution and the preservation of its cleanliness, in cooperation with the regions (and the provinces that didn't make it into a region).

4th -- drawing up general planning and development policies.

5th -- drawing up general health policy, in cooperation with the regions (and the provinces that didn't make it into a region.)

6th -- drawing up general education and childbearing policy, in consultation with the regions (and the provinces that didn't make it into a region.) (7th -- drawing up the general water resources policy and organizing it in a way that would guarantee equitable distribution and this will be regulated by law.)

Article (112): All that is not written in the exclusive powers of the federal authorities is in the authority of the regions (and the provinces that didn't make it into a region.) In other powers shared between the federal government and the regions, the priority will be given to the region's law in case of dispute.

CHAPTER FIVE: AUTHORITIES OF THE REGIONS

PART ONE: REGIONS

Article (113): The federal system in the republic of Iraq is made up of the capital, regions, decentralized provinces and local administrations.
(Article (114):

1st -- This constitution, when implemented, shall endorse the region of Kurdistan and its existing power as a federal region.

2nd -- This constitution shall endorse the new regions that will be established according to the provisions of the constitution.

Article (115): The Council of Representatives shall pass a law that fixes the executive procedures relating to establishing regions by simple majority in a period that does not exceed six months from the date of the first session.

Article (116): Every province or more has the right to establish a region based on a request for a referendum to be submitted in one of the following ways:

1st -- A request from one-third of the members in each of the provincial councils in the provinces that wish to establish a region.

2nd -- A request from one-tenth of the voters in each of the provinces that wish to establish a region.

Article (117):

The region writes a constitution for itself, defines the structure of the region's powers and its authorities as well as the mechanism of using these powers in a way that does not run contrary to the constitution.)

Article (118):

1st -- The governments of regions have the right to practice legislative, executive and judicial powers according to this constitution, except in what is listed as exclusive powers of the federal authorities.

2nd -- The regional authority has the right to amend the implementation of the federal law in the region in the case of a contradiction between the federal and regional laws in matters that do not pertain to the exclusive powers of the federal authorities.

3rd -- A fair share of the revenues collected federally is designated to regions, in a way that suffices their duties and (responsibilities), taking into consideration the (region's) resources, needs and (the percentage of the population in it.)

4th -- Offices for regions and provinces are to be established in embassies and diplomatic missions to follow up on cultural, social and local development affairs.
(5th -- The regional government shall be in charge of all that's required for administering the region, especially establishing and regulating internal security forces for the region such as police, security and guards for the region.)

PART TWO: PROVINCES NOT ORGANIZED INTO A REGION

Article (119):

1st -- Provinces consist of districts, counties and villages.

2nd -- Provinces that were not included into a region are given extensive administrative and financial authorities to enable them to (manage their affairs) according to the principal of administrative decentralization, and this is regulated by law.

3rd -- The provincial governor, who is elected by the provincial council, is considered the highest executive president of the province to carry out the responsibilities designated to him by the council.

4th -- The election of the provincial council, the governor and their authorities will be regulated by law.

5th -- The provincial council is not subject to the domination or the supervision of any ministry or any party unrelated to a ministry, and it has its independent finances.

Article (120): It is permissible to delegate the federal government's authorities to the provinces or vice versa, with the two parties' approval, and this is regulated by law.
(PART THREE: THE CAPITAL)

Article (121): Baghdad with its administrative boundaries is the capital of the republic of Iraq, and it consists of the province of Baghdad with its administrative boundaries, and its status is regulated through a law (and it is not permissible for the capital to join a region.)

PART FOUR: LOCAL ADMINISTRATIONS

Article (122): This (constitution) guarantees the administrative, political, cultural, educational rights for the various ethnicities such as Turkomen, Chaldeans, Assyrians, and the other components, and this is regulated by law.

CHAPTER SIX: FINAL AND TRANSITIONAL GUIDELINES

FIRST: FINAL GUIDELINES

Article (123):

1st -- The president of the republic and the Cabinet together, or one-fifth of the members of the Council of Representatives, can suggest amending the constitution.

2nd -- The basic principles of the constitution mentioned in Chapter One of this constitution (and the rights and freedoms mentioned in Chapter Two of this constitution) cannot be amended, except after two consecutive parliament cycles and based on the consent of two-thirds of the members of the Council of Representatives, a public referendum and the endorsement of the president of the republic within seven days.

