McConnell Misleads on Iraqi Constitution
By on Aug 28th, 2005 at 11:21 am
McConnell Misleads on Iraqi Constitution
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Fox News, 8/28/05:
This is a constitution, certainly, by Middle Eastern standards, that’s astonishing…while Islam is mentioned, it is not the controlling law of the country.
Iraqi draft constitution:
Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation. No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam.
UPDATE: Watch the video.
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Economy
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Glenn Beck
Global Warming
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Sports
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Tea Party
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
Whatever the constitution says, it’s better than when Saddam was in power.
August 28th, 2005 at 11:27 amCrap!
August 28th, 2005 at 11:32 amSarah, you poor, deluded fool.
August 28th, 2005 at 11:46 amAnd the irony is that Islam is one of the most sensical and compassionate religions out there, but very few take the time to realize such a fact. Pure Christian ignorance is the culprit.
August 28th, 2005 at 11:52 amRight, because a constitution of the people, for the people and by the people that puts ultimate authority in an institution that is, by definition, run by some of the people is way better than dictatorship.
Maybe it’s not an actual theocracy, but it’s hard to dispute that this would be a de facto theocracy. Iran has a similar government: elected officials that answer to unelected religious authorities. And Iran, as everyone knows, is a paragon of democracy and freedom.
August 28th, 2005 at 11:54 amSarah-
The same Saddam that your good friend Rummy went to do business with? As always, Christian that you are (or are you?) the degree of your hypocrisy and dishonesty simply astonishes. FYI, under Saddam, Iraqi women enjoyed perhaps the best status of any women in any of the nations of the Middle East — Israel and Egypt being perhaps the only real exceptions. This was, incidentally, one of the reasons why Osama Bin Laden was so pre-occupied with trying to get rid of Saddam — a wish that the US has astonishingly granted him! So, on top of failing miserably at bringing to justice the man chiefly responsible for 9/11, this administration has gleefully launched an assault on an innocent state (of 9/11) whose end result is fulfilling one of that same man’s most cherished dreams!!
Now, with all the lies that were invented to justify this naked aggression for oil having been exposed, you are trying to run from the last invention — that of spreading freedom (even if the entire nation must be slaughtered to bring it freedom!) — by suggesting that ANYTHING is better than what there was before??
Finally, Sarah – have you no shame? Have you no shred of decency left in you, that you would advocate stripping fellow women of rights enshrined in secular rules of law, in favor of oppression advanced under self-serving interpretations by men, of religious edicts? And you are a woman yourself (we presume!?).
Truly, have you no shame at all? Have you finally lost every shred of human decency in you to desire this for fellow womankind?
August 28th, 2005 at 11:56 amDoes that mean that Bush’s model government for spreading freedom and democracy in the Middle East is in trouble?
August 28th, 2005 at 12:44 pmShrub never wanted democracy anywhere much less Iraq!
Shrub probably loves the idea of a constitution with Iraqi leaders answering to unelected religious zealots. That would be a democracy model for the one he already plans for America!
August 28th, 2005 at 12:56 pmMcConnell is confused. He thought the question referred to Islam in the United States constitution.
His American Taliban friends have a different view of the role of religion in government.
August 28th, 2005 at 1:06 pmMcConnell did mislead on the constitution. However my real problem was with Senator Dorgan who appeared with him. We are in a mess in Iraq and many of the prominent Democratic leaders are failing to provide a real alternative to the Bush policy.
August 28th, 2005 at 1:30 pmSarah,
Since you seem to be so high on the new Iraqi constitution, please, by all means, take a nice trip over to Iraq (once the constitution is ratified) and walk on over to one of the Shi’ite areas wearing your Capri pants and flowerly peasant blouse and your $90 Kenzie flats and see how much that constitution is going to protect you.
Before you leave, however, make sure your life insurance policy is paid up.
August 28th, 2005 at 2:11 pmMitch McConnell’s statement is to be expected. Any news from Iraq that can be spun into the mission being accomplished allows a rock for the cockroaches to hide under. Legitimacy is all they are seeking for 2006, just enough to hold on until other story lines can be developed, providing a new shiny object to focus attention upon.
August 28th, 2005 at 2:31 pmI think the shiny new object we will all be focusing upon in ‘06 will be badges flashing as WH monkeys (non flying included) are sent off to jail.
August 28th, 2005 at 3:13 pmAnd, you would expect what from Mitch?
August 28th, 2005 at 4:03 pmThanks, Senator. I’m sure making up facts is much simpler than taking the time to actually find out what the hell you’re talking about.
August 28th, 2005 at 4:52 pmByron “doormat” Dorgan. That’s telling em Senator.
August 28th, 2005 at 5:19 pmNice job defending Cindy Sheehan too, you pussy.
#6 Observer
August 28th, 2005 at 6:20 pmMighty powerful comment — and so true it hurts.
MCConnell cat ever say anything with spinning it or without some stupid remark.
What a wierdo, just look at him and you can tell that he has sucked on too man salchichas.
August 28th, 2005 at 8:21 pmThen I guess there might be problems doing the manger scene with the baby Jesus on the front steps of city hall come Christmas, eh?
August 28th, 2005 at 8:50 pmDon’t worry, apparently women’s rights and the rights of minorities aren’t essential to democracy, if you listen to the Admin. I mean, who cares if thousands died to set women back 30 years.
A government and country that was secular, is now to be closely allied with hardline Iran, but that’s to be ignored by the likes of idiot Mitch McConnell.
But, that’s OK, too. Certainly something to love and appreciate, huh Sarah?
August 29th, 2005 at 1:21 amIn yesterdays SF Chronicle, it had an extended section about Iraq. Primarily it covered how things have changed there since the invasion in 03. The Cliff notes version:
Yes, Saddam was a dictator who killed 10,000+ of Iraqis. During his rule, 85+% of women, didn’t wear the hajib, now almost all (even non-muslims) women do for fear of being beaten or worse. Other minority religions (christians, jews, etc) had places of worship and were allowed to openly practice their religion. Now all houses of worship other than Islamic have been closed due to bombs, threats, or “city fathers” telling them to close. Individual practice of minority religion has also been squelched. Those minorities that can are leaving in droves, those that can’t are going underground to hide their faiths.
bushco should be ashamed at what they have done. Fundie christians should be up in arms over what bushco has wrought. Instead they support his fascism wildly. What book do these idiots pray from?
Let Iraq pass their horrible constitution and lets get the hell out of there. Yea they are going to kill each other off, better that than them ALL killing our GI’s.
August 29th, 2005 at 10:46 amYep, dumbya and is sheeple feel this is great progress.
As a small business owner, if I ran my company this way and considered it progress, I would have to close & file bankruptcy. But I could claim great strides!
Get ready, if that constitution is OK to dumbya and his sheeple, they will have the stones to re-write ours too. I guess a few slaves and women that can’t vote might help small business in the future. But if we don’t practice the same views as dumbya it will be “off to the camps” for us.
Heck, if these retro-psychos are hell bent to take the world back to the 1850’s, and their minons support them blindly, we just may have a civil war of our own. I know which side I’ll be on.
These bible thumping bigots think they are winning the culture war too, but I have news for them:
I will fight to the end for JUSTICE, CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL TREATMENT FOR ALL! Even a FAIR TRIAL FOR ALL IN THE WHITE HOUSE!
August 29th, 2005 at 12:01 pmThis “non-partisan” (HAAAAA!) site is as dubious as FAUX news – selective quotes remind me of confessions forced by communists and fascists – thereby making libs look extremely….what’s the right word …DESPERATE!!!! The next portion of the Iraqi constitution says that NO law can be passed that is not democratic. (Note to Sarah: the more you piss them off, the more ugly they get – it’s a compliment.)
August 29th, 2005 at 8:07 pmAphrodite, you are right. The fact that the draft constitution states that no law can be passed that goes against the principles of democracy means that McConnell was accurate in his statements, that religious leaders (who incidentally decide the “undisputed” rules of Islam) will not be at best consulted, and that liberals are desperate to find a problem with a constitution that clearly merges church and state. After all, history proves that attempts to redefine states in the region have all proven successful, especially U.S./British backed changes.
I also enjoy the mature and intellectual name calling you have thrown into your post. It too reminds me of “FAUX” news and its brilliant, scholarly reporters. You are a shining beacon of right wing righteousness and you serve as an example for all of us to follow. I hereby renounce my pagan, demonic, liberal thoughts and choose to follow you and your infallible ideals.
Excuse me, I need to go vomit.