3rd -- Other items not covered by the 2nd clause of this article can only be amended by two-thirds of the members of the Council of Representatives, the consent of the people in a general referendum and the endorsement of the president within seven days.

4th -- No amendment is allowed that lessens the powers of the regions that are not among the exclusive powers of the federal authority, except with the agreement of the legislative council of the concerned region and the consent of a majority of its population in a general referendum.

5th -- ((a) An amendment is considered endorsed by the president of the republic after the expiry of the period mentioned in the 2nd and 3rd clauses in this article in case of his failure to endorse it.) (b) An amendment is considered in effect upon the date of its publication in the official gazette.

Article (124): It is not permitted for the president of the republic, the prime minister and Cabinet, the president of the Council of Representatives and its members and delegates, members of the judicial authority and holders of special positions to use their influence to buy or rent anything from the finances of the state or to sell or rent to the state anything from their own finances or to bring suit against the state over these things or to strike contracts with the state in their capacity as concessionaires, importers or contractors.

Article (125): Laws and judicial rulings are issued in the name of the people.

Article (126): Laws are published in the official gazette, and are in effect from the publishing date as long as it is not legislated otherwise.

Article (127): Legislation remains in effect as long as it is not nullified or amended in accordance to the rules of this constitution.

Article (128): Every referendum mentioned in this constitution is passed by a simple majority unless mentioned otherwise.

SECOND: TRANSITIONAL GUIDELINES

Article (129):

1st -- The state guarantees the welfare of political prisoners and those who were harmed by the practices of the former dictatorial regime.

2nd -- The state guarantees compensation to the families of martyrs and those who were wounded by terrorist acts.

3rd -- What is provided for in these 1st and 2nd clauses will be regulated by law.

Article (130): The Council of Representatives shall (observe) in its first session the internal organization of the Transitional National Assembly until its own internal organization is decided.

Article (131): The Supreme Iraqi Criminal Court will continue its activities as an independent judicial agency, looking into the crimes of the dictatorial regime and its leading figures. The Council of Representatives can dissolve it by law once its work is finished.

Article (132):

1st -- The National De-Baathification Committee will continue its work as an independent body in coordination with the judiciary and the executive authorities in the framework of law regulating its work. The committee is linked to the Parliament.

2nd -- The Council of Representatives can dissolve the committee after it finishes its work (by absolute majority).

3rd -- It is a condition upon candidates for the positions of president of the republic, prime minister, ministers, parliament speaker and parliament members, head of the Federal Council and its members and all similar posts in the regions, and members of the judiciary and other posts included under de-Baathification, that they not be included under the provisions of de-Baathification.

4th -- The condition mentioned in the 3rd clause of this article will remain in effect until it is abolished by law.

Article (133):

1st -- The Property Claims Agency will continue its operations as an independent body in coordination with judicial authorities and executive bodies in accordance with the law, and it is linked to the Council of Representatives.

2nd -- The Council of Representatives can dissolve the agency by a two-thirds majority.

Article (134): Rules in articles concerning the Council of Union wherever they appear in this constitution will not come into effect until a decision is reached by the Council of Representatives, with a two-thirds majority, in its second cycle following the enactment of this constitution.

Article (135):

1st -- The phrase (Presidential Council) replaces the phrase (President of the Republic) wherever it appears in this constitution, and regulations concerning the president of the republic will come into effect after one session following the enactment of this constitution.

2nd -- (a) The Council of Representatives will elect a president for the nation and two deputies for him to form a council called the Presidential Council. It will be elected in one list with a two-thirds majority.
(b) The rules for removing the president of the republic in this constitution apply to the president and members of the Presidential Council. (c) The Council of Representatives can remove any member of the Presidential Council for reasons of lack of competence or integrity with a three-quarters majority vote by its members. (d) If any position in the Presidential Council should come empty, the Council of Representatives shall elect a replacement by a two-thirds majority.

3rd -- Members of the Presidential Council must meet the same conditions as those for a member of the Council of Representatives, that they must:
(a) have reached 40 years of age. (b) possess a good reputation, integrity and uprightness. (c) have left the dissolved party at least 10 years before its fall if they were members in it. (d) not have participated in the repression of the 1991 Uprising or the Anfal Campaign or have committed any crime against the Iraqi people.

4th -- The Presidential Council must take its decisions unanimously, and any member can delegate his position to one of the other two members.

5th -- (a) Laws and resolutions passed by the Council of Representatives are sent to the Presidential Council for approval by unanimity, to be issued within 10 days of the date of their ar