August 29th, 2005 at 11:42 pmYou people that THINK you are American, need to listen to a REAL AMERICAN, A REAL NATIVE AMERICAN. You know the ones we INVADED AND TOOK THEIR LAND.
The Los Angeles Times has described Russell Means as the most famous American Indian since Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
During a recent interview, he expressed these thoughts:
About The Siege at Wounded Knee, he wrote, “Our aim at Wounded Knee was to force the U.S. government to live up to its own laws. From that, one can draw the real lesson of our stand there: It is the duty of every responsible American to ensure that their government upholds the spirit and the laws of the United States Constitution. After all, what freedom really means is that you are free to be responsible.â€
“This government is evil. How can patriots support a president over the Constitution? That is treason. The purpose of the first amendment is to encourage dissent. Without dissent, it is impossible to live free.â€
When asked to speak about military recruiters targeting low-income youths, including Indians, Means said that it follows the history of a patriarchal society that the poor kids are to be the common fodder. Even after the Civil War, when Americans wouldn’t join the military, European immigrants were pulled off boats and forced to do two years of subscripted service to obtain citizenship. The poor are always a target for military induction, Means concluded.
Means reiterated that if men rule alone in their citadels of power, they are fearful.
A libertarian, Means paraphrased George Washington, “Government is force, nothing more, nothing less.â€
Russell Means- Means is a life-long indigenous rights/constitutional rights activist, actor, artist, and author
August 30th, 2005 at 1:29 amWhat’s good about people like Sarah as with all the shallow idiots, sophists, and trolls on sites like this is they encourage the rest to hone their talking points and analysis. The Iraqi constitution makes human rights contingent on the moral dictates of the Sharia or divining the will of God. Sharia is different in different Islamic countries, but misogynism is common throughout. For someone to say that this document creates an environment that is better than the one under Sadaam Hussein is ignorant. Sadaam Hussein was a secularist. He kept the clerics at bay. Women could teach and go to school. They could wear western style clothing and choose their life mates. They could work in professional jobs and the civil service. Iraq at one time was the most secular and western of all the middle eastern states. Sadaam Hussein was a ruthless dictator but if you think that Iraq couldn’t get any worse, you’ve got another think coming.
August 30th, 2005 at 3:12 amMitch and Elaine. The new American Super Couple. Childless, rich, and Republican. Neither are particularly demonstrative with regard to their spiritual orientation but both carry water for those who would pervert the U.S. Constitution with a Anglo-christianist (intentionally un-capitalized) spin designed to promote their evil priesthood. They are a power couple who reflect the political expediency of the Sauds and the Wahabist religionist of the Arab world. We are now faced with the axis of Anglo and Arab elite giving direct constitutional control over the greater numbers of their populations to the religionist. Sen. Mitch is facilitating the actualization of that by his smooth and deceitful management of the process. “But, you have to realize . . . Oh, hopefully . . . Oh, this outcome is not what it seems on the surface . . . ” This is the language of the boardroom and polite enslavement. Lest anyone think that this is some sort of racial blast, forget it. It is a human-weasel blast . Skin color, and national origin are no match for a consciousness of enslavement and domination. The creature homo sapien is an aggressive and competitive beast. It’s most base need is to dominate. The like of Sen. Mitch are most base.
September 3rd, 2005 at 12:15 pmHAS ANYBODY TAKEN NOTICE THAT WE JUST CREATED “IRAN” II –AND WE DID IT FOR JUST INDER $250 BILLION, SO FAR.
September 6th, 2005 at 3:47 pmALL OF THIS MESS, AND WE NOW HAVE TWO “IRANS”. DIDN’T ANYONE RESEARCH THE HISTORY OF THE SHIITES? IRAQ HAS ALREADY SIGNED A NON AGGRESION PACT WITH THEIR NEW BEST BUDDIES. AND STILL NO “WMD”. BIN LADEN COULDN’T HAVE ACHIEVED THIS MUCH, IN A MILLION YEARS.
HELP! There was a statement made by either Mitch McConnell or the White House Press Sec. about Iraq women and how they are “just fine” or “they don’t need extra rights” in regards to their constitution. Can someone PLEASE tell me where the actual quote is and who said it. I heard it on Air America Radio about 2 weeks ago and I need it for a college paper.
THANKS!
September 18th, 2005 at 9:07 am